Louisiana is the No. 8 U.S. Growth State for 2016, according to the latest U-Haul migration trends report.
Louisiana climbed 27 spots from its No. 35 growth ranking for 2015. Part of that was due to a 7 percent dip in the year-over-year departures of one-way truck rentals.
Arrivals accounted for 50.6 percent of U-Haul traffic in Louisiana in 2016. Lake Charles, Gonzales, Mandeville, Covington and Denham Springs paced the state in its net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks.
Follow the Top 10 Growth States daily countdown through Feb. 3 on Twitter @uhaul. View other migration trends reports, including the U.S. Growth Cities release, at myuhaulstory.com.
Growth States are calculated by the net gain of one-way U-Haul truck rentals entering a state versus leaving a state during a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 1.7 million one-way U-Haul truck rental transactions that occur annually.
While migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, U-Haul growth data is an effective gauge of how well cities are attracting and maintaining residents.
“We had an influx of trucks due to the flooding in Baton Rouge. A lot of folks came in with supplies to help and contractors came in to rebuild. But we’ve also seen a lot of growth in the Lake Charles area and southwest portion of the state,” says Pat Allen, U-Haul Company of Southern Louisiana president. “The (Sasol®) refinery complex is a huge expansion causing an influx of traffic. That’s always been an oil industry-driven area.”
Warren Iles, U-Haul Company of Northern Louisiana president, said there are now some 330 U-Haul neighborhood dealers serving the state as well as many new stores.
“We have a giant new store in Lafayette. We’re building another 800 climate-controlled self-storage rooms there that should be open by mid-March,” Iles says. “I’m about to open 500 self-storage rooms this week in Alexandria. We’re ready for more business. That’s for sure.”
Airboat swamp tour in Louisiana, the U-Haul No. 8 Growth State of 2016. Courtesy of the Louisiana Office of Tourism.
Find U-Haul stores and neighborhood dealers in Louisiana at uhaul.com/locations.
U-Haul is the authority on migration trends thanks to its expansive network that blankets all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The geographical coverage from more than 21,000 U-Haul locations provides a comprehensive overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry.
What they are saying about Louisiana
“To those of us who live in Louisiana, it is no surprise to us that so many people have chosen to load up their U-Haul (trucks) and move to Louisiana! It is the Sportsman’s Paradise, home to world-class hunting, fishing and boating. We have great food and we know how to ‘pass a good time.’ We are passionate about our sports teams and our unique culture. Once you have visited our great state for Mardi Gras, a convention, or one of our dozens of festivals, you’ll catch the bug and will look for an excuse to load up the U-Haul and move south, too. Laissez le bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)” – Sharon Hewitt, Louisiana Senator District 1
U-Haul Top 10 Growth States of 2016
10. Arkansas
9. Vermont
8. Louisiana
Be sure to follow the growth state countdown in the following days here on myuhaulstory.com!
