TENNESSEE: U-Haul No. 5 Growth State for 2017

Tennessee was the No. 5 Growth State for 2017, according to U-Haul data analyzing the past year’s U.S. migration trends.

Year-over-year arrivals of one-way U-Haul truck rentals rose 6 percent while departures climbed 5.7 percent from Tennessee’s 2016 numbers.

Arriving trucks accounted for 50.3 percent of all one-way U-Haul traffic in Tennessee to catapult its ranking seven spots in one year. Tennessee earned the No. 12 growth ranking for 2016 and was No. 34 for 2015.

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.

Texas was the No. 1 Growth State for the second year in a row. Florida, Arkansas and South Carolina slotted just in front of Tennessee, and North Carolina ranked seventh, continuing a strong growth movement in the Southeast. California overtook Illinois on the list as the biggest net-loss state.

While migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, U-Haul growth data is an effective gauge of how well states and cities are attracting and maintaining residents.

Maryville, Murfreesboro, Columbia, Lebanon, Athens, Clarksville, Oak Ridge and Brentwood paced Tennessee’s net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks. Kingsport, Collierville and Franklin were among other notable cities to post strong net gains. Find U-Haul stores and neighborhood dealers in Tennessee at uhaul.com/locations.

“Tennessee is flourishing everywhere you look,” said Jeff Porter, U-Haul Company of Nashville president. “We’re up 10 U-Haul dealers from last year and are looking for new locations for company-owned facilities. It doesn’t matter if you like the big cities or the countryside. Tennessee has something for everyone. It is clear people are moving here.”

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’re Saying about Tennessee

“The housing market (in Metro Knoxville) is on fire. My family recently moved and we couldn’t even find a house. We had to build one. These houses hit the market and are gone in a day. They are building condos downtown and in the city centers, just like other major metro areas, but there are also many retirees moving to the outskirts of town.” — Pat Spencer, U-Haul Company of Knoxville president

“We have no state income tax, beautiful weather and Southern hospitality. Growth isn’t restricted to Nashville, either. We’re seeing job growth everywhere. Nashville has started to grow up rather than out. There are new condos and high-rises. The Gulch is an up-and-coming community downtown. The district has an industrial history but has become a hot spot for the younger generation.” — Jeff Porter, U-Haul Company of Nashville president

U-Haul Growth State Rankings for 2017

1. Texas
2. Florida
3. Arkansas
4. South Carolina
5. Tennessee
6. Washington
7. North Carolina
8. Connecticut
9. Colorado
10. Vermont
11. Alabama
12. Iowa
13. Virginia
14. Idaho
15. West Virginia
16. Nebraska
17. Indiana
18. Delaware
19. New Mexico
20. Wisconsin
21. Utah
22. Wyoming
23. Mississippi
24. Oklahoma
25. Montana
26. Maine
27. South Dakota
28. Washington D.C.
29. Kentucky
30. Missouri
31. New Hampshire
32. Oregon
33. Nevada
34. Ohio
35. Minnesota
36. Alaska
37. North Dakota
38. Kansas
39. Rhode Island
40. Louisiana
41. Georgia
42. Maryland
43. Arizona
44. New York
45. New Jersey
46. Massachusetts
47. Michigan
48. Pennsylvania
49. Illinois
50. California

* Washington, D.C. is its own U-Haul territory and is listed among states for migration purposes. Hawaii is not included since state-to-state truck rentals are not applicable.