NORTH CAROLINA: U-Haul No. 7 Growth State for 2017

North Carolina was the No. 7 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 10 percent while departures increased 9 percent from North Carolina’s 2016 numbers.

Arriving trucks accounted for 50.2 percent of all one-way U-Haul traffic in North Carolina to catapult it back among the leading net-gain states. North Carolina slipped to the No. 44 growth ranking for 2016 after attaining the No. 1 spot 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, South Carolina and Tennessee rounded out the top five, 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.

Durham, Chapel Hill, Boone, Wake Forest and Mooresville paced North Carolina’s net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks. Pineville, Clayton, Oak Island, Kernersville, Greenville and Asheville were among other notable cities to record strong net gains. Find U-Haul stores and neighborhood dealers in North Carolina at uhaul.com/locations.

“There is certainly growth in the Raleigh-Durham area,” said Paul Smedberg, U-Haul Company of Raleigh president. “It’s ramped up the last five years. New housing is making the downtown area more residential. We also have a booming job market. The Research Triangle between Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill and is one of the most prominent development centers in the U.S.”

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 North Carolina

“North Carolina has businesses coming in, which attracts new residents. There are new Lidl grocery stores popping up everywhere. We are seeing people moving to the inner cities as well as the outskirts. New housing is booming. There are plenty of jobs here. We also have some of the best colleges, and many graduates end up moving here for good. In the last 3 years, my (region) has opened three new full-service stores and added many neighborhood dealers. We have equipment everywhere and you can really feel the growth.” — Jason Grider, U-Haul Company of Central North Carolina 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.