WASHINGTON: U-Haul No. 6 Growth State for 2017

Jan 8, 2018

Washington was the No. 6 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 2 percent while departures crept up 1 percent from Washington’s 2016 numbers.

Arriving trucks accounted for 50.3 percent of all one-way U-Haul traffic in Washington to catapult it back among the leading net-gain states. Washington held the No. 16 growth ranking for 2016 and was also No. 6 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, 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.

Tacoma, Olympia, Puyallup, Bellingham and Tumwater paced Washington’s net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks. Longview, Lakewood, Port Townsend, Federal Way and Kent were other notable cities to record strong net gains. Find U-Haul stores and neighborhood dealers in Washington at uhaul.com/locations.

“Washington has the full season and is a beautiful place to live,” said Dan Flatten, U-Haul Company of Southern Washington president. “It’s becoming a new Silicon Valley. We have tech start-ups and new industries. I would say that’s the primary driver for people moving here — the job market and the fact this state is so beautiful. It’s green and there is something for everyone.”

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 Washington

“People are running out of places to live and starting to look further out in places like Longview and Olympia. They have to get outside the city centers and commute in for work. People love to be close to the bigger cities and their jobs, but also have the affordability and small town feel of the suburbs.” — Dan Flatten, U-Haul Company of Southern Washington 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.

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