Utah registers as the No. 8 Growth State in America, according to U-Haul® data analyzing U.S. migration trends for 2019.
Utah slid four positions from its No. 4 ranking a year ago, but remains entrenched in the top 10 for growth. It was No. 21 back in 2017.
Florida leapfrogs Texas as the top growth state for 2019, ending the Lone Star State’s three-year run atop the rankings for 2016-18. Florida rises one spot after being No. 2 for growth the previous three years. North Carolina jumps 21 spots to third on the list, with South Carolina and Washington rounding out the top five.
Illinois and California lead the way in out-migration with the largest net losses of moving trucks crossing their borders.
Growth States are calculated by the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks entering a state versus leaving that state during a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 2 million one-way U-Haul truck-sharing transactions that occur annually.
Migration Trends Data
Utah arrivals of one-way U-Haul trucks were up more than 2% while departures were up 3% compared to the state’s 2018 numbers. Despite the increase in departures, arrivals still accounted for 50.4% of all one-way U-Haul traffic in Utah to make it the No. 8 state for netting do-it-yourself movers.
“Utah is a U-Haul Growth State thanks to its strong economy,” said Brad Ling, U-Haul Company of Utah president. “We attract people from other states and abroad. People seeking jobs and an education pick Utah as their home. The old Utah was dependent on a natural increase for growth. Now we’re driving migrants to come here. Our population is becoming more diverse and we’re on track to become an international market.”
The Southeast accounts for four of the top six growth states with Alabama’s climb to No. 6, while Vermont joined Utah in maintaining its top-10 status. Illinois sits 50th for the fourth time in five years, outpacing No. 47 Massachusetts, No. 48 Michigan and No. 49 California for the most net departures.
Visit myuhaulstory.com to view the complete state rankings, as well as the top U-Haul U.S. Growth Cities (to be released Jan. 7) and Canadian Growth Cities (Jan. 8).
Utah in Growth Mode
Saint George, Provo, Bountiful and Logan lead Utah’s gains. Riverton and Clearfield are among other notable cities to see a net increase of U-Haul trucks.
Although U-Haul migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the Company’s growth data is an effective gauge of how well cities and states are attracting and maintaining residents.
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 22,000 U-Haul truck- and trailer-sharing locations provides a comprehensive overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry.
