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

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.