Ohio rises eight spots to become the No. 7 Growth State in America, according to U-Haul® data analyzing U.S. migration trends for 2019.
Ohio climbed as high as No. 3 on the list for 2015, and ranked No. 15 for growth in 2018. It saw more U-Haul trucks leaving than arriving from 2016-17.
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
Ohio arrivals of one-way U-Haul trucks were down nearly 1%, but departures were also down 1% compared to the state’s 2018 numbers as overall moving traffic dipped slightly. Arrivals accounted for better than 50.1% of all one-way U-Haul traffic in Ohio to make it the No. 7 state for netting do-it-yourself movers.
“Ohio has been underestimated in its growth potential,” explained Drew Case, U-Haul Company of Southwest Ohio president. “Numerous untapped areas are finally achieving market penetration. It’s a real race out there. Urban investments have brought a variety of family entertainment and business back into the city.”
“It’s incredible to see what’s happening in Ohio,” added Dean Haske, U-Haul Company of Ohio president. “For years, we were part of the ‘Rust Belt’ and people were moving away. Now, we’re rebounding with jobs in the tech sector. Ohio has migrated from being a blue-collar state to offering some of the best white-collar jobs there are. The Ohio State University is one of the biggest employers. Plus, we have insurance jobs, a booming medical field and technology jobs. We’re seeing a huge influx of young people moving to Central Ohio. U-Haul is opening new centers left and right to keep up with the demand.”
The Southeast accounts for four of the top six growth states with Alabama’s climb to No. 6, while Utah and Vermont maintained their status among the top 10. 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).
Ohio in Growth Mode
Worthington, Cleveland Heights, Lebanon and Huber Heights lead Ohio’s gains. Dublin, Springfield, Cleveland, Miamisburg and Canton 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.
