U-Haul Migration Trends: Louisiana down 10 spots from last year in Growth Index

PRNewswire/ — Texas netted the largest number of movers in one-way U-Haul^® equipment in 2023, marking the third consecutive year it has finished atop the U-Haul Growth Index.

Florida ranks right behind Texas among growth states for the third year in a row, followed by North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Idaho, Washington, Arizona, Colorado and Virginia round out the top 10 states for growth.

For the fourth year in a row, California reflected the largest net loss of one-way movers. Other bottom-five states for growth are Michigan, New Jersey, Illinois and Massachusetts. Louisiana ranks 45th, down ten spots from 35th in 2022.

U-Haul calculates growth states by each state’s net gain (or loss) of one-way equipment from customer transactions in a calendar year. The U-Haul Growth Index is compiled from more than 2.5 million one-way U-Haul truck, trailer and U-Box moving container transactions that occur annually across the U.S. and Canada.

“While one-way transactions in 2023 remained below the record-breaking levels we witnessed immediately following the pandemic, we continued to see many of the same geographical trends from U-Haul customers moving between states,” said John “J.T.” Taylor, U-Haul International president.

“Migration to states in the Southeast and Southwest is still very pronounced. Demand for one-way equipment out of certain markets in the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast mirrors what we have seen during recent moving cycles. Wherever DIY customers go, and whatever mobility and self-storage needs they have in 2024, U-Haul will be there with solutions.”

Texas is the No. 1 growth state for the sixth time in eight years (2016-18 and 2021-23) and has ranked no lower than second on the U-Haul Growth Index throughout that stretch. DIY movers arriving in Texas accounted for 50.4% of all one-way U-Haul traffic in and out of Texas (49.6% departures) to keep it the leading growth state.

Florida remains equally appealing to new residents, netting almost as many one-way U-Haul customers as Texas in 2023. The Sunshine State has been a top-four growth state for nine years in a row. Florida topped the U-Haul Growth Index in 2019.

The biggest climbers year-over-year in the U-Haul growth rankings are Arkansas (+26 spots), Wyoming (+19), Vermont(+18), Washington (+16), Delaware (+12) and South Dakota (+12). The biggest fallers YOY are Oregon (-15 spots), Connecticut(-14), Pennsylvania (-14), Ohio (-14), Missouri (-13) and Indiana (-13).

2023 U-Haul Growth States

2022 growth rankings in parentheses

While U-Haul migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the U-Haul Growth Index is an effective gauge of how well states and cities are attracting and maintaining residents. Find the U-Haul location nearest you at uhaul.com/locations.

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 23,000 U-Haul truck- and trailer-sharing locations provides a broad overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry.

U-Haul continues to benefit the environment through its shared-use business model. Truck and trailer sharing enables communities to share moving equipment so that families and individuals don’t need to own large-capacity vehicles to transfer belongings. Sustainability initiatives like U-Haul Adaptive Reuse (the preserving and repurposing of existing buildings for new stores), truck modifications to improve fuel economy, and plastic Ready-To-Go Boxes^® that are shared hundreds of times before being recycled are among the many ways U-Haul promotes green business. U-Box Load Share, the Company’s latest sustainability program, was just named the 2023 Best in Biz gold winner for the Most Environmentally Friendly Service of the Year.