Recently released data from moving and storage company
U-Haul shows Wisconsin is ranked 26
th out of 50 states when it comes to the state's net gain for the number of movers who used the company’s equipment for a one-way trip in 2023 – a metric demonstrating the number of newcomers to the state.
Texas had the largest net gain for number of one-way movers in 2023, with Florida ranking second. Following Florida are North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
For the fourth year in a row, California reflected the largest net loss of one-way movers.
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.
"Migration to states in the Southeast and Southwest is still very pronounced," said
John "J.T." Taylor, U-Haul International president. "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."
While U-Haul migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the company says its growth index is an “effective gauge” of how well states and cities are attracting and maintaining residents.