Del. in middle of pack in difference between inbound and outbound self moves

Delaware ranks 27th out of the 50 states in the difference between inbound and outbound self moves. The ranking was down from 22nd a year earlier.

Tennessee ranked first in having the biggest net gain in inbound moves, according to the annual report from the Phoenix-based rental company.

U-Haul uses the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks entering a state versus leaving that state in a calendar year in calculating trends. Data are compiled from more than two million annual one-way U-Haul truck customer transactions.

U-Haul customers made Texas and Florida their top two destinations from 2016-19. Texas had the largest net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks for three straight years before Florida became No. 1 last year. Texas is second for growth, and Florida third, for 2020.

Ohio, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, and Georgia round out the top 10 states for 2020 growth as self-movers continue to migrate to the Southeast, the Southwest, Midwest, and Rocky Mountain regions.

California ranks last by a wide margin.

East and Central Tennessee are enjoying the biggest gains in U-Haul arrivals. The top growth cities include Knoxville, the Tri-Cities, Cookeville, Clarksville, Cleveland, Murfreesboro, and Maryville.

While U-Haul migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the growth data gauges how well cities and states are attracting and maintaining residents, a release stated.

Delaware saw the highest population growth among neighboring states in the past decade, according to Census figures.

Much of the population growth was concentrated in central and southern Delaware and included retirees and empty nesters who might be more inclined to use moving companies.

Delaware has some of the attractions that attract people to Sunbelt states, including a lack of a sales tax and low property taxes. It does have a high personal income tax rate.

A fuller move-in picture may emerge as full-service moving companies release inbound and outbound move information.

(See ranking below)

2020: STATES RANKED BY MIGRATION GROWTH (a)

(a) Previous year’s rankings in parentheses. Hawaii is not included since its transactions are inapplicable.