PHOENIX, April 3, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- U-Haul, North America's number one choice for do-it-yourself movers, today released the results of the U-Haul National Migration Trend Report, reflecting the nation's top growth states for families who moved during 2007. The report, 2007 Top 10 U.S. Growth States Report, indicates that for states with more than 20,000 families moving, Colorado had the highest percentage of growth, with 7.01 percent more families moving into the state than out. For states with 5,000 - 20,000 families moving, Maine had the highest percentage of growth, with 14.75 percent.
"The average American moves 11 times in a lifetime," explained U-Haul President John 'J.T.' Taylor. "Our customers rely on us to provide affordable services, and we are proud to be able to offer families who need moving services the increased convenience of our locations, which makes for a shorter distance to travel when moving. This not only makes their move easier but also has a positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere."
The report, reflective of growth patterns of the United States during 2007, was compiled based on nationwide trends in states with more than 5,000 families moving in or out of the area. Growth was then determined by calculating the percentage of inbound moves vs. outbound moves for each state.
The 2007 Top 10 U.S. Growth States Report was compiled from over 1.61 million U-Haul truck transactions occurring between Jan.1 and Dec. 31, 2007.
Since 1945, U-Haul has been the first choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 15,950 locations in all 50 United States and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to more than 100,000 trucks, 78,500 trailers and 31,100 towing devices. As a result, U-Haul offers more than 384,000 rooms and more than 33.8 million square feet of storage space at more than 1,055 facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the consumer's number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard barbecues as one of the nation's largest retailers of propane.
Note to editors: The annual mileage of North American U-Haul trucks, trailers and tow dollies would move a family to the moon and back more than 20.5 times per day, every day of the year. The annual mileage of North American U-Haul trucks, trailers and tow dollies would travel around the Earth 194 times per day, every day of the year.
U-Haul Top 10 U.S. Growth States*
January - December 2007
With More Than 20,000 Families Moving
RANK STATE %GROWTH
1. COLORADO 7.01%
2. OREGON 3.67%
3. KENTUCKY 3.28%
4. VIRGINIA 2.92%
5. FLORIDA 2.73%
6. WASHINGTON 2.37%
7. NORTH CAROLINA 1.84%
8. SOUTH CAROLINA 1.66%
9. TENNESSEE 1.50%
10. LOUISIANA 1.24%
U-Haul Top 10 U.S. Growth States*
January - December 2007
With 5,000 - 20,000 Families Moving
RANK STATE %GROWTH
1. MAINE 14.75%
2. DELAWARE 8.98%
3. UTAH 7.70%
4. WEST VIRGINIA 5.77%
5. MONTANA 2.85%
6. WYOMING 1.37%
7. NEW MEXICO 1.35%
8. CONNECTICUT 0.31%
9. MISSISSIPPI 1.15%
10. WEST VIRGINIA 0.97%
*Data compiled from over 1.61 million truck transactions from January
- December, 2007.