Cedar Rapids Today

Iowa moved up 11 spots last year in U-Haul’s annual list of states seeing more net inbound truck traffic, below Oregon but above New Hampshire.

This indicates Iowa is an attractive state for people to move to, according to truck rental company U-Haul. However, the data cannot exactly be used as a measure of economic growth or population growth, the company said.

The City of Ames led Iowa’s top states for inbound U-Haul truck trips. Bettendorf, Waukee, Davenport, Iowa City, Waterloo and Sioux City were among top cities for net inbound truck traffic. Cedar Rapids did not see either growth or loss in net inbound truck traffic.

U-Haul published the list, called “2019 U-Haul Growth States” and part of its “Migration Trends” series, in a blog on its website Jan. 6. The company determined spots within the list by calculating the net gains of one-way U-Haul trucks entering and leaving each state annually. U-Haul compiled the data by taking stock of over 2 million one-way U-Haul truck-sharing transactions that happen each year.

Iowa ranked No. 41 a year ago. Florida claimed the spot of top state for trucking growth in 2019, having hovered at number 2 for the prior three years. 

“I’m not surprised Florida is the No. 1 growth state, even after the hurricanes (in 2019). We’re Floridians – we don’t leave. Our communities stick together. We banded together and U-Haul gave free self-storage to affected residents. Our neighbors are our family," Cal Conner, president of U-Haul Eastern Florida, told U-Haul.

Maryland slid 39 spots to No. 45. Illinois and California had the highest numbers of out-migrating trucks crossing their borders.