U-Haul Ranks Florida and Kansas as Top 2011 Growth States

PHOENIX, March 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- U-Haul International, Inc., today released the results of the annual U-Haul National Migration Trend Report, reflecting the nation's top growth states for families who moved during 2011. The report, titled "2011 Top 10 U.S. Growth States," indicates that for states with more than 20,000 families moving, Florida had the highest percentage of growth, with 4.11 percent more families moving into the state than out. In addition to Florida's growth exploding in 2011, Louisiana, Alabama, Arizona, Georgia and Oklahoma also showed substantial growth improvements compared to the 2010 growth report which indicated that all of these states had a decline in the number of families moving into each state.  For states with 5,000 - 20,000 families moving, Kansas had the highest percentage, with a growth rate of 6.72 percent in 2011.

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"The average American moves 11 times in a lifetime," explained U-Haul President of Phoenix Operations 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 the positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions being released into the atmosphere and saves our customers money."

The report, reflective of growth patterns of the United States during 2011, 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 2011 Top 10 U.S. Growth States Report was compiled from more than 1.6 million U-Haul one-way truck transactions occurring during a recent 12-month period.

About U-Haul
U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up during the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."  Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel-efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100% biodegradable.  Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the choice for the do-it-yourself mover. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the Company to maintain the largest rental fleet in the do-it-yourself moving industry which includes trucks, trailers and towing devices. U-Haul also offers storage throughout North America. The Company provides industry leading moving and storage boxes and an extended line of packing supplies to protect customer possessions. U-Haul is the consumer's number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket. The Company supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard grills 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 again more than 9.9 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 more than 177 times per day, every day of the year.

Contact:
Joanne Fried, Director, Media and Public Relations
Ashleigh Wagner, Senior Media and Public Relations Specialist
U-Haul International, Inc.
(602) 263-6194
[email protected]

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SOURCE U-Haul