Idaho is moving up

Idaho continues to be the place people want to call home. 

U-Haul tracked customers making one-way moves across the country and found that for the fifth year in a row, the Gem State has held a spot in the top 10 state rankings for relocation traffic. 

This past year, Idaho ranked No. 8, according to U-Haul Growth Index migration data. 

“Idaho’s economy is doing very well right now, which is bringing people to the state,” U-Haul Area District Vice President Doug McIntier said.   

In 2024, Idaho ranked No. 10, while California ranked 50th for the sixth year in a row with the largest net loss of one-way U-Haul customers.    

The data tracks movement by state of U-Haul customers who rented a one-way truck, trailer or U-Box portable moving container in one state and dropped off their equipment in another.        

“It’s usually a net in-state, so that’s definitely not surprising,” Idaho Department of Labor economist Sam Wolkenhauer said.     

Wolkenhauer said the data tracking the inflow and outflow of trucks has been a helpful snapshot of regional trends.  

According to the Idaho Department of Labor, the industry shows that from 2014 to 2024 the number of moving jobs in North Idaho increased from 41 to 83, along with the population for household and office goods moving and truck and utility trailer renting in North Idaho.  

“The numbers aren’t huge, but they do show that employment in these industries doubled over the last decade,” Wolkenhauer said.  

The peak was in 2021 and 2022, when the moving employment numbers were 126 and 125, respectively. 

Idaho Department of Labor projections show that Idaho’s population will grow 1.5% annually through 2034, bringing the statewide total to about 2.4 million people.   

“Idaho is desirable for people who want to build or buy a house on a plot of land, but also be close to the city,” McIntier said. "I think the best part about Idaho is all the recreation you have at your fingertips."