U-Haul 2016 Growth State No. 6: MAINE

PHOENIX, Ariz. and BRUNSWICK, Maine, Jan. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Maine is the No. 6 U.S. Growth State for 2016, according to the latest U-Haul migration trends report.

Maine tiptoed three spots up the chart from its No. 9 growth ranking for 2015. Its year-over-year arrivals of one-way U-Haul truck rentals spiked 8 percent last year. Departures rose 7 percent as overall U-Haul traffic swelled among do-it-yourself movers across the state.

Arrivals accounted for 51.5 percent of U-Haul traffic in Maine in 2016 thanks to locations like Auburn, Saco, Waterville and Brunswick, which paced the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks. Auburn ranked 14th among U-Haul U.S. Growth Cities for locations with a population of 10,000 to 50,000.

Follow the Top 10 Growth States daily countdown through Feb. 3 on Twitter @uhaul and view other migration trends reports, including the U.S. Growth Cities release, at myuhaulstory.com.

Growth States are calculated by the net gain of one-way U-Haul truck rentals entering a state versus leaving a state during a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 1.7 million one-way U-Haul truck rental transactions that occur annually.

While migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, U-Haul growth data is an effective gauge of how well cities are attracting and maintaining residents.

"We're reaching a lot more customers across the state," said Jon Hynes, U-Haul Company of Maine president and a lifelong Mainer. "We've opened facilities in Old Town, Bangor and Brunswick (since 2015). We're working on an expansion in Saco. We've added neighborhood dealers, and we still need to add more. U-Haul is looking to expand operations to other cities and allow for more growth in the future."

Many of the same reasons Maine is called "Vacationland" embody why the union's easternmost state is a desirable place for movers to consider.

"It really has all the aspects," Hynes noted. "The ocean, lakes and mountains make it a great outdoor sports state. It's beautiful. We have a great seafood industry, potatoes, blueberries and, of course, cranberries."

Find U-Haul stores and neighborhood dealers in Maine at uhaul.com/locations.

U-Haul is the authority on migration trends thanks to its expansive network that blankets all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The geographical coverage from more than 21,000 U-Haul locations, including neighborhood dealers and Company-owned and -operated stores, provides a comprehensive overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry.

About U-HaulSince 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 21,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to more than 139,000 trucks, 108,000 trailers and 38,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers more than 536,000 rooms and more than 50 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry and is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S. www.uhaul.com

ContactJeff LockridgeSebastien ReyesE-mail: [email protected] Phone: 602-760-4941Website: uhaul.com

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SOURCE U-Haul