Louisiana Jumps 13 Spots on U-Haul Moving Index for 2025 

Louisiana quietly made a noticeable move on a national migration scorecard. In U-Haul’s newly released Growth Index for 2025, the state ranks No. 31, up from No. 44 a year earlier. The report is based on more than 2.5 million one-way U-Haul transactions and is meant to capture where do-it-yourself movers are heading.  

What the U-Haul Growth Index Measures 

This isn’t a census count, and it’s not a jobs report. U-Haul ranks states by the net gain or loss of customers who rent a one-way truck, trailer, or U-Box in one state and return it in another. U-Haul also notes the index may not match population or economic growth perfectly, but it can act like a quick-read indicator of who is attracting and keeping residents. 

Where Louisiana Lands and Why the Jump Matters 

Louisiana’s 13-spot jump stands out because it happened while the “usual suspects” stayed on top. Texas ranks No. 1 again, followed by Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina. 

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Louisiana still sits in the middle of the pack, but moving from 44 to 31 suggests the state saw a stronger balance of arrivals vs departures in U-Haul’s one-way data than it did the year before. 

How This Could Show Up in Louisiana Towns 

If more people are landing here, even modestly, you tend to feel it in practical places first: apartment turnover, starter homes getting snapped up, school enrollment shifts, and more “new faces” showing up at local businesses. 

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Shreveport-Bossier, Lake Charles, Lafayette, and the Northshore all tend to be places where newcomers ask the same first questions: How’s the commute, what’s the insurance situation, and can I find a job that pays enough to make the move worth it. 

One More Reality Check Worth Mentioning 

Different datasets can tell different stories. For example, an Atlas Van Lines analysis highlighted Louisiana as having a high share of outbound moves in 2025. That doesn’t cancel out the U-Haul ranking, but it’s a reminder that each report tracks a different slice of movers. 

Official population estimates show Louisiana’s population has dipped from its 2020 base in recent years, which adds more context to why any “movement” number gets attention.