(The Center Square) – Missouri ranks No. 15 among states with the highest positive migration in a new report by the moving truck company U-Haul.

U-Haul compiles the data based on the net gain of one-way moving trucks versus the departing state in a calendar year. More than 2 million one-way truck transactions occur annually across the U.S. and Canada, according to the company. Over half (50.3%) of U-Haul traffic in Missouri entered the state, while 49.7% left, leading to the state’s ranking.

St. Louis was the 11th most popular city in the U.S. to move to in 2022, heavily weighing Missouri’s ranking in the report. Other cities gaining traction included Columbia and Lee’s Summit. Liberty, Lake Ozark and Blue Springs were also notable honorable mentions.

“People are moving to the outskirts of the city because of the urban sprawl,” Landon Barks, president of St. Louis’s U-Haul Company, told The Center Square. “People are moving to the suburbs. There are also a lot of tech jobs coming into St. Louis. It was recently rated one of the best cities for starting your career.”

Missouri’s 2022 ranking marks an improvement from being ranked No 39 place in 2021. The state was previously ranked No. 7 in 2020 and No. 13 place in 2019.

The top states for growth in the report are Texas, Florida and Tennessee. In contrast, California, Michigan and Illinois remained at the bottom of the list. Southern states have grown in favor since the pandemic, while the Midwest and coasts experienced an exodus.

“We still have areas with strong demand for one-way rentals,” U-Haul President John Taylor said in a statement. “While overall migration in 2021 was record-breaking, we continue to experience significant customer demand to move out of some geographic areas to destinations at the top of our growth list.”

According to the latest U.S. Census estimates, Missouri added over 8,100 people in 2022, a 0.12% increase.