(The Center Square) – Alaska’s population remains steady but is losing people to migration, according to a report from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The state added 304 people from July 2022 to July 2023. Despite the growth, the state lost more than 3,200 people through net migration, according to the department. Alaska’s estimated population is 736,812.
Meanwhile, the latest migration data from U-Haul shows Alaska enjoyed a modest improvement over last year, rising to place 34th in the ranking, up from 41st last year.
U-Haul growth state rankings are based on analyzing each state’s net gain or loss of one-way equipment rentals tracked through customer transactions during a calendar year.
“While U-Haul migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the U-Haul Growth Index is an effective gauge of how well states and cities are attracting and maintaining residents,” the report stated.
Alaska’s job forecasts for 2024 anticipate a 1.7% growth, pushing Alaska’s total job count above pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels as industries grow or hold steady, according to a report. The state continues to have a severe worker shortage as the population ages and the number of residents of prime working age, 18 to 64, fell by 30,000 between 2013 and 2022.
Texas ranked first in the U-Haul rankings for the sixth time in eight years. Florida ranked second and remained a top-four growth state for the ninth year.
On the other end of the spectrum, California remained at the bottom of the rankings in the 50th spot for the fourth year, as the state with the most people leaving to make their homes elsewhere. Also at the bottom of the list are Massachusetts, Illinois and New Jersey.
“Migration to states in the Southeast and Southwest is still very pronounced. Demand for one-way equipment out of certain markets in the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast mirrors what we have seen during recent moving cycles,” said John “J.T.” Taylor, U-Haul International president.
