South Dakota was one of many prime shifting locations in 2021

SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) – South Dakota was one of the top moving destinations in 2021 according to data from the country’s largest moving companies.

U-Haul’s Growth Index shows that South Dakota saw one-way movements into the state increase by nearly 30 percent over the past year. And a study by United Van Lines shows that South Dakota was the second highest number of incoming moving vehicles in 2021.

“We signed the lease almost exactly a year ago,” said George Giovanis, owner of the 15th Round Boxing Gym.

It’s been a year since George Giovanis and his brother moved their boxing studio from Los Angeles, California to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. But they quickly found that they were one of many who made the move.

“Four of my clients are from California and they moved here too,” said Giovanis.

Two surveys show that more people are moving in than moving out of South Dakota

“Immediately after the onset of COVID, we saw a huge increase in one-way streets,” said Eric Erbentraut, general manager of Sioux Falls U-Haul. “Last year we had an increase of around 30 percent.”

This one-way street means lots of trucks from Arizona, California, New York end up here in Sioux Falls, which means Sioux Falls are running out of space to park them.

“We had to use second parking spaces just because so much equipment came into town,” says Erbentraut. “We are considering expanding to a second location in Sioux Falls.”

“There are a lot of trucks here, everyone is moving here, this is a final destination,” said Giovanis.

Looking at the prospect of affordable housing in the city of Sioux Falls

But with so many people moving into town, this is also a logistical nightmare for anyone looking to find a truck outside of South Dakota.

“It was awful, it was awful, we looked everywhere, we looked at Los Angeles, San Francisco, looked in Phoenix, nowhere to rent a single truck,” said Giovanis. “So we actually had to rent a U-Haul here in Sioux Falls, drive all the way back to Los Angeles, pack all that stuff in, and then come back.”

Moving companies are seeing not only an increase in one-way moves, but also a surge in those cross-border moves as people need to get creative to move their belongings from other states to South Dakota as many people move out.

“I had a customer who rented two trucks from here to California and back just to move his belongings,” said Erbentraut. “With paid kilometers they were expensive, but still cheaper than the tariffs from California because they are so short.”

Erbentraut says he expects a sustained high rate of inbound moves to the Sioux Falls area in 2022 as more jobs and industries come to the city.