Moving Right Along

Some of the best metrics are the simplest ones. Kevin Williamson notes the U-Haul metric as a good way to tell which way jobs are going...

If you want to know where the future is headed, look where the people are going. And if you want to know where the people are going, check with U-Haul. Here’s an interesting indicator, first noted by the legendary economist Arthur Laffer: Renting a 26-foot U-Haul truck to go from Austin to San Francisco this July would cost you about $900.

Renting the same truck to go from San Francisco to Austin? About $3,000. In the great balance of supply and demand, California has a large supply of people who are demanding to move to Texas. There’s a reason for this.

According to Williamson, the metric also produces a similar difference when comparing trips between Austin and New York City. But don't worry -- I'm sure NYC and California will find a way to make people want to stay. Maybe they'll build a really big wall... nah, wrong day for that joke.