Cost of Moving in America in 2022

(updated April 2022)

How much does it cost to move? The short answer is "it depends", the biggest factors being:

  • How far you're moving
  • How many of your worldly possessions you're taking with you
  • How much help with the move you're going to need

That said, having helped hundreds of thousands of people move over the years, HireAHelper has a solid understanding of how much moving costs and how it varies from state to state and city to city.

So, just how much does it cost to move in 2022?

Average Moving Costs

Across the whole of the United States, the average cost of a labor-only move was $418, based on the moves booked through HireAHelper and our partners from January through May 2022.

The key to getting the best price on your move, regardless of the day, is to book well in advance.

A typical move in America during 2022 is as follows:

Avg. Time: ~2 ½ hours
Avg. Distance: 49 miles
Avg. Size: ~1,564 square feet

Hand holding a cell phone comparing costs with signs

Moving Cost Calculator

Find out approximately how much your move will cost based on which moving option you go with. Spoiler alert: hiring an expensive moving company or breaking your back aren't your only two options.

Cost of Moving by Type of Help Needed

When it comes to moving, the less help you need doing it, the less it'll cost in the end. Here's how it breaks down:

  • Moving on-site only is the cheapest, with a $348 average cost per move
  • Moves where only unloading help was booked cost an average of $373
  • Moves with only loading help cost $417 on average
  • The average price of both loading and unloading booked together was $562
Click to load graph Graph of average cost of moving by type of help needed

Cost of Moving, State By State

Here's a look at how the cost of moving varied from one state to another:

  • Maine is the most expensive state for moving, with services costing $525 on average
  • Though technically not a state, District of Columbia is the cheapest, with an average move cost of $313
10 Most Expensive States
Avg. Move Cost
Maine $525
Arkansas $519
Iowa $514
West Virginia $503
Alabama $495
Vermont $486
Washington $485
Utah $485
Mississippi $477
Rhode Island $466
10 Cheapest States
Avg. Move Cost
District of Columbia $313
Texas $321
Nevada $333
Arizona $346
North Carolina $350
Minnesota $354
Georgia $367
Illinois $368
Florida $375
Kentucky $382
Click to load graph Graph of average cost of moving by state so far in 2022

To see how much moving costs in your state (or the state you're thinking about moving to), check the map below.

Click to load graph Graph showing the united states depicting cheaper states as a lighter color

Cost of Moving in Different Cities

  • The city with the highest cost of moving was San Jose, CA at $520
  • Plano, TX has the lowest moving costs at $266
  • 6 of the 10 cheapest cities for moving are in Texas
10 Most Expensive Cities
Avg. Move Cost
San Jose, CA $520
Seattle, WA $495
Reno, NV $470
Olympia, WA $469
Salt Lake City, UT $467
Sarasota, FL $454
Columbus, OH $449
Summerville, SC $447
Naperville, IL $447
Ann Arbor, MI $446
10 Cheapest Cities
Avg. Move Cost
Plano, TX $266
Virginia Beach, VA $272
Katy, TX $284
Houston, TX $288
Tucson, AZ $297
San Antonio, TX $298
Dallas, TX $301
Austin, TX $313
Charlotte, NC $317
New Orleans, LA $320

Cost of Moving By Month

Is there a cheap time of the year to move? Does moving cost more during certain months? Based on the data we have so far in 2022, and our projections:

  • February is the month when moving costs were lowest, at $371
  • Moving in August was the most expensive, costing an average of $427
Click to load graph Graph of average cost of moving by month in 2022, showing August as the most expensive

Cost of Moving by Day of Week

One of the truths about moving is that moving on a weekend is more expensive than moving on a weekday.

That is generally the case, but the data says something different. The reason why is most likely due to how the averages shake out. As most people move on Saturday or on Sunday, weekends see both the cheapest and the most expensive moves.

At the same time, the smaller population of people who choose to move during weekdays appear to be those who book elite or highly-reviewed movers, and tend to have bigger moves that involve more hours. That's why the total cost of their moves tends to be a little higher, inflating the averages.

So far in 2022:

  • A Monday move cost an average of $379
  • Moving on a Thursday was most expensive - $422
Click to load graph Graph of average cost of moving by day of the week

However, everything being equal, a weekend move still tends to be more expensive. But it's worth noting that you'll probably pay the same price on a weekend as a weekday if you book well in advance. The key to getting the best price on your move, regardless of the day, is to book well in advance.

Sources and methodology

All charts and tables are based on the analysis of local moving data in the U.S. booked through HireAHelper.com and our partners from January through May 2022.

States with fewer than 100 moves and cities with fewer than 50 moves were excluded from the state-by-state and city-by-city analysis, respectively. However, calculations of the cost of moving by month of the year or day of the week do include data from all states and cities.