The latest moving insights: USA TODAY Homefront survey report

Key points

• American Van Lines, Safeway Moving and JK Moving Services are the most popular movers based on our November 2023 survey results.

• Most survey respondents (89%) said they would hire the same moving company for a future move.

• Only 55% of respondents knew of state or federal regulations around mover pricing practices.

Hiring the right moving company to do the heavy lifting isn’t a decision to take lightly. Before you hire a provider, consider the type of mover you plan to hire (carrier versus broker), add-on services and insurance. 

To learn more about what drives consumer choice and understand the priorities of Americans who recently moved, USA TODAY Homefront surveyed 900 people to get insight into their real-world experiences.

The November 2023 survey looked at pain points movers help you avoid and the areas moving companies could improve upon. We also gathered insights on specific aspects of customer moving experiences such as pricing, customer satisfaction, move distance and popular add-on services.  

Our survey methodology

We drafted three screening questions to qualify our respondents. We wanted to target a specific group of people who had moved within the last two years and hired professional movers that they paid for themselves. Our survey contained 24 questions; most focused on pricing, services, moving companies and the overall moving experience. 

We used a third-party platform to find the survey respondents. The platform housed, launched and tracked our survey. We used a sample size of 900 participants. 

General survey insights

Before we break down all the data, we’ll jump into general insights regarding why respondents hired movers, the most popular companies and the scope of the moves. 

Reasons for hiring movers

We wanted a deeper understanding of why respondents hired professional movers instead of trying to save money by doing it all themselves. 

According to our survey results, the primary reason for hiring professional movers is having too many belongings — 33% said they had too much stuff to move without help. Fragile and valuable items accounted for 25% of responses, and 21% of respondents preferred to have the pros handle the logistics of a long-distance move. 

A negative DIY move experience was also a motivation for hiring professional movers (14%). Nearly 5% said they were getting too old to handle a move independently.

Most popular moving companies

American Van Lines was the most popular moving company among our survey participants, with 23% choosing this national mover. Safeway Moving was the second most popular at 11%, followed by JK Moving Services at 10%. 

Here are the other moving companies respondents selected:

• Interstate Moving & Relocation Group (9%)
• Moving APT (7%)
• U-Pack (7%)
• International Van Lines (6%)
• Allied Van Lines (6%)
• North American Van Lines (5%)
• PODS (5%)
• Mayflower (4%)
• Other (5%)

What was the total distance of respondents’ moves? 

The average move distance handled by professional movers was just under 1,000 miles. This suggests that people are in it for the long haul and no amount of free pizza can convince friends and family to do what professional movers do.

See which moving companies are popular for long and short moves. Our results show respondents moved farther with Interstate Moving & Relocation Group than any other moving company and trusted PODS for shorter moves. 

The table below shows the average distance of moves by provider.

How much does the moving process cost?

Hiring professional movers can be expensive. The survey respondents spent close to $4,600 on their moves on average. The amount can increase based on factors such as add-on services, how many movers you need and whether you purchase additional insurance coverage. 

We broke down the numbers further to see the average cost per provider. Note that each move is unique and pricing varies based on distance, shipment weight, add-on services and insurance coverage. 

The above-average cost of Interstate Moving & Relocation Group doesn’t necessarily imply that the provider charges more than U-Pack, for instance. It could mean the respondents who went with the company had a more involved move, resulting in a higher price tag. 

Keep these factors in mind when reviewing the average moving costs by provider in the table below.

Are respondents familiar with pricing regulations?

All moving companies must adhere to regulations based on the extent of their moving services. Every long-distance and interstate moving company is subject to federal regulations. 

Requirements for local moving companies vary by state. However, only 55% of respondents are aware of state or federal regulations for mover pricing practices. 

How much do movers charge by the hour?

Of our 900 survey respondents, 14% said their movers charged an hourly rate. Hourly rates are typically charged for local, single-day moves. We wanted to determine the average rate by provider to see which companies offer the most value. Note that our survey requested respondents to provide their best guess if they didn’t remember the exact rate. 

Here are the average hourly rates of service broken down by provider: 

• Moving APT: $218
• American Van Lines: $171
• International Van Lines: $168
• JK Moving Services: $161
• Allied Van Lines: $160
• U-Pack: $157
• Safeway Moving: $142
• Interstate Moving & Relocation Group: $136
• North American Van Lines: $122 
• Mayflower: $110
• PODS: $103

How common are deposit requirements and binding rates?

With a binding estimate, you and your mover have a written agreement — signed in advance of your move — that guarantees the total price of the move based on your estimate. 

While not all 900 respondents answered every question, of the 776 responses around 87% said their mover offered a binding estimate or provided bottom-line pricing for their move. We then asked if the mover adhered to the stated total; of 678 responses, 96% were “yes.”  

Some movers require you to put down a deposit before your move. Of 776 survey responses, around 77% said they were required to pay a deposit, 22% said they weren’t, and the rest couldn’t remember. These deposits ranged from $50 to $8,000, according to our survey data.

What are the most popular add-ons for moves?

Most of our respondents (81%) chose to purchase add-on services for their move. Packing was the most popular service, followed by unpacking, packing supplies and vehicle shipping.  

The table below shows the percentages of respondents who purchased the add-on services we asked about.

Insurance coverage

Moving companies must provide released-value protection for all moves at no additional cost. This protection usually covers 60 cents per pound per item. Since this amount typically doesn’t cover the actual cost of belongings, many people purchase additional coverage to protect their cargo. Full-value coverage provides a greater reimbursement for lost or damaged items, but movers are not required to offer it. 

Around 77% of our respondents said they purchased valuation coverage from their mover to protect their goods in case of loss or damage. Respondents spent up to $1,000 for this added peace of mind. 

What time of year do people move?

We wanted to know the most popular time of year to move. We weren’t surprised to see the warmer summer and spring months as the top two choices. 

The table below shows the percentages of respondents who moved in each of the four seasons.

Reasons for the timing of a move

We wanted to dig deeper and discover the primary reason for moving during a specific time. To do so, we asked respondents why they moved when they did.

Twenty-eight percent of respondents said they timed their move to coincide with the purchase or sale of their home, and 25% said it was due to a change of employment, marriage or another life-changing event. The remaining respondents selected the following reasons: 

• It was when my lease ended (20%)
• I heard that movers were cheaper (15%)
• I wanted to move when my kids weren’t in school (11%)

Interestingly, 21% of winter movers chose to move during the cold months because they heard movers were cheaper, compared to 17% of summer movers, 12% of spring movers and 10% of fall movers. 

Would participants hire the same moving company again?

We asked survey respondents if they would hire the same moving company for a future move. Around 89% of respondents said yes. 

The 97 people who responded “no” used the following movers: 

• Interstate Moving & Relocation Group: 11
• JK Moving Services: 11
• U-Pack: 11
• American Van Lines: 8
• Moving APT: 8
• Safeway Moving: 8
• International Van Lines: 7
• PODS: 7
• Allied Van Lines: 6
• North American Van Lines: 6
• Mayflower: 4
• Other: 10 

Reasons why respondents would not rehire the same movers  

Moving crews breaking, damaging or losing goods was the No. 1 reason respondents said they would not hire the same company in the future — 46% selected this option. Movers acting unprofessional was the second top reason at 16%, followed by movers not adhering to pricing estimates at 15%. 

The remaining respondents gave the following reasons: 

• “Customer service was poor overall” (14%)
• “My movers didn’t follow through on a guaranteed delivery date or window (13%)
• “My movers didn’t show up on time” (12%)
• “The agreed-upon services weren’t performed” (12%)

Final take: Hiring movers is worth the money, but do your research

While hiring movers can be expensive, the cost is often worth it. Especially if you have too many things to move on your own or you’ve had a negative DIY experience. Based on our survey data, the average move costs around $4,600 for your move. Several factors can increase or lower this cost, such as your total move distance, add-on services and insurance coverage. 

Note that experts do not recommend DIY moving projects. “One of the mistakes people make is trying to do a lot of the work on their own,” said Nancy Zafrani, general manager of Oz Moving and Storage in New York City. 

In an attempt to save a few dollars, customers will ask that the moving company handle the larger items, including furniture, and insist on moving smaller items themselves. This can lead to dozens of trips. The amount of labor and time you put into a DIY move is rarely worth it compared to what professional movers can accomplish in 10 to 15 minutes, she added. 

Request at least three quotes to ensure you get the best price for your move. Before you book a moving company and sign a contract, research customer reviews. While most of our respondents seemed satisfied with their chosen mover, doing your homework and reading up on other customers’ experiences is worth the extra legwork.