Best Long-Distance Movers in Illinois for 2024
Fact Checked by: Quick answer: Safeway Moving is our top choice for long-distance movers in Illinois. Based on our in-depth research and analysis, Safeway Moving offers the best overall value by providing quality service at an affordable price.
Every move is different, so depending on your specific circumstances and budget, you may want to consider our other recommendations for best long-distance moving company:
- Best Illinois-based mover: Mid-West Moving & Storage
- Best moving container: U-Pack
- Best labor-only company: HireAHelper
- Best DIY option: U-Haul Truck Rental
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Whether you're moving out of state — or just across the state — we'll walk you through the best national movers and Illinois companies based on pricing, services, and customer satisfaction.
Why trust moveBuddha?
Since 2015, we’ve used our inside knowledge of the moving industry to help more than 400,000 people with their moves.
We go beyond the standard online review to dig deep into our readers’ personal moving experiences through our Better Moves Project. We’ve also developed our own rating system to evaluate each moving company based on their services, reputation, customer satisfaction, and other key factors.
Our content is thoroughly fact-checked and reviewed by our team of in-house experts to ensure the information you get is relevant, accurate, and up-to-date.
Best interstate movers for those moving out of Illinois
These are the best state-to-state long-distance moving companies available in Illinois:
- Safeway Moving: 4.85 out of 5 stars
- American Van Lines: 4.5 out of 5 stars
- Mayzlin Relocation: 4.9 out of 5 stars
- North American Van Lines: 4.5 out of 5 stars
- JK Moving Services: 4.6 out of 5 stars
- GPS tracking en route
- Veteran-owned
- Dedicated move coordinator
- Flat-rate pricing
- Donates a portion of moves to charity
- Experienced & fully trained moving crews
- Specializes in moving art & antiques
- Competitive pricing
- Can handle last-minute moves
- Climate-controlled storage
- Family-owned, with locations covering the East Coast
- Full refund if you cancel within 7 days of your move
- Hands-on customer service
- 24/7 support
- Price-matching policy
- Custom crates for electronics & art
- Satellite shipment tracking
- 1,500 local agents covering all 50 states
- Self-packing option
- No deposit required
- White-glove handling of fragile & high-end items
- Guaranteed pickup & delivery
- $250 deposit for interstate moves
- Mobile app with 24/7 customer service
- Financing available
Best long-distance movers if you’re staying in Illinois
While it’s not as common, if you’re staying in Illinois but still moving a couple hundred miles, these are the best interstate movers for you:
- Mid-West Moving & Storage: 4.9 out of 5 stars
- Alliance Moving & Storage: 4.86 out of 5 stars
- H2H Movers Inc: 4.86 out of 5 stars
- Golan's Moving & Storage, Inc.: 4.8 out of 5 stars
- New City Moving: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Mid-West Moving & Storage
rating
4.9 / 5
DOT #: 294025
Years in Business: 40
1255 Tonne Rd, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007Mid-West Moving & Storage has been a trusted name in the Elk Grove Village, IL area since 1984, specializing in local residential moves. While their Yelp reviews average at 2.8 from 77 reviews, their stellar Google My Business rating of 4.7 from 385 reviews and an A+ BBB rating speak volumes about their overall customer satisfaction. Unlike many nearby movers, Mid-West Moving & Storage distinguishes itself with a comprehensive range of services, including packing, unpacking, and specialized moves like pianos and antiques. They also offer full valuation insurance coverage and shipment tracking for added peace of mind.
Review Profiles
Services Offered
Move Distances
- Local moves
- Interstate moves
- International moves
Available services
- Packing
- Unpacking
- Offices
- Pianos
- Hot Tubs
- Pool Tables
- Art
- Antiques
- Grandfather clocks
- Crating
- Crane vans
- Shipment tracking
- Full-valuation coverage
- Storage
- Fragile-only packing
- Safes
Additional Information
- Pay by credit card
- Deposit Required
- DOT #: 294025
- State license #: 75043
- DOD certified
Alliance Moving & Storage
rating
4.86 / 5
DOT #: 2882675
Years in Business: 8
3201 Tollview Drive, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008Alliance Moving & Storage has been providing dependable local residential moving services in and around Rolling Meadows, IL, since 2016. With an average rating of 4.2 on Yelp and 3.8 on Google, they have earned a solid reputation bolstered by an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Unlike many nearby competitors, Alliance Moving & Storage stands out with their comprehensive offerings, including packing and unpacking services, as well as specialized capabilities to move pianos, hot tubs, and antiques. They accept both cash and credit cards, and no deposit is required, making them a convenient and flexible choice for local moves.
Review Profiles
Services Offered
Move Distances
- Local moves
- Interstate moves
Available services
- Packing
- Unpacking
- Offices
- Pianos
- Hot Tubs
- Pool Tables
- Art
- Antiques
- Crating
- Full-valuation coverage
- Storage
- Fragile-only packing
- Safes
Additional Information
- Pay by cash
- Pay by credit card
- DOT #: 2882675
- State license #: 214845
Alternative Business Names
- HK & RP, LLC
H2H Movers Inc
rating
4.86 / 5
DOT #: 2428328
Years in Business: 9
4250 N Marine Dr Aparment #1136, Chicago, IL 60613H2H Movers Inc, established in 2015, is a highly reputable local moving company serving the Chicago, IL area. Specializing in residential moves, H2H Movers also offers a range of services including office moving, packing and unpacking, as well as specialized moving for items like pianos and antiques. With an impressive average rating of 4.9 on Google from 1556 reviews and a solid 4.3 from 371 reviews on Yelp, they outshine many other local competitors. Their A- rating from the Better Business Bureau further underscores their reliability. Customers can pay via cash or credit card, and although a deposit is required, full valuation insurance coverage is provided for added peace of mind.
Review Profiles
Services Offered
Move Distances
- Local moves
- Interstate moves
Available services
- Packing
- Unpacking
- Offices
- Pianos
- Hot Tubs
- Pool Tables
- Art
- Antiques
- Crating
- Crane vans
- Full-valuation coverage
- Storage
- Fragile-only packing
- Safes
Additional Information
- Pay by cash
- Pay by credit card
- Deposit Required
- DOT #: 2428328
- State license #: 184599
Alternative Business Names
- H2H Movers, Inc
Golan's Moving & Storage, Inc.
rating
4.8 / 5
DOT #: 504435
Years in Business: 32
3640 Jarvis Ave, Skokie, IL 60076Golan's Moving & Storage, Inc., based in Skokie, IL, has been a staple in the local moving industry since 1992, specializing in residential moves within the area. With a strong reputation backed by 553 Yelp reviews averaging 3.5 stars, and an impressive 4.5-star rating from 556 Google reviews, they stand out among nearby moving companies. They boast an A+ rating from the BBB, underscoring their commitment to customer satisfaction. Offering a comprehensive range of services, including packing, unpacking, and specialized moving for items like pianos and antiques, Golan's Moving & Storage ensures a smooth and efficient moving experience with full valuation insurance coverage for peace of mind.
Review Profiles
Services Offered
Move Distances
- Local moves
- Interstate moves
Available services
- Packing
- Unpacking
- Offices
- Pianos
- Pool Tables
- Art
- Antiques
- Grandfather clocks
- Crating
- Full-valuation coverage
- Storage
- Safes
Additional Information
- Pay by money order
- Pay by cash
- Pay by credit card
- Deposit Required
- DOT #: 504435
- State license #: 93712
Alternative Business Names
- Golan's Moving and Storage, Inc.
New City Moving
rating
4.8 / 5
DOT #: 3078026
Years in Business: 14
2929 N Campbell Ave, Chicago, IL 60618New City Moving, a reputable moving company based in Chicago, IL, has been providing local residential moving services since 2010. With an impressive 4.7 average rating from 1,096 Yelp reviews and a 4.8 average rating from 2,393 Google reviews, they stand out among nearby movers. They also boast an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, reflecting their commitment to customer satisfaction. Beyond local moves, New City Moving offers office moving, packing, and unpacking services, along with full valuation insurance coverage. They accept both cash and credit cards, ensuring a flexible payment process.
Review Profiles
Services Offered
Move Distances
- Local moves
- Interstate moves
Available services
- Packing
- Unpacking
- Offices
- Full-valuation coverage
- Storage
- Fragile-only packing
Additional Information
- Pay by cash
- Pay by credit card
- Deposit Required
- DOT #: 3078026
- State license #: 158051
Alternative Business Names
- Windy City Moving, Inc.
Alternative long-distance moving options
While hiring full-service moving companies out of Illinois is usually the easiest option, it’s not for everyone.
Moving containers
If you’re comfortable doing the packing and loading but don’t want to drive from Illinois to your new state, a moving container can be a great cost-saving alternative.
Expect to pay somewhere around $1,294 to $7,278 for a moving container in Illinois. The cost depends on several factors, so we recommend getting multiple moving quotes.
We suggest starting with:
- Long distance moves only
- Only pay for the space you use
- No deposit or initial fees
- Fast delivery time frames
- 30 days storage included
- Local and long distance moving options
- Unlimited loading/unloading time
- Store on property or at a facility
Labor-only
If you’re comfortable doing the driving from Illinois to your new state but want some help packing, loading, and unloading, look for labor-only moving companies.
You’ll typically pay $34 to $38 per hour per worker for Illinois-based labor-only movers.
Here are our top recommendations:
- HireAHelper: 4.5 out of 5 stars
- Bellhop: 4.3 out of 5 stars
- First call quoting, get a quote in just a couple of minutes
- Rates are typically 20-40% lower than the industry averages
- $1,000 money-back service guarantee
- Fast and accurate delivery times
- Free damage coverage with additional coverage options
- Quick and easy booking process
- National 4.75/5 star rating (these guys are good at what they do)
- Dedicated move concierge specialist
- Pay as you go service. 2-hour minimum and then prorated down to the minute
- The time clock starts when the movers arrive and ends when you tell them
Total DIY
The cheapest way to move out of state is with a full DIY approach — meaning you’ll handle driving, in addition to all the loading and unloading.
These moving rental trucks do require the most work on your part, but will save you the most money:
- U-Haul Truck Rental: 4.15 out of 5 stars
- Penske Truck Rental: 4 out of 5 stars
- More than 20,000 locations with prominent pricing
- Rental options include everything from pick-up trucks to 26-foot moving trucks
- Gentle-Ride Suspension add protection to avoid damaging your items during transit
- U-Box moving containers available if you don't want to drive
- Limits environmental impact as part of the EPA's SmartWay Program
- Non-slip flooring makes loading and unloading easier
- Easily choose truck size with their Truck Wizard Tool
How we picked the best long-distance movers in Illinois
Over the past 10 years, we’ve developed a rigorous review process to identify the absolute best long-distance moving companies in Illinois.
We look at:
- Customer satisfaction (40%): The company consistently delivers services in a timely matter with good communication and within the estimated cost.
- Dispute resolution (20%): Mistakes cannot be avoided in the moving industry. We look for companies that own their mistakes and make genuine efforts to fix any issues that arise during a move.
- Industry reputation (15%): The company is well regarded within the moving industry and participates in industry conferences and organizations.
- Online reputation (15%): The company maintains a professional website with accurate information. The company promptly and professionally responds to online customer inquiries.
- Service options (10%): We look for companies with a deep breadth of services including full packing, storage, specialty item handling, expedited delivery, and more.
Read more about our moving company rating methodology.
Average cost of a long-distance move out of Illinois
Long-distance moving costs in Illinois range from $842 up to $11,786 or more, depending on the specific details of your relocation.
Factors that affect the cost
- Size: The volume of items you're moving directly affects costs. Evaluate what you truly need in Illinois — every extra item adds up.
- Distance: The distance you’re moving away from Illinois is a major cost factor. Whether it's a couple hundred miles or a cross-country trek, distance plays a key role in your moving budget.
- Type of move: How you choose to move out of Illinois is crucial. Your options include a full-service moving company, truck rental, moving container, or a freight trailer. Each option comes with a different price point and its own set of perks and downsides.
- Services: Consider whether to do it yourself or hire help for packing and unpacking. Professional services add convenience but also increase costs.
- Seasonal timing: When you move affects the price. Summer moves are typically more expensive. Planning your move during the off-season (October-April) can be more cost-effective.
To get an accurate cost estimate, check out our free moving cost calculator.
Thing to consider before hiring a long-distance mover in Illinois
Whether you’re staying in Illinois for the home of Chicago, ample economic opportunity, and bountiful recreational opportunities, or moving out due to the harsh winter weather, bad traffic, and high crime rate, here’s what you need to consider before your big move.
Company licensing
In Illinois, regulations on in-state moves and local movers are set forth by the Illinois Commerce Commission. To move household goods locally and intrastate, companies need to have a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, so make sure the companies you’re considering have one and that it’s current.
Insurance options
Choose cost-free Released Value Protection from movers for basic coverage at 60 cents per pound. For more extensive protection matching your items' full value, consult your moving company for alternative options or consider a third-party insurance provider.
Moving date
Weather factors influence how busy movers are, so those things play into the availability of movers and the cost.
In Illinois, you have to consider that the average winter temperature is 17°F, the average summer temperature is 86°F, you’ll see 40” of rain, and about 22” of snow each year.
Taking your car
If you’re moving across the country and don’t want to leave your car (or drive it cross-country), you may want to use an Illinois car shipper.
You’ll also want to consider vehicle inspections in your new location, as regulations can differ state to state and even by city. Take Illinois’s requirements, as an example. In Illinois, emissions inspections are mandatory on a yearly basis for eligible vehicles in the Chicago and East St. Louis metropolitan areas. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency conducts tests on automobiles before residents can renew their vehicle registration with the Secretary of State's office.
Long-distance movers in nearby cities
