For most Illinois households, Allied Van Lines is the strongest interstate pick, while Two Men and a Truck usually wins on local hourly jobs. Expect $100–$155/hr for two movers and a typical 2-bedroom interstate move from Illinois in the $2,800–$6,700 range. Off-peak prices apply outside April–September.
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Illinois regulates intrastate household-goods movers through the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) under 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1425. Every legitimate IL intrastate mover holds an active ICC MC license and files a tariff with the state. Verify licensing through the ICC "Find a Mover" tool before booking.
Illinois has been a net outbound state in the IRS migration data for over a decade. That's actually good for consumers leaving the state — outbound interstate lanes from Chicago to FL, TX, AZ, and the Carolinas are 8–12% cheaper than equivalent inbound lanes because backhaul capacity is plentiful.
Chicago dominates the in-state market. The metro accounts for roughly 75% of IL moving volume, and Chicago's high-rise downtown plus dense walk-up neighborhoods (Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Lakeview) create real building-access cost dynamics — though less extreme than NYC.
Top-tier van lines and well-rated regional/national carriers both compete here. For 2BR+ loads going more than 1,000 miles, binding-not-to-exceed pricing from a household-name van line is worth a 5–8% premium over a broker.
Mid-sized ICC-licensed regional carriers with a real warehouse address and 5+ years on the road consistently beat van-line pricing on local jobs. Crews of 3 are usually the right value tier for a 2BR with elevator.
December through February in IL is structurally cheaper than peak summer. Container services (PODS, U-Pack) are competitive on outbound lanes to the Sun Belt where backhaul is high.
High-rise COI requirements and freight elevator windows add scheduling overhead — confirm 48-hour COI capability before booking.
Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Wicker Park have heavy walk-up stock; crew sizing matters more than hourly rate.
Suburban Chicago has a deeper bench of mid-sized carriers and 10–15% lower effective hourly cost than downtown.
Smaller markets but very price-competitive; effective hourly cost runs 15–20% below Chicago metro.
Verify any IL intrastate mover's ICC MC license through the ICC "Find a Mover" tool. The ICC publishes carrier tariff filings, complaint records, and revoked-authority bulletins. For interstate moves, cross-check the carrier's USDOT and MC numbers in FMCSA SAFER.
Illinois is one of the few major U.S. markets where the licensing floor is actually enforced. The ICC's Transportation Division routinely revokes intrastate authority for unlicensed operations, and the state's tariff-filing requirement creates a paper trail that consumer-protection lawyers can actually use. Practically, that means the licensed market is meaningfully safer than in TX or FL, but you still need to confirm the ICC license — "trust but verify" applies in every state.
Outbound from Illinois is a strong consumer position right now. Net outbound migration has been negative for over a decade, which means trucks leave the state full and often return half-empty. Carriers price the imbalance into the lane: a 2BR from Chicago to Phoenix can cost noticeably less than the same 2BR going the other direction. If you're relocating to the Sun Belt, request quotes from at least one carrier with hub operations at your destination — backhaul-friendly carriers usually price 8–12% below carriers without destination presence.
Local-hourly economics inside IL are reasonable. Diesel pricing is near the national average, the labor floor is mid-range (BLS May 2024 OEWS puts IL roughly 8% above the national mean for SOC 53-7062), and Chicago's deep pool of registered carriers keeps competition real. Two binding quotes from licensed regional carriers plus one benchmark quote from a national van line is the right shopping pattern for any move larger than a studio.
Winter is a real value window in Illinois — and it's underused because most consumers don't think to schedule moves in January. The trade-off is real: a snow event can delay loading, and salt and slush damage to floors and carpets is a non-trivial risk. Reputable carriers carry floor protection and will reschedule a true weather day at no cost. If your situation is flexible, a January or February mid-week move can save you 15–20% versus the same crew on a Saturday in June.
Illinois sits in the Midwest, with about 12.5 million residents and a peak moving window of April–September. If your timeline is flexible, November–March pricing typically lands 15–25% lower with much better crew availability.
Two crew members at standard rates run roughly $128/hr in most of the state, with downtown high-rise jobs and gated communities pulling toward the upper end. A typical 2-bedroom interstate move out of Illinois settles around $4,750, though distance and packing services swing that meaningfully.
Local quirks worth pricing in: winter pickups that can slip a day after snowstorms, and a strong August student-move surge. None of these are dealbreakers, but they show up in the final bill if you don't ask about them upfront.
Every carrier on this page is filtered against the same checks before it ranks: an active USDOT number, a current FMCSA SAFER profile, a complaint ratio under the industry median, BBB accreditation status, and at least 24 months of trading history. Companies with open lawsuits or recent rate disputes get marked down even if their licensing is current.
Allied Van Lines ranks first for full-service interstate jobs out of Illinois on this scoring; Two Men and a Truck edges ahead when the move is local, hourly, and under 5,000 lb. Prices and rankings are reviewed every six months — last refresh: May 2026.
Two movers, ground-floor access, standard packing. Peak season April–September adds 15–25%.
| Home size | Local move | Interstate move |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $300–$775 | $1,540–$4,020 |
| 1 Bedroom | $400–$930 | $2,100–$5,226 |
| 2 Bedroom | $600–$1,395 | $2,800–$6,700 |
| 3 Bedroom | $800–$1,860 | $4,060–$10,385 |
| 4+ Bedroom | $1,100–$2,480 | $5,460–$14,405 |
For a 1-bedroom apartment moving across town, a labor-only crew (you rent the truck, they load and drive) is usually the cheapest path that still beats begging friends. Expect $300–$700 for two movers and three to four hours of work in most Illinois metros.
Full-service makes more sense for 3+ bedroom homes, anything with stairs at both ends, or interstate moves where you're not driving the truck yourself. Yes it costs more — usually 2–3x labor-only — but the price covers blankets, dollies, fuel, and the truck.
Portable containers (PODS, U-Pack, 1-800-PACK-RAT) sit in the middle. You load on your schedule, the company drives. For Illinois interstate moves between 600 and 1,800 miles, container pricing often comes in 30–45% under a traditional van line. The catch is delivery windows of 3–10 business days and limited recourse for damage during loading (you packed it).
Allied operates one of the largest North American moving networks through agent-affiliates. The brand earns high marks for full-value protection and international relocations, less so for last-minute or budget-tier jobs.
Atlas runs a federated agent network with strong corporate relocation operations. Customer experience tracks closely to which local agent handles your shipment, which is worth checking before signing.
United is the largest brand under UniGroup and publishes the well-known annual National Movers Study. Claims handling and tracking tools rank above the industry median based on FMCSA data.
North American (part of SIRVA) leans toward complex and high-value relocations, with strong piano and antique handling. For a basic studio across town, a local independent will almost always undercut their price.
Mayflower is the second large UniGroup brand alongside United, with comparable pricing and similar full-service options. The 'Snapmoves' product is worth comparing for smaller interstate jobs.
IVL handles roughly 180 countries in addition to US interstate jobs. Their hybrid broker model can be useful for international shipments but introduces variability on the domestic side.
JK Moving runs its own crews and trucks (no agent network) and consistently lands at the top of customer satisfaction surveys. Worth the premium for complex DC-area moves; possibly overkill for a 1-bedroom across town.
American Van Lines uses W2 employees rather than day labor, which shows in handling quality. The required deposit policy is the main customer complaint pattern in BBB data.
One of the oldest moving brands in the US, Bekins runs an agent-affiliate model similar to Allied. Strong mid-tier choice when major UniGroup brands are booked solid.
Wheaton (part of the same parent as Bekins) tends to land in the middle on price among van-line brands. Reliable choice for standard interstate jobs in major metros.
Eight weeks out: get three written quotes. Two should be in-home or video surveys. One online quote is fine for comparison only — it will rarely be the binding number.
Six weeks out: book the carrier. Ask for binding-not-to-exceed pricing in writing. Confirm valuation coverage (released vs. full-value protection — there is a real difference if a TV gets dropped).
Four weeks out: order packing supplies if you're self-packing. Boxes go on sale at U-Haul and Home Depot in late winter and late summer.
Two weeks out: confirm parking, building COIs, and elevator reservations at both ends. Illinois buildings vary wildly here — some need 72 hours notice, some 30 days.
One week out: pack a personal essentials box (medications, chargers, three days of clothes, toilet paper, coffee, scissors, the lease/closing folder) and keep it with you, not on the truck.
Move day: walk the truck before driver pulls away. Sign the Bill of Lading only after the inventory list matches. First week in the new place, file any damage claim within nine months — that's the federal interstate window.
Illinois pricing varies city by city. Downtown cores with high-rise residential typically run 10–20% above the state median because of COI requirements, freight elevator wait time, and tighter parking. Suburban single-family moves usually land near the median. Rural pickups outside metro service areas often add a per-mile travel fee from the nearest depot.