Movers in Massachusetts charge about $115 to $175 per hour for a two-person crew on local jobs, and a two-bedroom interstate move from Massachusetts is estimated at $3,200 to $7,400. Intrastate movers in Massachusetts are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division, while any company moving household goods across state lines must hold FMCSA operating authority. Peak demand runs May to September, when quotes sit at the top of those ranges. BestMovers.info compares 182 licensed carriers serving Massachusetts, with pricing data as of May 2026.
Compare moving companies, Federal Records, and moving resources for Massachusetts. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order.
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The Northeast calendar sets Massachusetts pricing: May–September is peak, November–March is the discount window, and the gap between them is 15% to 25% on an identical job.
Two crew members at standard rates run roughly $145/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 Massachusetts settles around $5,300, though distance and packing services swing that meaningfully.
Local quirks worth pricing in: tight street access, frequent walk-ups, building COIs, and a September lease-turnover spike. None of these are dealbreakers, but they show up in the final bill if you don't ask about them upfront.
Verification in Massachusetts runs through the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division. DPU operating authority is required for a move that begins and ends in Massachusetts. The authorisation is a DPU operating authority for household goods movers (carriers are identified by an MDPU number). Interstate carriers additionally need active FMCSA authority, which you can check on SAFER by USDOT number.
Pay by card, never cash, so a disputed charge has a route back through the issuer.
Massachusetts runs its heaviest volume May–September, and its 1 covered metros feed most of that demand out of and around Boston. Population sits near 7 million, which is what sets how deep the local crew pool actually is in November–March.
Selection for Massachusetts starts from licensing, not marketing. A company is listed here when it is headquartered in Massachusetts or its record shows coverage of the state, and when we can describe it from sourced fields: federal registration, operating authority, founding year, and service coverage. We publish no numeric score and rank nobody first.
Which company suits your move is a question of scope and date, not of a score: BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order. The pricing model behind the estimates on this page is dated May 2026.
Two movers, ground-floor access, standard packing. Peak season in Massachusetts is May–September.
| Home size | Local move | Interstate move |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $345–$875 | $1,760–$4,440 |
| 1 Bedroom | $460–$1,050 | $2,400–$5,772 |
| 2 Bedroom | $690–$1,575 | $3,200–$7,400 |
| 3 Bedroom | $920–$2,100 | $4,640–$11,470 |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,265–$2,800 | $6,240–$15,910 |
| 5+ Bedroom | $1,610–$3,500 | $7,680–$19,980 |
The FMCSA motor carrier census lists 1,631 registrants carrying household goods whose physical address is in Massachusetts, and 663 of those are classified by FMCSA as interstate operations. That figure counts companies whose federal registration lists a Massachusetts address, which is not the same as the number of companies that will serve a move in Massachusetts. An interstate move into or out of Massachusetts can be performed by a carrier registered in any state.
FMCSA motor carrier census, Company Census FileData as of 2026-08-10
IRS tax return data for filing years 2022 to 2023 records 102,076 returns moving out of Massachusetts to another state, and 85,155 moving in, a net loss of 16,921 returns. A return approximates a household rather than a person. The same filings cover 150,394 individuals leaving and 119,934 arriving.
The states receiving the most Massachusetts households were Florida (12,159 returns), New York (11,027 returns) and New Hampshire (10,603 returns).
Arrivals came mainly from New York (10,479 returns), Florida (8,058 returns) and New Hampshire (6,594 returns). These figures count all filers who changed address, not only those who hired a moving company.
IRS SOI state-to-state outflow fileIRS SOI state-to-state inflow fileData as of tax filing years 2022 to 2023
Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division regulates household goods movers operating inside Massachusetts, and sits within the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. Moves crossing the Massachusetts state line fall under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instead, a separate authorisation with separate requirements.
Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division
A mover doing work inside Massachusetts must hold the DPU operating authority for household goods movers (carriers are identified by an MDPU number), issued by Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division. It exists specifically for household goods movers, whatever its title. An interstate carrier holding only a federal USDOT number is not authorised for Massachusetts intrastate work by that number alone.
Source: Agency licensing page
Search the company by name or licence number in the DPU list of regulated moving companies, published with each company's tariff, and confirm the record shows an active status. For a move leaving Massachusetts, check the company's USDOT record in FMCSA SAFER as well. Holding one authorisation does not imply the other.
Massachusetts licence lookupMassachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division: One South Station, 3rd floor, Boston, MA 02110FMCSA SAFER
Massachusetts requires each mover to file its own rates rather than setting a ceiling. The mechanism is an intrastate tariff that each licensed mover files with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, published by the DPU alongside its list of regulated companies, so the rates are public and enforceable against the mover that filed them, but Massachusetts does not cap them. Rates on a move that leaves Massachusetts are not set by the state.
Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division
Massachusetts publishes what each licensed mover charges. The Department of Public Utilities Transportation Oversight Division regulates companies moving household goods within Massachusetts, and publishes a list of those companies together with their tariffs, meaning their filed rates. A consumer can look up a specific mover's official rates before requesting a quote. The list carries its own last-updated date, most recently 2 December 2025.
Source: Massachusetts DPU list of regulated moving companies (page last updated 2 December 2025)
Massachusetts grants moving authority at a public hearing. A completed application to become a household goods mover in Massachusetts is scheduled for a public hearing on the second Tuesday of the following month. Before the Department of Public Utilities grants authority, the applicant must file proof of registered business, a balance sheet, a certificate of insurance, and a tariff. Authority is not issued on paperwork alone.
Source: Apply to be a household goods mover in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division publishes what applies to a company moving household goods in Massachusetts. Each of the following comes from the agency's own pages:
Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division moving companies pageHow to apply for Massachusetts moving authorityMassachusetts consumer information for movers
Moves between states are authorised by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, contactable on (888) 368-7238. The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities does not regulate moves between states. A Massachusetts state licence does not cover that work, and the federal record is the one to check: confirm the USDOT number is active and authorised for household goods before paying a deposit.
Last verified against agency pages: 2026-08-10
A move that leaves Massachusetts is an interstate move and falls under federal authority, so the company needs active operating authority for household goods rather than only a Massachusetts licence. A move that stays inside Massachusetts is different: it is regulated by Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division, and the company needs DPU operating authority for household goods movers (carriers are identified by an MDPU number). Check which kind of move you are booking before you compare quotes, because the two are verified in different places.
Massachusetts publishes a lookup, so you can confirm a licence yourself before you book. DPU list of regulated moving companies, published with each company's tariff
The out of state checklist sets out what changes when the move crosses a line, and the moving checklist sets out the weeks before it.
For a 1-bedroom apartment moving across town, a labor-only crew (you rent the truck, they load) is the cheapest option that still beats calling friends. In Massachusetts metros that runs about $345 to $700 for two movers over three to four hours.
Full service earns its price on 3+ bedroom homes, stairs at both ends, or any interstate job you are not driving yourself. It runs roughly two to three times labor-only, and that covers blankets, dollies, fuel, and the truck.
The container route splits the difference. Providers such as PODS, U-Pack, and 1-800-PACK-RAT drop a unit at the curb. You load on your schedule, the company drives. On a Massachusetts interstate move the container route is usually cheaper than a full-service van line, because you are supplying the loading labor the carrier would otherwise charge for. Bestmovers.info holds no container rates, so price the provider quote for your own lane and dates. The catch is the delivery window, which is set by the provider rather than promised to you, and limited recourse for damage during loading, since you packed it.
These companies have a verified headquarters or documented company location in Massachusetts. Placement is based on documented location information, not a numeric ranking.
Boston-based mover that states it employs its crews directly as W2 staff rather than subcontracting. We hold no customer-satisfaction dataset for this company.
Gentle Giant Moving Company is headquartered in Massachusetts according to its published company location.
Long-running Boston-area mover with full-service interstate operations through the United Van Lines network. Storage facilities accommodate multi-month transitions.
Humboldt Storage & Moving is headquartered in Massachusetts according to its published company location.
Safe Movers Inc, carrying the Isaac's Moving and Storage DBA, files from 181 Campanelli Parkway in Stoughton, Massachusetts with 25 power units, 28 drivers and a household goods cargo entry, with common authority active under MC-272369. The rating on file is Satisfactory, from a compliance review recorded in 2001, which is old enough that it describes the operation of that era rather than today's. The brand has run since 1988 and operates as an independent carrier rather than a van-line agent, with a second active Philadelphia registrant and one inactive registration also carrying the name, listed below so a reader can check the entity that will actually appear on their paperwork.
Isaac's Moving & Storage is headquartered in Massachusetts according to its published company location.
Marathon Moving Company Inc files from Will Drive in Canton, Massachusetts, active on the federal census with a household goods cargo entry, eleven power units, fourteen drivers and docket MC-405568 on the registration. The filed contact email uses the company's own domain, and the company's own licence block publishes the same registration and docket numbers, so registrant and brand agree from two directions. Several unrelated registrants share the words Marathon Moving nationally; identity here was resolved through the domain, the filed address, the federal contact evidence and the company's own site, and those other registrants are excluded rather than disclosed as connected companies. The Massachusetts MDPU number the site publishes alongside its federal numbers is a state licence identifier and is not recorded as a federal registration. The company is an Allied Van Lines agent; Allied holds its own separate registration and no Allied identifier is stored on this record. No federal safety rating was located for this registration. The company states that Paul and Gail Nelson started the business in the spring of 2000.
Marathon Moving Company is headquartered in Massachusetts according to its published company location.
Michael's Moving and Storage Inc files from Ashford Street in Allston, Massachusetts, active on the federal census with household goods and general freight cargo entries, fourteen power units and a current MCS-150 filing. The licensing file returns two authority roles on the one docket and they are reported separately: motor carrier of household goods, active, and motor carrier of property except household goods, also active. No broker authority was located and none is claimed. The company's own website prints its federal registration number with leading zeros; that is a formatting difference on the same number rather than a competing value, so it is normalised and no source conflict is recorded. No van-line affiliation was verified. The company states only how long it has served Greater Boston, not a year, so no founding year is published here.
Michael's Moving and Storage is headquartered in Massachusetts according to its published company location.
These companies publish broad nationwide moving service and are shown separately from companies based in Massachusetts.
American Van Lines states first-party that it staffs moves with W2 employees rather than day labour. It requires a deposit to hold a move date, so ask what portion is refundable and by when before you pay it. We publish no BBB grade and hold no complaint dataset, so nothing here rates the company's service.
American Van Lines publishes broad nationwide moving service on its own site. It is shown separately from companies based in this area and its presence here is not evidence of a local office.
Mayflower Transit is the second large UniGroup brand alongside United Van Lines and runs full-service interstate moves through an agent network under its own federal registration.
Mayflower Transit publishes broad nationwide moving service on its own site. It is shown separately from companies based in this area and its presence here is not evidence of a local office.
North American Van Lines is part of SIRVA and moves interstate household goods through an agent-affiliate network. The federal registration shown here belongs to the van line, not to the local agent that loads the truck.
North American Van Lines publishes broad nationwide moving service on its own site. It is shown separately from companies based in this area and its presence here is not evidence of a local office.
United Van Lines is the largest brand under UniGroup and publishes the annual National Movers Study. It offers shipment tracking and a published claims process; we hold no dataset that compares its claims outcomes with other carriers.
United Van Lines publishes broad nationwide moving service on its own site. It is shown separately from companies based in this area and its presence here is not evidence of a local office.
Wheaton World Wide Moving shares a parent company with Bekins and moves interstate household goods through an agent network under its own federal registration.
Wheaton World Wide Moving publishes broad nationwide moving service on its own site. It is shown separately from companies based in this area and its presence here is not evidence of a local office.
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. Massachusetts 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.
Massachusetts pricing varies by metro. 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.
Intrastate household-goods movers in Massachusetts are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight Division. DPU operating authority is required for a move that begins and ends in Massachusetts. The authorisation is a DPU operating authority for household goods movers (carriers are identified by an MDPU number).
Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Transportation Oversight DivisionResearched and written by Grant Holloway · Reviewed by Amanda Brooks · Last reviewed August 2026
How we evaluate moving companies: we verify federal registration and operating authority against FMCSA records, record carrier or broker classification, note state licensing where a state regulator publishes it, and state the limits of what we could source. No numeric score, star rating or ranked order is produced from those checks. Read full methodology