Moving Cost Per Pound and Per Mile
Researched and written by Matthew Collins · Reviewed by Amanda Brooks · Last reviewed August 2026
An interstate moving quote is built from two numbers: the weight of the shipment and the distance it travels. The carrier reads a rate from its filed tariff at the intersection of those two, calls the result the line haul, and adds packing, valuation and accessorials on top.
Bestmovers.info publishes no per-pound or per-mile rate, because a tariff rate is carrier-specific and we hold no tariff licence. What we publish is the outcome: $3,000–$7,000 for a two-bedroom on a 1,000-mile lane.
The components of an interstate quote
Estimated price ranges only — your actual quote depends on move size, distance, service level, date, and availability.
| Move type | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Line haul | No measured figure held | Weight and mileage read from the carrier's filed tariff |
| Two bedroom outcome, about 1,000 miles | $3,000–$7,000 | Editorial estimate, about 5,500 lb |
| Three bedroom outcome, about 1,000 miles | $4,350–$10,850 | Editorial estimate, about 8,500 lb |
| Valuation at the federal default | $0.60 per pound | Released value, 49 CFR 375.701 |
Editorial estimates from the Bestmovers.info pricing model, reviewed May 2026. Not measured transaction prices.
How is moving cost per pound calculated?
Interstate moving cost per pound is read from the carrier's filed tariff, which sets a rate per hundredweight for a given weight band and distance, and heavier shipments take a lower rate per pound than light ones on the same lane. Bestmovers.info publishes no per-pound rate because tariffs are carrier-specific and we hold no tariff data. The modelled outcome for a two-bedroom shipment of about 5,500 lb over roughly a thousand miles is $3,000–$7,000.
How is moving cost per mile calculated?
Mileage on an interstate move is taken from the carrier's mileage guide between origin and destination, not from your odometer, and it is combined with weight rather than charged on its own. That is why a heavier shipment on a short lane can cost more than a light one on a long lane, and why quoting a single cost per mile for household goods is meaningless without the weight beside it.
Why does the scale ticket decide the final bill?
On a non-binding interstate estimate, the charge follows the actual weight recorded at a certified scale, so the scale ticket, not the survey, decides the bill. The shipper may observe each weighing and may request a re-weigh before charges are computed (49 CFR 375.519), and at delivery the carrier may require no more than 110% of the estimated charges, billing the rest afterwards (49 CFR 375.407).
What sits on top of the line haul?
Packing labour and materials, valuation above the released value default, storage in transit, shuttle service, long carry, stair carry, appliance servicing and third-party handling for specialty items all sit on top of the line haul. On a typical interstate move these accessorials, not the line haul, are where two quotes on the same shipment diverge, because each carrier assumes different access.
Where to read next
Get written interstate estimates
Tell us your move details once. We'll match you with FMCSA-licensed movers serving your route, typically 3–4 written estimates within one business day.
No obligation. Your quote request may be shared with up to 4 moving companies that may serve your requested route.
Where are you moving?
Get matched with licensed movers based on your route and move details.
.
.
Helpful resources
Frequently asked questions
What is the moving cost per pound?
What is the moving cost per mile?
Can you ask for the shipment to be re-weighed?
Why is my interstate quote higher than the line haul?
Ready to compare licensed movers?
Get free, no-obligation written estimates from FMCSA-licensed movers serving your route.
No obligation. Your quote request may be shared with up to 4 moving companies that may serve your requested route.
Where are you moving?
Get matched with licensed movers based on your route and move details.
.
.
More moving cost guides
Realistic 2026 price ranges to move a 1-bedroom apartment locally, interstate, or cross-country — with examples and ways to lower the bill.
What a 2-bedroom move actually costs in 2026 — local hourly rates, interstate flat-rate ranges, and the variables that move the price up or down.
Typical price ranges to move a 3-bedroom home in 2026, including realistic interstate examples and savings tips for full-service moves.
How long-distance moving prices are calculated in 2026 — weight, mileage, services, and how movers, containers, and DIY rentals stack up.
What an interstate move actually costs in 2026 — FMCSA-priced flat rates, real lane examples, and how broker quotes differ from carrier quotes.
Realistic 2026 cross-country moving prices by home size and route — full-service vs container vs rental truck, with real coast-to-coast examples.
Direct answer: our editorial cost estimates for long-distance moves in 2026, how the bill is calculated line by line, and the variables that move it most.
2026 mover price ranges, not ballpark guesses — local hourly rates, long-distance ranges by home size, hidden fees, and how to push your quote down.
What a moving company charges for a local and an interstate move, what the quote leaves out, and the federal rule that limits what can be collected at delivery.
Why a piano is quoted as its own line, what changes the price, and what the federal liability default actually pays if the instrument arrives damaged.
Portable container pricing as a category: what drives it, how it differs from a full-service quote, and what this site does and does not hold on container prices.
How moving container companies build a price, what to compare between providers, and when a container genuinely beats a full-service carrier.
Studio through four bedroom, local and interstate, in one table from the pricing model, with the crew hours and shipment weight behind each row.
What a rental total is actually made of beyond the daily rate, what the damage waiver does not cover, and when renting stops being cheaper than a crew.
Moving a mobile home is a transport permit question rather than a household move. What sets the price and exactly what to confirm, with whom, before booking.
Why a slate table is quoted separately, what changes the price, and what the carrier is liable for if the slate is cracked in transit.
Released value against full value protection, with the arithmetic done on a real shipment weight so you can see what the free federal default really pays.
What a packing quote is built from, how partial packing changes both the labour and the liability, and how packing should appear on a written estimate.
Storage in transit has two components, rent and handling at each end, and they behave differently. What to fix in writing before agreeing to it.
Verify your shortlist and tighten your estimate before you book.