Moving to
Moving to or from Des Moines, IA
Our file holds 48 reviews of moves into or out of Des Moines, dated 2017 to 3 Nov 2026. Haulest is not a carrier; the figures below are what those reviews show on cost, timing, and damage.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 2026-09-24
Moving to Des Moines
The metro sits a bit under the national index and a bit over the state.
Inbound origins and cost. People moving into Des Moines most often come from Tucson, AZ; American Falls, ID; San Diego, CA. Across 14 priced reviews, the median for those inbound moves is $4,358. That sample is smaller than the outbound set, so treat it as a starting point, then check a moving cost guide before you sign.
Metro price level. BEA price parity for 2024 puts the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro at 91.7, with Iowa as a whole at 87.8, where the US equals 100. The metro sits a bit under the national index and a bit over the state. Use a move or stay calculator if you are weighing the pay against that price level.
What reviewers paid, Des Moines. A median needs 10 priced reviews. Reviews dated 2017 to 3 Nov 2026.
| Move | Median paid | Priced reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Into Des Moines from elsewhere | $4,358 | 14 |
| Out of Des Moines | $4,920 | 34 |
| From Des Moines within the state | not published | 1 |
| Price level, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (US = 100) | 91.7 | BEA 2024 |
Sources: Haulest review file, 3 Nov 2026 (reviewer-reported whole-move prices); US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, read 2024.
Top-rated movers in and near Des Moines
Each has 5+ reviews and 4.0+ stars. Movers reviewed in the last 3 years come first, then by rating weighted by how many reviews back it. Few Des Moines movers qualify, so the list goes on with the best elsewhere in the state; each card says where the mover is based. No mover pays to be on this list.
- Adamantine Spine Moving5.0(5 reviews)Iowa City · USDOT 1471037 · latest review Jun 2024
- MidAmerican Moving4.0(115 reviews)Johnston · latest review Nov 2026
- Hemmen Moving5.0(8 reviews)Ames · USDOT 608245 · latest review Jan 2022
Get free quotes from Des Moines moversSee all movers in Des Moines
Moving out of Des Moines
Reviews cluster in Sep, Nov, Apr and thin out in Mar, Feb, Jan.
Outbound cities and cost. People leaving Des Moines most often head to Stamford, CT; Earleton, FL; Miami, FL. Across 34 priced reviews, the median outbound cost is $4,920, higher than the inbound median in this file. Many of those trips leave Iowa, which makes them interstate moves under USDOT and FMCSA rules rather than the state rules for a move that stays in Iowa.
When to book. Reviews cluster in Sep, Nov, Apr and thin out in Mar, Feb, Jan. Those are post dates, usually a few weeks after the move, so the truck was often booked earlier than the review month. If your date sits in a busy cluster, ask for the quote sooner and read how to read a moving estimate.
Where reviewers came from and went, Des Moines.
| Moved in from | Reviews | Moved out to | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, AZ | 1 | Stamford, CT | 3 |
| American Falls, ID | 1 | Earleton, FL | 2 |
| San Diego, CA | 1 | Miami, FL | 2 |
| South Bend, IN | 1 | Atlanta, GA | 2 |
| Dahinda, IL | 1 | San Diego, CA | 2 |
Source: Haulest review file, 3 Nov 2026 (reviewer-reported whole-move prices).
What makes a Des Moines move harder
That share is a count of writeups in the file, not a forecast for your load.
Access notes in reviews. The access problems these reviews name most are no single access problem, which means no single snag shows up often enough to plan around. Your own building can still differ from that quiet file. Before the quote, tell the mover the floor, the distance from where the truck can stop, and any rule about elevators or parking.
Damage and ratings. 14.6% of these reviews mention damage, and the mean rating is 4.33. That share is a count of writeups in the file, not a forecast for your load. Photograph the pieces, note marks that are already there, and ask how a claim is filed before you accept the written estimate.
Route pages from and to Des Moines
What a moving crew earns around Des Moines
Half of the hand movers in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area earn less than $22.29 an hour (US: $19.35); truck drivers, $29.19. An hourly quote for a crew pays two or three of them, plus the truck, fuel, insurance, and the company's margin, so the rate per mover is usually two to three times the wage. A rate near the wage itself means someone is not insured or not paid.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: 53-7062 Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand (7,000 jobs in the area); 53-3032 Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. The occupation includes warehouse work, not only moving crews. BLS wage data
Doing it yourself
Renting a truck in Des Moines
Which truck fits your home, and what to check before you book one here.
- Studio10 to 12 ft truck380 to 450 cu ft. The smallest box truck. No ramp at any brand.
- 1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truck658 to 800 cu ft. The most rented size and the smallest with a ramp.
- 3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truck1,016 to 1,200 cu ft. U-Haul and Penske only; Budget skips from 16 to 26 ft.
- 4 bedroom26 ft truck1,682 to 1,700 cu ft. The largest you can drive on a regular licence.
Fuel is only part of a DIY move: add the rental, mileage or days, coverage, equipment, tolls, and your time.
Sources: Brand spec pages (U-Haul, Penske, Budget) (mpg and fuel type); US EIA weekly retail prices (week of 26 Oct 2026).
Before you hire
Four checks before a deposit
Written estimate after a look
Interstate movers must give the booklet and a written estimate after a survey or a full description. A $499 ad is not an estimate.
FMCSA Protect Your MoveLegal name matches SAFER
USDOT on the paper, the truck doors, and the census. A different name is the walk.
USDOT / Companies House lookupWalk from cash and blank paper
FTC: unregistered interstate, huge deposit, cash only, or a blank contract. Photograph and leave.
FTC: hiring a mover110% on a COD non-binding job
Pay up to 110% plus agreed extras and they must hand over the load. Not a cap on extras you signed.
US interstate rules
Reviewed by Anthony Bale, 24 Sep 2026. Corpus as of 3 Nov 2026. Drafted with grok-4.7-medium via cursor-agent on 2026-09-24, then edited. Haulest is not a carrier.
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- What does it cost to move to or from Des Moines?
- Moves into Des Moines have a median of $4,358 across 14 priced reviews. Moves out of Des Moines have a median of $4,920 across 34 priced reviews. A move that stays inside Iowa has too few priced reviews for a median.
- Where do people move from and where do they go?
- The origins named most often are Tucson, AZ; American Falls, ID; San Diego, CA. The destinations named most often are Stamford, CT; Earleton, FL; Miami, FL.
- Which months look busiest for a Des Moines move?
- Reviews cluster in Sep, Nov, Apr and thin out in Mar, Feb, Jan. The date on a review is usually a few weeks after the move, so book ahead of the month you see in the file.
- How often is damage mentioned, and which rules apply?
- 14.6% of these reviews mention damage, and the mean rating is 4.33. A move inside Iowa follows the state page rules. A move that leaves Iowa is interstate, under USDOT and FMCSA.
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About Anthony Bale
A moving industry professional, author and writer. Anthony has been at different positions in the industry for the last 10 years, gaining significant knowledge on the relocation process. He himself has moved 6 times already, which helped him explore the other side of the moving process.
At Haulest he writes the US cost, hiring, and rights pages, reading the licensed review file every week so the numbers on the page are the numbers people reported.
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From, then To. Date and home size after that. A person on the phone is faster if you already know the dates.
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