Moving to
Moving to or from Washington, DC
104 reviews from 2017 to 3 Nov 2026 describe a move into or out of Washington, with an inbound median of $3,500 and an outbound median of $3,500. Haulest is not a carrier, and these figures are what people reported, not a price we charge.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 2026-09-24
Moving to Washington
A move that never leaves District of Columbia sits lower, at $1,400 across 11 priced reviews.
Incomers mostly start in New York, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Indianapolis, IN. Priced reviews put the median for a move into Washington at $3,500, based on 45 reports. A move that never leaves District of Columbia sits lower, at $1,400 across 11 priced reviews. The two are not the same job: one crosses a state line and one does not. Check move costs before you treat them as one number.
Washington prices sit above the US mark. BEA price parity for 2024 is 108.9 in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro and 109.9 for District of Columbia as a whole, with the US set at 100. Housing and daily costs run high, so a long haul into the city can feel steep beside the local median. Run a move or stay check before you commit.
What reviewers paid, Washington. A median needs 10 priced reviews. Reviews dated 2017 to 3 Nov 2026.
| Move | Median paid | Priced reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Into Washington from elsewhere | $3,500 | 45 |
| Out of Washington | $3,500 | 51 |
| From Washington within the state | $1,400 | 11 |
| Price level, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (US = 100) | 108.9 | 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 Washington
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. No mover pays to be on this list.
Get free quotes from Washington moversSee all 8 movers in Washington
Moving out of Washington
Book earlier if your load date sits in that cluster.
People leaving head for Los Angeles, CA; Arlington, VA; Denver, CO. The median for a move out of Washington is $3,500 across 51 priced reviews. That is a bit above the inbound median, and well above a move that stays inside the District. Interstate moves fall under USDOT and FMCSA once you leave District of Columbia. Local rules for a move that stays inside are on the state page.
Reviews bunch up in Sep, Oct, Aug. They thin out in Jul, Mar, Apr. Those dates are when reviews were posted, usually a few weeks after the move, so the busy window is late summer into fall. Book earlier if your load date sits in that cluster. A peak season check shows how crowded the calendar gets.
Where reviewers came from and went, Washington.
| Moved in from | Reviews | Moved out to | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 3 | Los Angeles, CA | 3 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 2 | Arlington, VA | 3 |
| Indianapolis, IN | 2 | Denver, CO | 2 |
| Kansas City, KS | 2 | Alexandria, VA | 2 |
| Chicago, IL | 2 | Houston, TX | 2 |
Source: Haulest review file, 3 Nov 2026 (reviewer-reported whole-move prices).
What makes a Washington move harder
Damage comes up in 26% of these reviews.
The hard part is access. Reviews most often name stairs and walk-ups, elevators. Those limits change how many people are needed and how long the job takes, which is what a quote is built on. Say so before the mover prices the job. A guide to reading an estimate helps you spot a number that skipped the building.
Damage comes up in 26% of these reviews. The mean rating across the file is 3.19. That is the share of writeups that mention damage, not a promise about your boxes. Photograph furniture and note existing scuffs before load day, and put the building limits in writing so the quote matches the door.
Access problems named in Washington reviews
Stairs and walk-ups · 7 reviews
“They literally had to bounce it down the stairs and walk it to the van – which is too much for two people to do.”
Elevators · 5 reviews
“Delivery driver charged me $175 for distance and elevator usage, a charge that I was not told beforehand but I paid it because I was afraid they would not unload and bring our property to the apartment.”
What a moving crew earns around Washington
Half of the hand movers in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area earn less than $20.47 an hour (US: $19.35); truck drivers, $28.76. 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 (28,510 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 Washington
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.
For comparison: reviewers who hired full-service movers on moves from Washington within the state paid a median $1,400 (11 priced reviews). The truck line above is fuel only: add the rental, mileage or days, coverage, equipment, tolls, a night on the road, 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
- How much does it cost to move to Washington?
- Across 45 priced reviews, the median move into Washington is $3,500. Moves that stay inside District of Columbia come in at a median of $1,400 across 11 priced reviews. Price parity sits at 108.9 for the metro and 109.9 for the District, with the US at 100.
- How much does it cost to move out of Washington?
- The median for moves out is $3,500 across 51 priced reviews. Common destinations in this file are Los Angeles, CA; Arlington, VA; Denver, CO. A move that leaves District of Columbia is interstate and falls under USDOT and FMCSA.
- When is the busy time for a Washington move?
- Reviews cluster in Sep, Oct, Aug and thin out in Jul, Mar, Apr. The dates are when reviews were posted, usually a few weeks after the move. If your load date falls in the busy cluster, book earlier.
- What should I tell a mover before the quote?
- These reviews most often name stairs and walk-ups, elevators. 26% of them mention damage, and the mean rating is 3.19. Name every access limit in writing before anyone prices the job.
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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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