California to Minnesota
Moving from California to Minnesota
Reviewers who moved from California to Minnesota paid a median $3,650. 6,928 people made the move in 2024, and 3,533 went the other way. Glendale to Minneapolis, the most common run in our file, is 1,905 miles.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Reviewers paid
$3,650
median, 23 priced reviews
Moved last year
6,928
CA to MN, 2024
Typical drive
1,905 mi
Glendale to Minneapolis
Cost of living
-10.9%
MN vs CA, US = 100
Sources: Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 29 Oct 2026 (reviewer-reported); US Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration, 2024; OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (driving route); BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Try another route
Now tap where you are moving to.
California to Minnesota · median paid
$3,650
23 reviewed moves
1,905 road miles
Median and middle half of what 23 reviewers paid on this lane. A mover's written estimate is what counts.
What it costs
California to Minnesota moving cost
Across 23 priced reviews of moves from California to Minnesota, the median was $3,650 and the middle half paid $3,100 to $8,500. Home sizes and distances are mixed; the table below is by size.
Planning ranges for 1,000 to 2,000 miles moves, by home size, as of September 2026. Research fallback, not a first-party median and not a bid.
| Home size | Full-service range |
|---|---|
| Studio | $2,200 to $4,000 |
| 1 bedroom | $3,000 to $5,200 |
| 2 bedroom | $4,000 to $7,200 |
| 3 bedroom | $5,400 to $9,400 |
| 4+ bedroom | $7,000 to $12,000 |
Source: Haulest research bands, September 2026 (band set by the Glendale to Minneapolis drive).
Live numbers: US on-highway diesel $6.35 per gallon for the week of 2026-10-26 (EIA weekly US on-highway diesel via FRED GASDESW). A fuel surcharge on a long lane follows the diesel line; ask how the mover sets it.
Recent reviews
People who moved California to Minnesota
1 of 5 · 24 Mar 2025 · reported $3,900
“Before I paid, communication was excellent. After I paid, it completely disappeared. I called for an update yesterday (01/25/25)and received none. I called again today(01/26/25), only to be told, “You called yesterday. There are no updates, and we’ll call you when there is.” That’s unacceptable. I…”
1 of 5 · 2 Jul 2024 · reported $12,000
“Costly mistake hiring this company. Was lied to from the start, given verbal delivery dates but was told they were not guaranteed because he Steven didn't say "he Promised". Our load was picked up Jun13th with a first delivery date of Jun16th. It didn’t arrive until July8th even though Steven…”
1 of 5 · 16 Apr 2024 · reported $3,020
“WHAT A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE!! MISSING 2 BOXES.MY BOXES THAT ACTUALLY MADE IT TO MY HOUSE LOOKED LIKE A CRUSHED ALUMINUM BEER CAN UPON ARRIVAL! EVERY PIECE OF MY FURNITURE WAS BROKEN IN SOME WAY. I WAS CHARGES AN EXTRA 500.00 DOLLARS WHEN THEY PICKED UP MY BOXES AND FURNITURE EVEN THOUGH I HAD…”
What went wrong on this run: of 23 reviews, 43% mention damage and 30% a delay or a no-show. Reviewer-reported, counted by phrase.
Who makes this move
Those are headcounts of people who changed states, and they do not say why anyone packed a truck.
Census counts, both directions. The Census ACS 2024 puts 6,928 people, margin plus or minus 2,325, moving from California to Minnesota. The reverse count is 3,533 people moving from Minnesota to California. Those are headcounts of people who changed states, and they do not say why anyone packed a truck.
Price parity and wage tax. BEA price parity for 2024 sets the United States at 100. California sits at 110.7 and Minnesota at 98.6. Both states tax wages. The rate you pay turns on income and filing status, so this file leaves the percentage alone.
What the job looks like
Days on the road for the load are the delivery window on the order for service.
The usual city pair. The most common run in our file is Glendale to Minneapolis, 1,905 miles, about 33 hours of driving. That is car time. Days on the road for the load are the delivery window on the order for service. A long-distance shipment is priced by weight and miles.
What the reviews report. Our file has 23 reviews for this lane, and that sample is small. The median reported price is $3,650 across 23 priced reviews, with the middle half from $3,100 to $8,500. Those prices mix home sizes and distances. 43% of the reviews mention damage, and 30% mention a delay or a no-show.
Before you book
The truck can wait; your bank transfer should not be the brave one.
License before the deposit. An interstate household move needs a mover with an active USDOT number and FMCSA household-goods authority. Check both before money moves. The license check is the short version of that lookup. Haulest is not a carrier and does not book the truck.
Estimate type and the 110 percent rule. Ask for a binding estimate or a not-to-exceed estimate, and read how to read a moving estimate before you sign. On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver once you pay 110 percent of the estimate. Get the delivery window in writing on the order for service. Keep the 110 percent rule open while you compare quotes.
Deposit terms on paper. Read the deposit terms before you transfer anything: how much, when it is due, and what happens if you cancel. Ask for the USDOT number on the quote before any transfer. The truck can wait; your bank transfer should not be the brave one.
Leaving California, arriving in Minnesota.
| California | Minnesota | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US = 100) | 110.7 | 98.6 |
| Median home sale price | $887,400 | $372,300 |
| Median days on market | 33 | 25 |
| State income tax on wages | Taxes wages | Taxes wages |
| People who moved in 2024 | 3,533 arrived from Minnesota | 6,928 arrived from California |
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024; Data provided by Redfin, a national real estate brokerage, read 1 Oct 2026; State revenue departments (wage tax, 2026); US Census Bureau, ACS, 2024.
When to go: in California, the busiest month for home sales over the last year was Oct 2025 and the quietest was Jan 2026. Movers fill up on the same calendar. Check your date.
Source: Data provided by Redfin, a national real estate brokerage (California homes sold by month).
Doing it yourself
Driving a rental truck from California to Minnesota
1,905 road miles, about 33 hours at the wheel (4 driving days at nine hours a day). Fuel below uses this week's EIA price and the low end of each brand's mpg, because a loaded truck does worse than the brochure.
- Studio10 to 12 ft truckFuel $680 to $1,020gasoline
- 1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truckFuel $680 to $1,360gasoline
- 3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truckFuel $816 to $920gas or diesel, by brand
- 4 bedroom26 ft truckFuel $920 to $1,494gas or diesel, by brand
For comparison: reviewers who hired full-service movers on California to Minnesota moves paid a median $3,650 (23 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 19 Oct 2026); OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (road miles).
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- How many people moved from California to Minnesota?
- Census ACS 2024 counts 6,928 people moving from California to Minnesota, margin plus or minus 2,325. The other direction is 3,533 people, Minnesota to California. Those figures are headcounts, and they stop there.
- What does the usual trip look like?
- The most common run in our file is Glendale to Minneapolis, 1,905 miles and about 33 hours of driving. Hours are the car time. The delivery commitment is the window written on the order for service.
- What prices show up in the reviews?
- The median reported price is $3,650 across 23 priced reviews. The middle half runs from $3,100 to $8,500. Prices mix home sizes and distances, so the median marks this file and your own weight still sets the quote.
- What goes wrong in the reviews?
- 43% of the reviews mention damage. 30% mention a delay or a no-show. Both shares come from the 23 reviews in this file.
- What do I lock in before booking?
- Book an interstate mover with an active USDOT number and FMCSA household-goods authority. Ask for a binding or not-to-exceed estimate, and on a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver when you pay 110 percent of the estimate. Get the delivery window and the deposit terms in writing.
Next
Keep going
- Minnesota to CaliforniaThe same run the other way.
- Moving in CaliforniaWho regulates the move, and the top-rated movers there.
- Moving in MinnesotaWho regulates the move, and the top-rated movers there.
- Long distance moversWeight, miles, and where the bill grows.
- What movers costNational medians by year and lane.
- The 110% ruleWhat you can be made to pay on delivery day.
Other state-to-state runs
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.
Call for a written California to Minnesota quote
From, then To. Date and home size after that. A person on the phone is faster if you already know the dates.
+1 (866) 961-9682Free moving quoteHaulest is not a carrier. We connect you to movers.
Haulest is a research desk and quote line. We are not a carrier.