California to Missouri
Moving from California to Missouri
Reviewers who moved from California to Missouri paid a median $4,570. 8,786 people made the move in 2024, and 5,144 went the other way. Los Angeles to Springfield, the most common run in our file, is 1,614 miles.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Reviewers paid
$4,570
median, 28 priced reviews
Moved last year
8,786
CA to MO, 2024
Typical drive
1,614 mi
Los Angeles to Springfield
Cost of living
-18.0%
MO vs CA, US = 100
Sources: Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 21 Sept 2026 (reviewer-reported); US Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration, 2024; OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (driving route); BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
What it costs
California to Missouri moving cost
Across 28 priced reviews of moves from California to Missouri, the median was $4,570 and the middle half paid $3,250 to $8,431. Home sizes and distances are mixed; the table below is by size.
Planning ranges for 1,000–2,000 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–$4,000 |
| 1 bedroom | $3,000–$5,200 |
| 2 bedroom | $4,000–$7,200 |
| 3 bedroom | $5,400–$9,400 |
| 4+ bedroom | $7,000–$12,000 |
Source: Haulest research bands, September 2026 (band set by the Los Angeles to Springfield drive).
Live numbers: US on-highway diesel $5.60 per gallon for the week of 2026-08-31 (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 Missouri
5 of 5 · 20 Jul 2026 · reported $4,200
“The persons leading the crew were very good at setting expectations. Before loading, he strolled around the house with me, identified existing damage to our older furniture, and recorded it on the inventory sheet. This transparency ensured there was no room for misinterpretation or conflict at the end of the day.”
5 of 5 · 8 Dec 2025 · reported $3,650
“Plymouth van lines did a great job pick up our household goods. We had a little more stuff than we told them on the phone and they were good enough to keep the price the same. Cindy was very helpful and professional. The guys that picked our stuff were very proffesional.”
5 of 5 · 23 Nov 2025 · reported $3,450
“Second move this year and again, it was a great move! They continue to rock. The guys were extremely helpful, efficient, careful, and super kind. They even helped put things in my car. They did everything that was asked of them with a smile! Thank you guys!!! You’re the best!”
What went wrong on this run: of 28 reviews, 39% mention damage and 21% a delay or a no-show. Reviewer-reported, counted by phrase.
Who makes this move
The figures show volume in each direction and stop there.
Two census flows. ACS 2024 counts 8,786 people who moved from California to Missouri, margin plus or minus 2,191. In the other direction, 5,144 people moved from Missouri to California. The figures show volume in each direction and stop there.
Price levels and wage tax. BEA price parity for 2024 sets the US at 100. California is 110.7 and Missouri is 90.8. California taxes wages. Missouri taxes wages. Those two facts are about living costs and tax rules, and they do not say who should move.
What the job looks like
This run has 28 reviews in our file, and that sample is small.
Miles, hours, and a delivery window. The most common run in our file is Los Angeles to Springfield, 1,614 miles, about 28 hours of driving. Those hours are the drive. The days you plan around are the delivery window written on the order for service. Long-distance household moves are priced by weight and miles. A long-distance move quote should show both.
A small review file. This run has 28 reviews in our file, and that sample is small. The median reported price is $4,570 across 28 priced reviews. The middle half sits from $3,250 to $8,431. Prices mix home sizes and distances. 39% mention damage and 21% mention a delay or no-show. Cost context lives on the moving cost page.
Before you book
On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver on payment of 110 percent of the estimate.
Check the carrier on paper. An interstate household move needs a mover with an active USDOT number and FMCSA household-goods authority. Look the number up before you sign. Haulest is not a carrier and does not haul the load. Use the license lookup and keep a copy of the authority result with the estimate.
Estimates and the written window. Ask for a binding estimate or a not-to-exceed estimate. Read how to read a moving estimate before you sign. On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver on payment of 110 percent of the estimate. Put the delivery window in writing on the order for service.
Deposit terms belong in the contract. Ask what the deposit is, when it is due, and whether it is refundable if the mover cancels or you do. Get those terms in the same packet as the estimate and the delivery window. Read the estimate twice, since the truck will not do it for you.
Leaving California, arriving in Missouri.
| California | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US = 100) | 110.7 | 90.8 |
| Median home sale price | $887,400 | $297,500 |
| Median days on market | 33 | 27 |
| State income tax on wages | Taxes wages | Taxes wages |
| People who moved in 2024 | 5,144 arrived from Missouri | 8,786 arrived from California |
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024; Data provided by Redfin, a national real estate brokerage, read 22 Sept 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 Missouri
1,614 road miles, about 28 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 $602 to $903gasoline
- 1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truckFuel $602 to $1,205gasoline
- 3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truckFuel $723 to $811gas or diesel, by brand
- 4 bedroom26 ft truckFuel $811 to $1,317gas or diesel, by brand
For comparison: reviewers who hired full-service movers on California to Missouri moves paid a median $4,570 (28 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 21 Sept 2026); OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (road miles).
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- How many people moved from California to Missouri?
- ACS 2024 counts 8,786 people moving from California to Missouri, with a margin of plus or minus 2,191. The reverse count is 5,144 people moving from Missouri to California. The survey reports the flows and does not give a reason for them.
- How long is the most common run in your file?
- The most common run is Los Angeles to Springfield, 1,614 miles, about 28 hours of driving. Those hours describe the drive. The date you can enforce is the delivery window on the order for service.
- What prices show up in reviews for this run?
- Across 28 priced reviews the median reported price is $4,570. The middle half runs from $3,250 to $8,431. Prices mix home sizes and distances.
- How often do reviews mention damage or a delay?
- 39% of the reviews mention damage. 21% mention a delay or no-show. The mentions sit in the same review file as the prices above.
- What should I check before I book an interstate mover?
- Confirm an active USDOT number and FMCSA household-goods authority before you pay a deposit. On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver on payment of 110 percent of the estimate, and the delivery window should be written on the order. Haulest is not a carrier.
Next
Keep going
- 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 Missouri 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 quote, a person answersHaulest is not a carrier. We connect you to movers.
Haulest is a research desk and quote line. We are not a carrier.