California to Washington
Moving from California to Washington
Reviewers who moved from California to Washington paid a median $5,000. 43,938 people made the move in 2024, and 26,956 went the other way. San Diego to Seattle, the most common run in our file, is 1,254 miles.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Reviewers paid
$5,000
median, 106 priced reviews
Moved last year
43,938
CA to WA, 2024
Typical drive
1,254 mi
San Diego to Seattle
Cost of living
-3.3%
WA vs CA, US = 100
Sources: Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 3 Nov 2026 (reviewer-reported); US Census Bureau, ACS state-to-state migration, 2024; OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (driving route); BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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California to Washington · median paid
$5,000
106 reviewed moves
1,254 road miles
Median and middle half of what 106 reviewers paid on this lane. A mover's written estimate is what counts.
What it costs
California to Washington moving cost
Across 106 priced reviews of moves from California to Washington, the median was $5,000 and the middle half paid $2,665 to $7,874. 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 San Diego to Seattle drive).
Live numbers: US on-highway diesel $6.29 per gallon for the week of 2026-11-02 (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.
From the review file
Movers with reviews on the California to Washington run
How this list was made. Every mover here has at least two reviews in our file for a move from California to Washington. Sorted by how many matching reviews each mover has, not by rating. Corpus as of 3 Nov 2026. Not a ranking and not a recommendation.
| Mover | Based | Record | Matching reviews | All reviews | Median reported, this run | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Nation Moving | Rockville, MD | CarrierUSDOT 1775695 | 3 | 2245.0 mean, dated | $6,588 | 27 Sept 2026 |
| Compass Van Lines | Davie, FL | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 3516181 | 2 | 833.3 mean, dated | $8,500 | 9 Mar 2022 |
| Alpha & Omega Moving and Storage | Sun Valley, CA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 1135941 | 2 | 342.0 mean, dated | $3,700 | 6 Nov 2015 |
| J&D Moving Company LLC | Las Vegas, NV | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 3504793 | 2 | 283.0 mean, dated | $12,347 | 17 Nov 2022 |
| Orange Van Lines, LLC | Houston, TX | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 1847068 | 2 | 252.0 mean, dated | $7,000 | 7 Jan 2017 |
| Mama Movers | Anaheim, CA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 3199903 | 2 | 244.0 mean, dated | $6,100 | 26 May 2020 |
| Golden Valley Van Lines | Woodland Hills, CA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 2632419 | 2 | 233.0 mean, dated | $4,600 | 18 Apr 2019 |
| Moving Nation | Fayetteville, GA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 2303682 | 2 | 232.0 mean, dated | $10,500 | 6 Mar 2021 |
| Energy Moving LLC | Winnetka, CA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 2057142 | 2 | 152.0 mean, dated | $8,000 | 9 Oct 2017 |
| KLM Vanlines | Winnetka, CA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 2206815 | 2 | 151.0 mean, dated | $8,500 | 30 Jun 2016 |
| New Life Van Lines | North Hollywood, CA | No FMCSA match | 2 | 123.0 mean, dated | $3,300 | 30 Jul 2015 |
| Full House Movers | Sacramento, CA | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 2372204 | 2 | 101.0 mean, dated | $1,900 | 9 Jun 2015 |
Sources: Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 3 Nov 2026; FMCSA Licensing and Insurance, household-goods authority (record column).
Recent reviews
People who moved California to Washington
5 of 5 · 27 Sept 2026 · reported $6,522
“I am so happy with the service Great Nation Moving provided for us! The two gentleman were very kind and so helpful. They were flexible with the items that we needed moved. I would highly recommend using this company and will definitely be working with them again in the future.”
5 of 5 · 24 Aug 2026 · reported $2,980
“The two movers who came were able to speak English, and they handled my household items with great care. They were gentle, cautious around the house, calm, hardworking, and did their job exactly as they were supposed to. I was very pleased with their performance. I also had to reschedule and needed…”
1 of 5 · 7 Jul 2025 · reported $7,000
“Be aware, the above moving service company is absolutely a scammer!!! I scheduled moving service on June 15th, 2025, from San Jose to Seattle. They quoted my moving cost will be around $2,300, which sounds like a reasonable price. And they asked deposit $1,178 for service schedule, I paid them…”
What went wrong on this run: of 107 reviews, 45% mention damage and 29% a delay or a no-show. Reviewer-reported, counted by phrase.
Who makes this move
The 2024 ACS records 43,938 people who moved from California to Washington, margin plus or minus 5,464.
Census counts the movers. The 2024 ACS records 43,938 people who moved from California to Washington, margin plus or minus 5,464. In the other direction, 26,956 people moved from Washington to California. Treat both figures as counts of people, with the published margin on the California to Washington total.
Living costs sit close, not equal. BEA price parity for 2024 uses 100 for the United States. California reads 110.7 and Washington reads 107.0. California taxes wages. Washington has no tax on wages. No rate is stated on this page, and the parity figures do not say what a household will earn after the move.
What the job looks like
In our file the most common pair is San Diego to Seattle, 1,254 miles, about 24 hours of driving.
The common run is long. In our file the most common pair is San Diego to Seattle, 1,254 miles, about 24 hours of driving. Days on the road follow from that drive, from loading at the origin, and from the delivery window the mover sets on the order for service.
Price follows weight and miles. Long-distance moves are priced by weight and miles, so quotes on this lane spread with the size of the shipment. Across 106 priced reviews in a file of 107, the median reported price is $5,000. The middle half of those prices runs from $2,665 to $7,874. The prices mix home sizes and distances, which is why one lane can show a wide spread.
Damage and delays show up often. Of the 107 reviews in our file, 45% mention damage and 29% mention a delay or a no-show. Delivery is a window set on the order for service, so arrival inside that window is what the order promised. A no-show sits outside that promise. Write the window down before pickup day.
Before you book
On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver on payment of 110 percent of the estimate.
Check the license before the quote. Interstate household moves need a mover with an active USDOT number and FMCSA household-goods authority. Look the number up before you send a deposit, using license lookup. Haulest is not a carrier. A company name on a website is a claim; the authority record is the check that matters for this run.
Get the estimate type in writing. Ask whether the price is binding or not to exceed, and read the line items with how to read a moving estimate. On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver on payment of 110 percent of the estimate. That rule is spelled out in the 110 percent rule. Put the delivery window in writing on the order for service before you sign.
Deposits are a contract term. Write down how much is due, when it is due, and whether it is refundable if the mover cancels or you do. Read deposit terms before you pay anyone. A California to Washington order is a long one, so a vague deposit line is a bad place to be casual. Keep the estimate, the window, and the deposit on the same order.
Leaving California, arriving in Washington.
| California | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US = 100) | 110.7 | 107.0 |
| Median home sale price | $887,400 | $651,800 |
| Median days on market | 33 | 19 |
| State income tax on wages | Taxes wages | No tax on wages |
| People who moved in 2024 | 26,956 arrived from Washington | 43,938 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 Washington
1,254 road miles, about 24 hours at the wheel (3 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 $446 to $669gasoline
- 1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truckFuel $446 to $892gasoline
- 3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truckFuel $535 to $613gas or diesel, by brand
- 4 bedroom26 ft truckFuel $613 to $996gas or diesel, by brand
For comparison: reviewers who hired full-service movers on California to Washington moves paid a median $5,000 (106 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); OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (road miles).
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- How many people move from California to Washington?
- The 2024 ACS counts 43,938 people moving from California to Washington, with a margin of plus or minus 5,464. The reverse flow is 26,956 people moving from Washington to California. The tables count people and do not record a reason for the move.
- How far is the most common California to Washington run?
- In our file the most common pair is San Diego to Seattle, 1,254 miles, about 24 hours of driving. Days on the road also include loading and the delivery window set on the order for service. No single day count is posted for every shipment on this lane.
- What is the median price people report for this lane?
- Across 106 priced reviews, the median reported price is $5,000. The middle half of reported prices runs from $2,665 to $7,874, inside a file of 107 reviews. Those prices mix home sizes and distances, and long-distance moves are priced by weight and miles.
- How often do reviews mention damage or a delay?
- Of the 107 reviews, 45% mention damage and 29% mention a delay or a no-show. Delivery is a window set on the order for service, and that written window is the date range to check. A no-show falls outside the window the order set.
- What should I confirm before I book?
- 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, so ask if the price is binding or not to exceed and read the line items. Put the delivery window and the deposit terms in writing on the order for service.
Next
Keep going
- Washington to CaliforniaThe same run the other way.
- Moving in CaliforniaWho regulates the move, and the top-rated movers there.
- Moving in WashingtonWho 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.
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 Washington quote
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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