Illinois to Wisconsin
Moving from Illinois to Wisconsin
Reviewers who moved from Illinois to Wisconsin paid a median $3,584. 24,045 people made the move in 2024, and 14,131 went the other way. Buffalo Grove to Madison, the most common run in our file, is 116 miles.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 23 September 2026
Reviewers paid
$3,584
median, 17 priced reviews
Moved last year
24,045
IL to WI, 2024
Typical drive
116 mi
Buffalo Grove to Madison
Cost of living
-5.9%
WI vs IL, 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.
Illinois to Wisconsin · median paid
$3,584
17 reviewed moves
116 road miles
Median and middle half of what 17 reviewers paid on this lane. A mover's written estimate is what counts.
What it costs
Illinois to Wisconsin moving cost
Across 17 priced reviews of moves from Illinois to Wisconsin, the median was $3,584 and the middle half paid $2,500 to $4,237. Home sizes and distances are mixed; the table below is by size.
Planning ranges for 50 to 400 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 | $1,400 to $2,600 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,800 to $3,400 |
| 2 bedroom | $2,400 to $4,300 |
| 3 bedroom | $3,200 to $5,800 |
| 4+ bedroom | $4,200 to $7,600 |
Source: Haulest research bands, September 2026 (band set by the Buffalo Grove to Madison 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.
From the review file
Movers with reviews on the Illinois to Wisconsin run
How this list was made. Every mover here has at least two reviews in our file for a move from Illinois to Wisconsin. Sorted by how many matching reviews each mover has, not by rating. Corpus as of 29 Oct 2026. Not a ranking and not a recommendation.
| Mover | Based | Record | Matching reviews | All reviews | Median reported, this run | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Movers and Relocation | Vernon Hills, IL | No FMCSA matchUSDOT 2920270 | 5 | 204.6 mean, dated | $3,584 | 16 Mar 2021 |
| Roman Relocation Inc | Arlington Heights, IL | CarrierUSDOT 3418875 | 3 | 574.4 mean, dated | $4,620 | 2 Sept 2022 |
| Interstate Direct Movers LLC | Des Plaines, IL | CarrierUSDOT 3560320 | 2 | 174.5 mean, dated | $4,237 | 26 Jan 2023 |
Sources: Haulest licensed review file (MoveAdvisor), 29 Oct 2026; FMCSA Licensing and Insurance, household-goods authority (record column).
Recent reviews
People who moved Illinois to Wisconsin
1 of 5 · 21 Sept 2026 · reported $10,211
“The customer service was polite, but the moving crew ruined the experience. They constantly moved small loads instead of working efficiently. The job took much longer than it should have. I expected far better service.”
1 of 5 · 10 Apr 2024 · reported $3,000
“Moving, always a stressful event. I used TMAT in 2005 and was so impressed by their service, I hired them again in 2024 for a 1 bedroom condo move from IL to WI costing $3300. Unfortunately, it was not the same experience. They did not wrap the furniture. All my wood furniture, book cases, desk,…”
5 of 5 · 5 Sept 2023 · reported $2,899
“I wanted to find a reliable and fast business so that my child and I wouldn't have to wait around for them to finish the process. There must be a higher power responsible for Unlimited Moving & Storage LLC existence. Staff personnel were friendly and worked hard to meet our needs. Wow, that was an…”
Who makes this move
Illinois sits at 100.0 and Wisconsin at 94.1
Census puts the Illinois to Wisconsin count in one release. In the 2024 American Community Survey, 24,045 people moved from Illinois to Wisconsin, with a margin of plus or minus 3,201. The other way, 14,131 people moved from Wisconsin to Illinois in the same release. Those figures count people who changed states. They do not record a reason.
Price levels at the two ends are not the same. BEA regional price parity for 2024 sets the United States at 100. Illinois sits at 100.0 and Wisconsin at 94.1, so a household dollar stretches a bit further on the Wisconsin side of this move. Both states tax wages. Haulest does not quote rates, and a mover quote will not either.
What the job looks like
Our file holds 17 reviews for this run, which is a small sample
The most common run in the file is Buffalo Grove to Madison. That pairing is 116 miles, about 3 hours of driving. Those hours are the road time. Days show up as the delivery window set on the order for service, which can outlast the drive. A long-distance move is priced by shipment weight and miles, which is why a short state line can still produce a full interstate bill.
Reported prices in this lane sit in a wide band. The median reported price is $3,584 across 17 priced reviews, and the middle half runs from $2,500 to $4,237. Our file holds 17 reviews for this run, which is a small sample, so treat the band as a sketch. Prices mix home sizes and distances, and one quote can sit anywhere in that spread.
Before you book
On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver once you pay 110 percent of the estimate
Check the carrier's paperwork before you like the price. An interstate household move needs a mover with an active USDOT number and FMCSA household-goods authority. You can check the licence against that record. Ask whether the estimate is binding or not-to-exceed, and match the line items to the weight and miles you are actually shipping. Inventory weight is what the bill tracks.
Get the delivery window and the deposit in writing. On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver once you pay 110 percent of the estimate, which is the 110 percent rule. That cap is not a reason to skip a tighter estimate. Deposit terms belong in the same paperwork; read how deposits work before you send money. If the truck misses the written window, start from the dates on the order.
Leaving Illinois, arriving in Wisconsin.
| Illinois | Wisconsin | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US = 100) | 100.0 | 94.1 |
| Median home sale price | $337,900 | $361,600 |
| Median days on market | 43 | 44 |
| State income tax on wages | Taxes wages | Taxes wages |
| People who moved in 2024 | 14,131 arrived from Wisconsin | 24,045 arrived from Illinois |
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 Illinois, the busiest month for home sales over the last year was Jun 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 (Illinois homes sold by month).
Doing it yourself
Driving a rental truck from Illinois to Wisconsin
116 road miles, about 3 hours at the wheel (1 driving day 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 $41 to $62gasoline
- 1 or 2 bedroom15 to 16 ft truckFuel $41 to $83gasoline
- 3 bedroom20 to 22 ft truckFuel $50 to $56gas or diesel, by brand
- 4 bedroom26 ft truckFuel $56 to $91gas or diesel, by brand
For comparison: reviewers who hired full-service movers on Illinois to Wisconsin moves paid a median $3,584 (17 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 Illinois to Wisconsin?
- In the 2024 American Community Survey, 24,045 people moved from Illinois to Wisconsin, with a margin of plus or minus 3,201. The reverse flow was 14,131 people moving from Wisconsin to Illinois. The release counts people; it does not give motives.
- How far is the most common run in your file?
- The most common run is Buffalo Grove to Madison, at 116 miles and about 3 hours of driving. Delivery is a window set on the order for service. Price on this kind of job follows weight and miles.
- What did reviewers report paying?
- The median reported price is $3,584 across 17 priced reviews. The middle half of reported prices runs from $2,500 to $4,237. Prices mix home sizes and distances, so a single house can land outside that middle half.
- Do Illinois and Wisconsin tax wages?
- Illinois taxes wages and Wisconsin taxes wages. Neither fact is a line on a moving estimate, and Haulest does not quote rates. Your mover's bill is still weight and miles.
- What should be in writing before I book?
- Confirm an active USDOT number and FMCSA household-goods authority. On a non-binding estimate the mover must deliver once you pay 110 percent of the estimate, so ask if the quote is binding or not-to-exceed. Get the delivery window and the deposit terms in the order before you pay.
Next
Keep going
- Moving in IllinoisWho regulates the move, and the top-rated movers there.
- Moving in WisconsinWho 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 Illinois to Wisconsin 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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Haulest is a research desk and quote line. We are not a carrier.