Summary
- Median rate for 2 movers and a truck: $142.50 per hour.
- 3 movers: $190/hour; 4 movers: $249/hour (medians).
- Movers are the most price-transparent trade: 26% list a price.
US moving companies that post their rates charge a median of $142.50 an hour for two movers and a truck. Half of the 46 companies behind that figure charge between $122 and $168.
The figures come from the websites of 77 moving companies in 25 US metros, checked in October 2026 for the US Home Services Price Transparency Report 2026. They're advertised rates, not estimates or final bills.
By Oscar Aston Brovall, Marketit.
Moving rates at a glance
| Crew | Companies | Median | Middle half | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 movers and a truck, per hour | 46 | $142.50 | $122 to $168 | $65 to $230 |
| 3 movers and a truck, per hour | 25 | $190 | $170 to $220 | $89 to $345 |
| 4 movers and a truck, per hour | 21 | $249 | $209 to $270 | $195 to $460 |
| Each additional mover, per hour | 11 | $50 | $40 to $73 | $30 to $88 |
Each company counts once, with its lowest rate for each crew size. Where a company gives a range, such as separate cash and card rates, we used the lower figure.
Hourly rates by crew size
Two movers and a truck is the rate most companies publish: 46 of them do. The median is $142.50, and the full range runs from $65 to $230.
A bigger crew costs more, but not in proportion. The median is $190 for three movers and $249 for four, so the third mover adds about $48 an hour and the fourth about $59. Those steps are rough, since each row comes from a different mix of companies. The 11 companies that price an extra mover separately charge a median of $50 an hour.
If you rent your own truck, labor-only help costs less. Five companies list a rate for two movers without a truck, from $100 to $150 an hour, with a median of $120.
How the rates compare with cost guides
The advertised rates sit in the middle of what cost guides report. moveBuddha's 2026 guide puts full-service movers at $25 to $100 an hour per crew member, based on its own quote calculator, and the $50 median for an extra mover falls inside that range. Storage Scholars gives $85 to $210 an hour for a two-person crew with a truck, without naming a source. The $142.50 median falls inside that range too.
What the hourly rate doesn't cover
The hourly rate is rarely the whole bill. At least 14 of the 77 companies mention a trip, travel, truck or fuel charge on top of it, and at least 7 set a minimum number of hours. At least 6 charge different rates on weekdays, weekends or in peak season. We recorded only short quotes around each price, so the real numbers are probably higher.
Of the 77 companies, 67 give an hourly rate, 11 a "from" price, 6 a separate trip or service fee and 5 a fixed price for a defined job. Some give more than one.
Few publish a price for a whole local move, and those that do give starting prices too varied to compare.
Tax is rarely mentioned. Three companies say their rates include it and one mixes the two. The rest don't say.
Rules for movers
Interstate movers must give every estimate in writing (FMCSA). Some states also regulate rates for moves within the state:
* Massachusetts: movers must file their rates with the Department of Public Utilities and "may not charge more or less than the rates on file" (Mass.gov).
* Oregon: final charges "must be based upon rates published in the mover's tariff and approved by" the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT bulletin).
Boston and Portland are the two metros where the most movers post a rate, 7 of 12 in each. Three Portland movers advertise the same rate, $187.30 an hour for two movers and a truck. With 12 movers per metro, we can't say whether the state rules explain it.
How many movers post their rates
77 of the 296 moving companies in the study list a price: 26%, the highest share of the six trades. Across all six, 13.8% do. The other 219 movers ask customers to request a quote.
| Region | Companies checked | With a price | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| West | 84 | 29 | 34.5% |
| Northeast | 36 | 12 | 33.3% |
| South | 132 | 29 | 22.0% |
| Midwest | 44 | 7 | 15.9% |
The regional groups are small, so read the order as a rough pattern.
How the figures were collected
The study checked 1,782 home service websites in 25 US metros in October 2026, 296 of them moving companies, taken from the top Google Maps results for each trade and metro.