There’s a laundry list of logistics to consider when moving to or in Delaware—or anywhere for that matter. Moving costs depend on what type of services you’re looking for, how much stuff you have, and when you’re looking to make your East Coast move. We’ll provide you with budget considerations, helpful resources, and recommendations for top Delaware movers. Let’s get you prepared and where you want to be, whether you’re moving to Dover, Newark, Camden, Wilmington, or elsewhere in the First State.
Compare Delaware moving companies
Moving company | Move type | Move.org rating | Cost | Learn more |
| Full-service (long distance) | 
| $$$$ | Check Prices Check Prices | |
| Full-service (local) | 
| $$$ | Check Prices Check Prices | |
| Moving container | 
| $$$ | Check Prices Check Prices | |
| Truck rental | 
| $$ | Check Prices Check Prices | |
| Hourly labor | 
| $$ | Check Prices Check Prices |
International Van Lines—Best long-distance moving company
International Van Lines is our pick for the best long-distance moving company. It can move you anywhere in the country and is upfront about its prices (most moving companies aren’t). IVL also offers substantial discounts if you’re a senior or need to ship a car. Plus, the moving company provides 30 days of free storage to provide a buffer when moving into your new home. On the downside, it has below-average customer reviews and annoying website pop-up ads.
Pros
Transparent pricing
Local and long-distance moving
15% car shipping discount
15% senior discount
30 days of free storage 
Cons
Below-average customer reviews
Annoying pop-up ads First National Van Lines—Best local moving company
First National Van Lines is our pick for the best local moving company. While most moving brokers focus on helping you move between states, FNVL’s expertise enables you to move within the same state. It has a network of movers in nearly all US cities and receives above-average customer reviews. First National Van Lines can also give you a quote virtually or in person and provides attractive storage options. For example, it offers all customers a free month of storage and a remote video stream of their storage space. On the downside, FNVL’s website isn’t always up-to-date.
Pros
Services most U.S. cities
Excellent customer reviews
In-home and virtual quotes
30 days of free storage
Remote video storage Cons
Out-of-date website PODS—Best moving container company
PODS is one of your best moving options. Think of the company’s containers as storage units that you can hang onto until you've set a date with a driver to pick up and hook onto the back of a specialized truck. A PODS truck drops off a moving container at your home. Once you load it, PODS picks the container up and transports it to your new home, where you unload it. The container company has top-notch customer reviews, excellent storage options, and nationwide availability. And despite confusing invoices, PODS has some of the lowest rates for moving containers in the United States. In some cases, it's even more convenient and cheaper than rental trucks.
Pros
Low prices
Multiple container sizes
Lots of storage options
Positive customer reviews
46-state availability Cons
Confusing prices Penske—Best moving truck company
Penske Truck Rental is our pick for the best moving truck company. Renting a truck is the cheapest way to move, and Penske brings a lot to the table. It offers local and long-distance moving services everywhere in the country (except Alaska), provides reliable reservations, and has moving discounts. In addition, Penske has the highest customer satisfaction rating of any rental truck company. So if you’re able to pack, load, and drive, there’s no better option than Penske Truck Rental.
Pros
Lowest moving prices
Local and long-distance rentals
Excellent customer reviews
Moving discounts
Reliable reservations Cons
No service in Alaska HireAHelper—Best hourly moving labor company
HireAHelper is an excellent solution if you need help with only a few parts of the moving process. The company’s professional contractors can help you with everything from packing and loading to furniture assembly and junk removal. It’s also easy to find, with nearly 5,000 locations in all 50 states. Plus, HireAHelper movers get excellent customer reviews. Just be aware that you must hire your workers for at least two hours. It’s not cheap compared to other hourly moving labor companies, but customer reviews suggest the premium price is worth it.
Pros
Professional contractors
Packing and loading services
4,750+ locations
50-state availability
Positive customer reviews Cons
High prices
Two-hour minimum Move.org's top pick
International Van Lines is our pick for the best long-distance moving service. It has a vast network of cross-country movers, provides one month of free storage, and offers military and senior discounts. Want to move with Move.org's #1 pick?
What type of moving company is right for you?
Professional movers
They handle it all.
Professional movers load your stuff, ship it to your new home, and unload it all for you. It’s the easiest—but most expensive—option. Learn more.
Containers
You load, they ship.
You load up all your belongings, but the movers transport your container to your new home. It’s the middle road for effort and cost. Learn more.
Moving truck rentals
You do all the work.
Worried about costs? Rent a truck, load it yourself, drive it to your new home, and unload all your things. You do it all—and save a lot. Learn more.
What to know about living in Delaware
Population
There are more than a million people living in Delaware—The population is made of 68.4% White, 23.6% Black, 10% Hispanic or Latino, and 4.2% Asian residents.1 Overall, Delaware has a diversity index of 59.6% (and a state ranking 16 of 51), making it pretty diverse for the U.S.2
Delaware has a poverty rate of 11.6%. Black Delawareans are more than twice as likely to live in poverty as White Delawareans, with five year poverty rates of 18.6% and 9.0% respectively. Children have the highest poverty rates among age groups, with a five year poverty rate of 17.5%. 3
Other noteworthy facts about Delaware’s population:1
- Almost 10% of the population was born in another country.
- 91% of the population has a high school graduate degree or higher.
- Nearly 14% of households speak another language aside from English.
Employment
Delaware’s labor force consists of 60% of Delaware residents, and the state has an unemployment rate of 4.4%.4 Its largest industries by revenue are credit card issuing, commercial banking, and drug, cosmetic, and toiletry wholesaling, and its top employers by employment are ChristianaCare, JP Morgan Chase, and Amazon.5 Additionally, there are more than 190,042 employees working for small business, which accounts for 46.8% of Delaware’s employees.6 The average salary is $69,064 a year or $33 per hour.7
Cost of living
The cost of living in Delaware is 7% higher than the national average. Average rent varies by location.8 For example, an average 870-square-foot apartment in Wilmington, Delaware, costs around $1,484.9 Delawareans pay $401.95 on average for utilities each month, which factors in water, electricity, natural gas, streaming services, phone, and internet.10 The average sale price of a home in Delaware is currently $308,400.11
Politics
Delaware voted Democratic in the last eight presidential elections.12 Its state senators are Chris Coons and Tom Carper, and its governor is John Carney. Some of the top issues policymakers in Delaware are focusing on include:13
- Federal funding plans for building of new tech and health facilities at Delaware State University, Delaware Tech, and University of Delaware
- Increased investments in early childhood education
- Electric vehicle charging infrastructure buildout
- Expansion of Group Violence Intervention Program to reduce gun violence
Which long-distance movers have the best quality?
American Van Lines is our pick for the highest-quality interstate moving company. It’s expensive, but the company has decades of experience moving high-value items like pianos and artwork.
Best Delaware movers FAQ
The cost of a moving company in Delaware depends on the type of moving services you need, distance you’re moving, time of year, and how much stuff you’re moving. For example, a full-service moving company costs on average $9,060.14 A moving container move, on the other hand, costs $3,800 on average. And a rental truck, the cheapest but most effort-intensive way to move, costs around $1,128 on average.
International Van Lines is the best moving company in Delaware. It offers pricing transparency, customer service availability, and discounts to customers across the U.S. and around the world. Other top moving companies to consider include First National Van Lines, PODS, Penske, and HireAHelper.
It depends what you’re looking for (low housing costs, good schools, diversity), but a few of the best places in Delaware to live in are Wilmington, Bear, and Pike Creek.15
On average, a storage unit in Delaware costs $164 per month (10 X 10 unit), but costs vary based on size, availability, and what amenities.16 The industry average for self-storage is $180 with the most popular self-storage companies.17
Methodology
We conducted intensive research to identify the best moving companies for long-distance moves and local moves, in addition to container moves, truck rentals, and hourly moving labor:
- Compare pricing transparency. We gather quotes, check for binding estimates, and read customer reviews about pricing to ensure each moving company’s prices are trustworthy.
- Review accreditation. We check every company’s records in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s database to confirm companies are properly authorized to transport household goods.
- Mystery shopping. We review every company’s website, pose as customers in calls to companies, and read customer reviews to analyze every company’s moving services, transit protection, and customer service. We also interview actual customers to learn how their moves went from start to finish.
- Site visits. We invite moving companies to our headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT, to share data and expertise. We verify the information they provide by comparing it to data gathered through independent research and interviews with other movers.
- Regular review. We routinely repeat this process to update our recommendations to reflect current data and trends. We also revise each review annually and make updates throughout the year.
Sources
- The United States Census Bureau, “QuickFacts: Delaware,” July 2022. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- The United States Census Bureau, “Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census,” August 21, 2021. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- Center for Community Research & Service, “Overview of Poverty in Delaware,” April 2021. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Economy at a Glance: Delaware,” February 1, 2023. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- IBIS World, “Delaware Industry Trends.” Accessed February 1, 2023.
- U.S. Small Business Administration, “2021 Small Business Profile: Delaware.” Accessed February 1, 2023.
- ZipRecruiter, “Average Salary in Delaware,” January 2023. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- RentCafe, “Cost of Living in Delaware,” September 2022. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- RentCafe, “Wilmington, DE Rental Market Trends.” Accessed February 1, 2023.
- Sarah Cimarusti, Move.org, “Utility Bills 101: Utilities Tips, Average Costs, Fees, and More,” December 29, 2022. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- Redfin,“Delaware Real Estate,” December 2022. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- 270toWin, “Delaware Elections.” Accessed February 1, 2023.
- Delaware.gov, “Governor Carney Delivers 2023 State of the State Address,” January 19, 2023. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- Colin Holmes, Move.org, “How Much Does it Cost to Move?” December 22, 2022. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- Niche.com, “2022 Best Places to Live in Delaware.” Accessed February 1, 2023.
- Move.org, Kurt Manwaring, “How Much Does the Average Storage Unit Cost?” January 23, 2023. Accessed February 1, 2023.
- RentCafe, “Storage Units in Delaware.” Accessed February 1, 2023.
