Best Moving Companies in Idaho

We found the best Idaho movers by researching more than 30 moving companies.
Best long-distance moving company
Best local moving company
Best moving container company
Best moving truck company
Best hourly moving labor company

Known as the Gem State, Idaho is recognized for its scenic landscapes and the relaxed, laid-back nature of its residents. Idaho has a rich history due to its location on the Oregon Trail—and as a result, the state’s most popular industries are agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. Many people are looking to make a move to Idaho to take advantage of its reasonable housing costs, safe cities, and great schools.

If you’re looking for well-established Idaho movers, we recommend any of the movers on this page, but our top moving choice is International Van Lines.


Compare Idaho moving companies

Moving company
Move type
Move.org rating
Cost
Learn more
Full-service (long distance)
4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9
$$$$
Full-service (local)
4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4
$$$
Moving container
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6
$$$
Truck rental
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
$$
Hourly labor
4 out of 5 stars
4
$$

International Van Lines—Best long-distance moving company

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.

pro
Pros
pro Transparent pricing
pro Local and long-distance moving
pro 15% car shipping discount
pro 15% senior discount
pro 30 days of free storage
con
Cons
con Below-average customer reviews
con Annoying pop-up ads

First National Van Lines—Best local moving company

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.

pro
Pros
pro Services most U.S. cities
pro Excellent customer reviews
pro In-home and virtual quotes
pro 30 days of free storage
pro Remote video storage
con
Cons
con Out-of-date website

PODS—Best moving container company

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.

pro
Pros
pro Low prices
pro Multiple container sizes
pro Lots of storage options
pro Positive customer reviews
pro 46-state availability
con
Cons
con Confusing prices

Penske—Best moving truck company

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.

pro
Pros
pro Lowest moving prices
pro Local and long-distance rentals
pro Excellent customer reviews
pro Moving discounts
pro Reliable reservations
con
Cons
con No service in Alaska

HireAHelper—Best hourly moving labor company

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.

pro
Pros
pro Professional contractors
pro Packing and loading services
pro 4,750+ locations
pro 50-state availability
pro Positive customer reviews
con
Cons
con High prices
con Two-hour minimum

Move.org's top pick

internationalvanlines

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 Idaho

Population

Idaho is currently home to over 1.9 million people. Ethnic diversity in Idaho is lower than average compared to other states in the US.1 That said, while the majority of the population is White (60%), Hispanic or Latino residents make up over 18%, while those of Black or African American descent make up about 12%. Roughly 7% of the population was born in another country, and close to 11% of households speak another language aside from English, the most common being Spanish, Chinese, and German.1

Other noteworthy demographics:

  • Idaho is the 2nd fastest-growing state in the last decade, behind Utah.
  • The most common job groups in Idaho are truck drivers and sales, customer service, and management.
  • The most common educational level in Idaho was a High School Diploma or equivalent, with most others completing one or more years of college.

Employment

There are 764,000+ people employed in Idaho,1 with an unemployment rate of 3%.2 The most common jobs are truck drivers, sales workers, managers, and elementary and middle school teachers. Additionally, the most common employment sectors are construction, restaurants and food services, and elementary and secondary schools. The average salary in Idaho is $58,915 annually or $29.46 per hour.3

Cost of living

Idaho has the 25th-lowest cost of living in the US, so about average.4 You can expect to pay about $35,459 annually. By contrast, Idaho’s neighboring state, Wyoming, has the 18th-lowest cost of living in the country. Utility bills in Idaho average roughly $575.83 a month, and that doesn’t include the cost for gas and energy (roughly $78), healthcare ($514), and groceries ($270).4

Politics

Idaho voted Republican in the most recent presidential election. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are the two senators currently representing Idaho, and Brad Little is its current governor.

While the state is well-known as a historically Republican state, roughly 20% of its constituents have voted Democrat since 1976. However, the state has not collectively voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Currently, decision makers seek to address the tax relief, transportation infrastructure, and education.5

Pin
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 Idaho movers FAQ

Aside from being known for its abundance of potatoes, most people know very little about Idaho. However, Idaho is quite large, covering two time zones and stretching from Canada to Nevada. In fact, if someone were to flatten out all the hills and mountains in Idaho, the state would be as large as Texas.

Idaho’s residents enjoy lots of outdoor recreational activities, with some of its most scenic locations attracting more than 20 million tourists annually. 6 For example, Idaho’s Hells Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon!

The top reasons people are relocating to Idaho is because of the affordable housing options, famously scenic views, and decent schools. Most Idahoans feel safe in the Gem State, likely because Idaho has some of the lowest violent and property crime rates in the country.7 

If you are looking to make a move to or from Idaho, we recommend moving with International Van Lines, our top-rated mover. You can expect transparent pricing, high customer satisfaction, optional packing services, and senior discounts.

Your liveable wage in Idaho will greatly depend on your living situation and household size, but the average person can expect to pay around $35,459 annually in living expenses. So that means a single adult would need to make roughly $17.73 per hour (after taxes) to meet basic living needs. 4

A storage unit in Idaho costs an average of $115 per month for a non-climate-controlled option, but this will vary depending on availability, location, unit size, and the self-storage company.8

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. During our searches, we:

  • 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.
  • Go 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.
  • Perform 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.
  • Set up regular reviews. 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

  1. DataUSA, “Idaho.” Accessed January 19, 2023. 
  2. Idaho Department of Labor, “Unemployment Insurance Reports.” Accessed January 19, 2023.
  3. The United States Census Bureau, “Stats and Facts About Idaho, Its 132nd Anniversary, and More.” Accessed January 19, 2023.
  4. SoFi, “Cost of Living in Idaho,” Published December 2021. Accessed January 19, 2023.
  5. William L. Spence, Idaho State Journal, “Idaho politicians discuss goals for next year,” Published November 16, 2022. Accessed January 19, 2023.
  6. Visit Idaho, “About Idaho.” Accessed January 19, 2023.
  7. Cathay Habas, Safewise, “Idaho’s 10 Safest Cities of 2022,” Published March 8, 2022. Accessed January 19, 2023.
  8. SpareFoot, “15 Cheap Storage Units in Boise.” Accessed January 19, 2023.