Indiana is a state known for its friendliness, universities, variety of job opportunities, and tolerable traffic. It has balanced moving patterns and receives just as many people moving into the state as out of it. Hoosiers choose to live here mostly for family and jobs and enjoy the affordable living that comes with it. If you’re looking to move to Indiana, consider the top movers we’ve recommended here.
Compare Indiana 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Out-of-date website PODS—Best moving container company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 Indiana
Population
Over 6.8 million people live in Indiana: 84% percent White, 10% Black or African American, 7.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, and 2.3% two or more races. Over 5% of folks were born in another country, and there are over 370,000 veterans.1
Indiana has a sizable number of people living with disabilities. Almost 10% of Hoosiers under 65 live with a disability.1
When it comes to education levels, while 89% of residents hold a high school diploma, only 27% of people over 25 have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher.1 Overall, Indiana ranks 31 in the nation for most educated states.2
When it comes to housing size, there are 2.5 people living in every Indiana household, and 85% of people have been living in the same house for the last year.1
The state has stable migration patterns. Almost 45% of people who moved to Indiana in 2021 did so for family reasons, and almost 50% of those who left found a job elsewhere.3
Employment
The median household income in Indiana is $58,232.4 Over 62% of the Indiana population participates in the labor force, and the state has a 2.7% unemployment rate.5 The most common jobs are sales workers and drivers, registered nurses, laborers, and freight, stock, and materials movers. Restaurants and food service, construction, and education are the biggest industries.
How do I ship my motorcycle?
The best motorcycle shipping companies can transport your car from California cities like North Hollywood or Beverly Hills to anywhere in the country.
Cost of living
The average cost of housing in Indiana is around $661 to $1,148 per month.6 Utilities run approximately $400 per month.7 The current average sale price of a home in Indiana is $139,000, and the state has a somewhat competitive housing market.8 Indiana residents also pay 8% less than the nationwide average for groceries.9
Politics
Indiana is a mixed bag of political affiliations. 41% of adults in Indiana lean conservative, 31% moderate, 20% liberal, and 8% don't identify themselves politically.10 Indiana voted Republican in every election since 2008. In 2008, the vote went to Barack Obama. Before Obama, Indiana voted Republican in every election 1964.11 Todd Young and Mike Braun are the senators currently representing Indiana. The state has nine representatives serving in the House.
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 Indiana movers FAQ
International Van Lines is the top moving company for moves in Indiana. The company is well-established, provides transparent pricing and discounts, and has top-notch customer service.
Indiana offers affordable housing options, grocery prices lower than the national average, tolerable traffic, and top universities. Some cons of living in Indiana are its lack of diversity and natural beauty compared to other states.
The required income to afford living in Indiana ranges: a single adult without children should make at least $32,844 before taxes, a household with two adults (one working) with two children would need to make $72,238, and a household with two working adults and two children would need $87,486.12
Some of the best places in Indiana to live in are Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, Granger, Bloomington, and Westfield.
The average cost of storage in Indiana is $116 per month, on average, for a non-climate-controlled storage unit.13 This cost varies, depending on seasonality, storage unit size, and whether or not you need climate control. After assessing the best self-storage companies, we found that storage averages $190 per month.14
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
- United States Census Bureau, “Quick Facts: Indiana,” Accessed November 9, 2022.
- United Van Lines, “Annual 2021 United Van Lines National Movers Survey,” Accessed November 9, 2022.
- World Population Review, “Most Educated States 2022,” Accessed November 9, 2022.
- Deloitte, “Data USA: Indiana,” Accessed November 9, 2022.
- Hoosiers by the Numbers, “Employment Briefing Snapshot: December 2021,” Accessed November 9, 2022.
- Zoe Baillargeon, Rent.com, “The Cost of Living in Indiana in 2022,” Published July 1, 2022, Accessed November 9, 2022.
- Move.org, Sarah Cimarusti, “Utility Bills 101: Utilities Tips, Average Costs, Fees, and More,” Published October 28, 2022, Accessed November 9, 2022.
- RedFin, “Indiana Housing Market,” Accessed November 9, 2022.
- SoFi, “Cost of Living in Indiana,” Published December 2021, Accessed November 9, 2022.
- Pew Research Center, “Political Ideology Among Adults in Indiana,” Accessed November 9, 2022.
- Ballotpedia, “Presidential Voting Trends in Indiana,” Accessed November 9, 2022.
- Living Wage, “Living Wage Calculation for Indiana,” Accessed November 9, 2022.
- RentCafe, “Storage Units in Indiana,” Accessed November 9, 2022.
- Kurt Manwaring, Move.org, “How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Storage Unit?” Accessed November 9, 2022.
