Best Moving Companies in Maine

We found the best Maine 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

While Maine’s population remains mostly at a standstill (with little decline or growth in a couple years), the state did see a slight increase in population with the rise of work-from-home jobs during the pandemic. Why? Because of its beautiful landscapes, delicious food (think: lobster), and lower cost of living (compared to the rest of New England)—all of which keep people coming back for more.

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


Compare Maine 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 Maine

Population

A little over 1.3 million people are currently living in Maine.1 Ethnic diversity in Maine, where the majority of the population is White (94%), is noticeably lower compared to other states in the US. The remaining 6% of the population is made up of African American (roughly 2%), Hispanic (roughly 2%), Asian (1.5%), or mixed-race (0.5%) residents. Almost 4% of the population was born in another country, and close to 6% of households speak another language aside from English, the most common being French, Spanish, and Chinese.1,2

Other noteworthy demographics:

  • Maine is home to a large number of veterans, roughly 101,024.
  • The most common birthplace for foreign-born residents are Canada, the Philippines, and Germany.
  • Roughly a third of the population has a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Employment

Maine’s economy currently employs over 622,000 people, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%.1,3 The most common jobs are elementary and middle school school teachers, retail sales supervisors, and registered nurses. Additionally, the most common industries are elementary and secondary schools, general medical and surgical hospitals, and construction.1 The average salary in Michigan is $53,230 annually, or $25.59 per hour.3

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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 cost of living in Maine is lowest out of all the states that make up New England, but overall they rank about 35th in the nation—higher than the national average.4 You can expect to pay about $45,300 per year in living costs, with the majority of your expenses going towards housing ($711/month), healthcare ($654/month), and other living expenses, which averages about $3,773/month per person.4 While that may seem high, it’s important to consider that New England residents pay some of the highest grocery costs in the nation.

Politics

Maine voted Democrat in the most recent presidential election. Susan Collins and Angus King are the two senators representing Michigan, and Janet Mills is the governor. While the state has historically voted Democrat in presidential elections since 2000, they’ve had primarily Republican senators since the early 1990s.1

Currently, policymakers seek to address the governor’s budget, Maine’s electricity future, paid family and medical leave, and the housing crisis.5

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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 Maine movers FAQ

Maine is known for more than its lobster rolls. In fact, many know Maine for its spectacular fall foliage, harsh winters, and yes, its booming restaurant scene (including food shacks, the Maine equivalent of a food truck). Plus, Maine is the home of Acadia National Park and the Maine Coon cat.

And since their population is at somewhat of a standstill, they’re eager for new residents. In fact, there’s a “Visit for a week, stay for a lifetime” campaign that hopes to encourage employers to offer vacation reimbursement to potential candidates being recruited from out-of-state!6

Aside from its beautiful landscapes and seasonal climates, Maine attracts new residents with its less-crowded living conditions and lower housing pricing—especially if you’re moving from more expensive areas like Los Angeles or New York. Plus, with the rise of work-from-home jobs after the pandemic, more and more people are choosing places offering a better quality of life outside the big cities.7

If you are looking to make a move to or from Michigan, 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 Maine will ultimately depend on your living situation and household size, but should exceed the average cost of living—which is about $45,300, annually. For example, a single adult would need to make roughly $23.54 per hour to meet basic living needs. The cost of living for a family of four could be more than double this amount.8

A storage unit in Maine costs an average of $131 per month for a non-climate-controlled option, but this will vary depending on availability, location, unit size, and the self-storage company.9

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, “Maine.” Accessed January 24, 2023.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau, “Quick Facts: Maine.” Accessed January 24, 2023.
  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Economy at a Glance.” Accessed January 24, 2023.
  4. SoFi, “Cost of Living in Maine,” Published November 2021. Accessed January 24, 2023.
  5. Michael Shepherd, Bangor Daily News, “These 4 topics will dominate Maine’s political debate in 2023,” Published December 29, 2022. Accessed January 24, 2023.
  6. Amelia Josephson, SmartAsset, “15 Things to Know Before Moving to Maine,” Published March 8, 2022. Accessed January 24, 2023.
  7. Atlas Van Lines, “Why Is Everyone Moving to Maine,” Published October 29, 2021. Accessed January 24, 2023.
  8. Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St., “This Is the Income a Family Needs to Cover Normal Living Expenses in Maine.” Access January 24, 2023.
  9. RentCafe, “30 Best Storage Units in Maine, from $35.” Accessed January 24, 2023.