If you’re moving in or to Maryland, you’ve probably realized there is a lot to plan and do. Along with our planning, packing, and budgeting resources, we also want to recommend some of the best professional moving services in Maryland. Here are some companies we recommend and factors to consider when hiring movers across Maryland, whether in Baltimore, Rockville, Bethesda, or elsewhere.
Best Moving Companies in Maryland
Compare Maryland moving companies
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.
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.
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.
Solomon & Sons Relocation—Best for East Coast moves
Bottom line: Solomon & Sons excels in moves along the East Coast but offers nationwide and international services. Their standout sales team ensures a superior quoting experience with guaranteed pricing, whether through detailed in-home estimates in South Florida or convenient video conferencing elsewhere. Offering services in five languages, they promise no hidden fees and transparent pricing. You can also get an instant online quote, which makes planning your move fast and easy.
Discover everything Solomon & Sons offers in our full review.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 Maryland
Population
Maryland has a population of 6.165 million people.1 The Free State is also one of the most diverse states in the US (ranked 4 out of 51), with a diversity index of 67.3%.2 Residents are 57.8% White, 31.4% Black, 6.9% Asian, and 11.1% Hispanic or Latino.
A significant number of people in Maryland were born in another country: roughly 15.4%. And almost a quarter of the population speaks another language besides English in their household.
Maryland also has one of the most educated populations. Over 90% of Marylanders have a high school diploma or higher, and 41.6% have a bachelor’s degree or higher.1
Employment
There are over 2.5 million people employed in the Old Line State, most of whom work in the service sector. In 2021,the federal, state, and local governments employed 18.3% of the workforce, while 81.7% worked in the private sector.3 This comes as no surprise that some of Maryland’s largest employers were connected to the federal government: Fort George G. Meade military installation, the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, the Fort Detrick Campus, and the National Institutes of Health all call Maryland home.4
Maryland’s average hourly wage is higher than the national average. The average annual pay in Maryland is $57,615 a year or approximately $27.70 an hour.5
Cost of living
The costs of living depend on where you live in Maryland. In the Frederick-Gaithersburg-Rockville Metro—one of Maryland’s most populated metro areas—has one of the highest costs of living in the country. Rent averages a whopping $4,061 a month.6 And the median home list price in Maryland is currently $389,694.7
On the other hand, utilities aren’t the highest in the nation. Maryland is in 12th place on our list of states with highest utility costs. The average monthly utility bill—combining electricity, natural gas, water, phone, internet, and streaming—in Maryland, costs $410.07.8
Politics
Maryland has voted Democratic in every presidential election since 1960. In 2020, Joe Biden received double the number of votes over Trump, winning 65% to 32%.9 Maryland’s state senators are Benjamin L. Cardin (D) and Chris Van Hollen (D). Wes Moore (D) is governor.
Some top issues the state is working to address include expanding funding for local roads, advocating for fair and adequate education, financing and accountability measures, providing supportive paths through the opioid crisis, and supporting criminal justice system reforms that save costs.
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 Maryland movers FAQ
If you’re moving to Maryland, you need to change your address, create a moving inventory of all your stuff, vet moving companies, change your utilities, and update your license, among other things. We have a moving checklist that makes it easy for you to keep track of the many to-dos.
It depends on what is important to you (schools, commute time, recreational activities, and proximity to public services), but some of the best places to live in Maryland are North Potomac, South Kensington, and North Bethesda.11
A good salary in Maryland depends on your particular living situation. For example, a single parent with one child making $37.68 per hour or $63,723 after taxes is considered a living wage. A living wage for a household with two working adults and three kids is $26.40 per hour or $89,009 after taxes.12
On average, you'll have to pay $179 per month for a storage unit in Maryland,13 but it depends on the size of storage you need, availability, and amenities. The industry average for a unit with one of the top self-storage companies is roughly $180 a 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. 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
- The United States Census Bureau, “QuickFacts: Maryland,” July 2022. Accessed Jan 18, 2022.
- The United States Census Bureau, “Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census,” August 21, 2021. Accessed January 17, 2022.
- Maryland Manual On-line, “Maryland Economy a Glance,” Updated daily. Accessed January 18, 2023.
- ZipRecruiter, “Hourly Rate in Maryland,” January 11, 2023. Accessed January 18, 2023.
- Dwight A. Weingarten, The Herald-Mail, “Year In Review: Who Were 2022's 10 Biggest Employers Across Maryland?” January 4, 2023. Accessed January 18, 2023.
- Asha Kennedy, Move.org, “US Cities with the Lowest Cost of Living in 2022,” August 23, 2022. Accessed January 18, 2023.
- Redfin, “Maryland Real Estate,” December 2022. Accessed January 18, 2023.
- Sarah Cimarusti, Move.org, “Utility Bills 101: Utilities Tips, Average Costs, Fees, and More,” December 29, 2022. Accessed January 18, 2023.
- 270toWin, “Maryland Elections.” Accessed January 18, 2023.
- Maryland Association of Counties, “Major Issues Summary.” Accessed January 18, 2023.
- Niche.com, “2022 Best Places to Live in Maryland.” Accessed January 18, 2023.
- MIT Living Wage Calculator, “Living Wage Calculation for Maryland,” Updated May 2022. Accessed January 18, 2023.
- RentCafe, “Storage Units in Maryland.” Accessed January 18, 2023.
- Kurt Manwaring, Move.org, “How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Storage Unit?” December 16, 2022. Accessed January 18, 2023.