Best Moving Companies in Montana

We found the best Montana 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

Montana, affectionately known as the Treasure State or Big Sky Country, is one of the least-densely populated states in the country. Despite the lack of people in the largest landlocked state, however, the cost of living in Montana is still higher than average. 

However, that hasn’t stopped people from moving to Montana, as twice as many people moved in to Montana than those who left the state in 2022. If you’re looking for well-established Montana movers, we recommend any of the movers on this page, but our top moving choice is International Van Lines.


Compare Montana 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 Montana

Population

A little over 1.06 million people are currently living in Montana. Ethnic diversity in Montana is below average compared to other states in the US. While the majority of the population is White (85%), the next largest ethnic group living in Montana are of American Indian or Alaskan Native descent (about 6%). Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4%, while those of Black/African American or Asian descent make up less than 1%. A little over 2% of the population was born in another country, and about 4% of households speak another language aside from English, the most common being Spanish, Other Native Languages of North American, and German.1

Other noteworthy demographics:

  • 89% of residents under the age of 65 have health insurance.2
  • 21% of the population is under the age of 18.2
  • Roughly 94% of the population has a high school diploma or higher.2

Employment

A little over 1.06 million people are currently living in Montana. Ethnic diversity in Montana is below average compared to other states in the US. While the majority of the population is White (85%), the next largest ethnic group living in Montana are of American Indian or Alaskan Native descent (about 6%). Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4%, while those of Black/African American or Asian descent make up less than 1%. A little over 2% of the population was born in another country, and about 4% of households speak another language aside from English, the most common being Spanish, Other Native Languages of North American, and German.1

Other noteworthy demographics:

  • 89% of residents under the age of 65 have health insurance.2
  • 21% of the population is under the age of 18.2
  • Roughly 94% of the population has a high school diploma or higher.2

Cost of living

Cost of living in Montana is higher than average, ranking 30th in terms of affordability. You can expect to pay around $42,310 per year on living expenses, including the costs for housing and utilities, healthcare, and groceries, among other expenses. Most residents pay around $3,525 on expenses on a monthly basis.5

Politics

Montana voted Republican in the most recent presidential election. Jon Tester and Steve Daines are the two senators representing Montana, and Greg Gianforte is the governor. Since 1900, Montana has voted for the Republican candidate in nearly 70% of presidential elections, and chosen the Republican candidate in 100% of presidential elections since 2000.6 However, Jon Tester, the states’ senior US senator, is a Democrat.

Currently, decision makers seek to address economic growth and business development post-COVID, water and sewer infrastructure, education, and the behavioral health system.7

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 Montana movers FAQ

Montana, also known as the Treasure State, is smaller than only three other states in the US: Alaska, Texas, and California. And as such, you can expect to see various environments—from the Rocky Mountains in western Montana, to the rolling plains filled with millions of cattle and sheep to the east. Outdoor activity is important to Montana residents both in the summer and (bitterly cold) winter.8

Because population density in Montana is low, it may be miles before you reach your nearest neighbor—and while housing might be more scarce here, you can expect to find friendly residents once you find a place to live.

According to the American Moving and Storage Association, Montana ranks fifth among the states that have more inbound residents than outbound ones, more than twice as much in fact. Many attribute this to the fact that Montana is not as densely populated as many other states (think: unspoiled nature), jobs are plentiful, and outdoor recreation is widely supported and available.

And while homes in the metropolitan areas are generally much higher than the national average, many are lured by the affordability of homes in more rural areas. Additionally, many prospective residents appreciate the lower sales tax in Montana, which is lower than the national average. Finally, there are at least 16 higher education institutions that offer some of the lowest tuition fees in the nation.9

If you are looking to make a move to or from Montana, 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 Montana depends on your living situation and household size. As mentioned earlier, the cost of living is around $42,310 per year, so a single adult would need to make roughly $20.34 per hour to meet basic living needs. While two working adults with two children would each need to make about $76,979 annually (or about $18.50/hour per adult) to manage their household’s living needs.10

A storage unit in Montana costs an average of $67 per month for a non-climate-controlled option, but this will vary depending on availability, location, unit size, and the self-storage company.11

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

  1. DataUSA, “Montana.” Accessed January 27, 2023.
  2. The United States Census Bureau, “QuickFacts: Montana.” Accessed January 27, 2023.
  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Economy at a Glance.” Accessed January 27, 2023.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.” Accessed January 27, 2023.
  5. SoFi, “Cost of Living in Montana,” Published December 2021. Accessed January 27, 2023.
  6. BallotPedia, “Presidential voting trends in Montana.” Accessed January 27, 2023.
  7. Jonathon Amberian, KPAX, “Gianforte touts Montana economy, legislative priorities in State of the State address,” Published January 25, 2023. Accessed January 27, 2023.
  8. Dorothy M. Johnson, Britannica, “Montana,” Published August 26, 2022. Accessed January 27, 2023.
  9. California Movers, “Moving to Montana.” Accessed January 27, 2023.
  10. Natalie Todoroff, Jerry Insurance, “How High is the Cost of Living in Montana?” Published July 11, 2022. Accessed January 27, 2023.
  11. Sparefoot, “15 Cheap Storage Units in Billings, MT.” Accessed January 27, 2023.