The best moving companies in Texas

We found the best Texas 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

Texas is the most popular moving destination in the country. The Lone Star State is home to nearly 1 in every 10 Americans, and the number continues to grow. Accordingly, we’ve researched the state’s best moving companies. International Van Lines is our pick for the best Texas movers, but there are other attractive options too. We’ll show you our top choices whether you’re looking for Dallas movers or a San Antonio moving company.


Compare Texas 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
$$

Best Movers in Texas

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 moving in Texas

Population

Texas has a population of approximately 30 million people.1 Nearly 1 in every 10 Americans lives in the Lone Star State, and its popularity continues to surge. For example, Texas’s growth rate is twice as high as the rest of the United States.2 Most importantly, according to our proprietary analysis of Google migration trends, Texas is the nation’s most popular moving destination.3

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Are you moving to Texas from California or Washington?

A sizable portion of new Texas residents move to California from two states.3 We’ve compiled lists of the best California movers and top Washington moving companies to help you.

Employment

Texas workers account for about 10% of the nation’s GDP. Nearly two-thirds of the population participates in the labor force,4 and workers earn a median income of approximately $63,830.1 The state’s most popular industries are construction, elementary and secondary education, and food service. The highest-paying non-medical gigs are in oil and gas, software publishing, and finance. The wealthiest Texas counties have an average median income of over $100,000, including Rockwall County, Collin County, and Fort Bend County.5  

Cost of living

It’s affordable to live in Texas. The Lone Star State has the nation’s 12th-lowest cost of living—but some of the most expensive utilities in the country.6 Our research shows that you can expect to spend about $420 monthly on Texas utility bills, including electricity, natural gas, water, waste, streaming services, and broadband internet.

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Save money on streaming

We’ve put together a list of the best streaming services. YouTube TV tops our list, but there are four other options—including Philo (our pick for the cheapest streaming service).

Politics

Texas leans Republican but is also home to many independent voters. Donald Trump won the 2020 election with 52% of the vote (compared to 47% for Joe Biden),5 but day-to-day political leanings are less extreme. For example, the Pew Research Center found that 40% of the state lean Democratic while 39% prefer the GOP. Interestingly, just over one-fifth of Texas residents don’t formally lean one way or the other.7 The state’s most Republican counties are Roberts County, Borden County, and King County, while Democrats tend to congregate most in Travis County, El Paso County, and Dallas County.5


Best Texas movers FAQ

What is the best Texas moving company in San Antonio?

Einstein Moving Company is the best mover for local movers in San Antonio. On the other hand, we like International Van Lines if you’re looking for interstate movers.

Where can I find a long-distance moving service to Texas?

You can find a long-distance moving service to Texas by reading Move.org’s list of the top interstate movers. We looked at more than 30 companies to break down the pros and cons of industry leaders like International Van Lines, American Van Lines, and JK Moving Services.

What is the best Dallas moving company?

Our pick for the best Dallas moving company is First National Van Lines. It offers price-matching, has an established reputation, provides optional unpacking and packing services, and receives many strong customer reviews.

How much is storage service in Texas?

The average cost of storage in Texas is approximately $170 per month. That’s about 10% less than the national average based on Move.org’s analysis of 3,500 storage quotes.

What specialty services do residential movers have?

The best long-distance moving companies have a variety of special residential moving services. Some popular options include professional packing, piano moving, and GPS tracking.

What are the cheapest moving companies in Texas?

The most affordable Texas moving companies are typically moving truck franchises like Penske, Budget, and U-Haul. The best moving container companies can also save you a lot of money on an interstate move (as opposed to a local move).


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. United States Census Bureau, “Quick Facts: Texas,” Accessed October 11, 2022.
  2. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, “Texas Statewide Overview: 2022 Regional Report,” Accessed October 11, 2022.
  3. Google, 2021, “Moving Season Is On: 2021,” Accessed October 11, 2022.
  4. United States Congress Joint Economic Committee, September 16, 2022, “Texas Employment Report,” Accessed October 11, 2022.
  5. Deloitte, “Data USA: Texas,” Accessed October 11, 2022.
  6. Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, “Cost of Living Data Series,” Accessed October 11, 2022.
  7. Pew Research Center, “Religious Landscape Study: Party Affiliation among Adults in Texas,” Accessed October 11, 2022.
Kurt Manwaring
Written by
Kurt Manwaring
Kurt Manwaring brings nearly a decade’s worth of research experience as a business consultant to the Move.org team. He specializes in taking complicated issues (like moving) and presenting them in a way that everyone can understand. His writing has been featured in hundreds of publications, including USA Today, Martha Stewart Living, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, Heavy, Slate, and Yahoo! Lifestyle. He brings a BS in sociology and an MPA (masters of public administration) to the Move team. He would love to hear about your moving experiences and questions at kurt@move.org.