You have plenty of options for great moving companies in North Dakota, but our top choice is International Van Lines. If you’re looking for storage containers or you’re moving locally in the Peace Garden State, we have solutions for you. Whether you’re headed to Fargo, Bismarck, or Grand Forks, we’ll find the right company to get you and your belongings there quickly and safely.
Compare North Dakota 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Out-of-date website PODS—Best moving container company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 North Dakota
Population
With a population of 779,261, North Dakota is one of the least populous states in the US. Its population size is only ahead of Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming.1 Demographically, North Dakotans are primarily White (87%), American Indian (6%), Hispanic (4.5%), and African-American (3.5%).2
There are about 2.37 people per household in the Peace Garden State. Most people speak English at home, but about 6.5% of citizens report speaking a different language, including Spanish and German.2 About 93% of North Dakotans hold a high school diploma, with 31% having at least a bachelor’s degree.
Employment
North Dakota has a workforce of about 383,604 people with a median household income of $68, 131 per year.2 The poverty rate in North Dakota is about 9.5%, or around 77,500 affected people. North Dakota’s poverty rate is one the lower ones in the nation, with the highest rate (19.5%) belonging to Mississippi.1
North Dakota’s main industries include construction, education, and healthcare, with the highest paying industries being private healthcare, financial advisory services, and petroleum wholesalers.3 The median household income for North Dakotans is around $68,131.2
Cost of living
Overall, the cost of living in North Dakota is about 2% lower than the national average. Housing, utilities, and goods and services are cheaper than average. But food, healthcare, and transportation are slightly higher.4
Home buyers in North Dakota can usually expect to pay near the median home price of $285,806.5 The cities with the most expensive homes include Baldwin, Menoken, Horace, and Bismarck.6
Politics
Like other states in the region, North Dakota is an historically red state. For nearly the last 50 years, North Dakota has cast its three electoral votes for the Republican presidential candidate.7
Republicans have control over the state legislative body and are represented in the US Senate by Republicans Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven. Governor Doug Burnham is the eighth consecutive Republican governor for the state.7
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 North Dakota movers FAQ
North Dakota is a larger state compared to others, so the distance you move will be a big factor in your moving cost. A full-service move can cost anywhere from $1,200 for smaller moves to $29,000 for multi-state large moves. Get quotes from some of the top moving companies in your area to find the right price for you.
North Dakotans have some of the lowest levels of concern about violent crime in the country, with only about 30% saying that they are concerned everyday. The safest cities are reported to be Hazen, Beluah, and New Town. Statewide, the violent crime rate (3.3 incidents per 1,000 people) is lower than the national average of 4.0. The property crime rate in North Dakota (21.2) is slightly higher than the national average of 19.6.8
Our pick for the best moving company to get you from Illinois to North Dakota is International Van Lines. Their consistently high customer reviews, attention to detail, and communication will help make your move a breeze.
You’ll pay around $180 per month for storage in North Dakota. The top storage companies vary in price, but it’s best to go with a well-known and vetted storage company that offers climate-controlled storage options. While summers can be fairly mild, you don’t want to keep your items in an outdoor unit during North Dakota winters.
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
- World Population Review, “US States - Ranked by Population.” Published January 2023. Accessed January 20, 2023.
- US Census Bureau, “QuickFacts: North Dakota,” Published July 2022. Accessed January 20, 2023.
- Data USA, “North Dakota,” Published November 2022. Accessed January 23, 2023.
- RentCafe, “Cost of Living in North Dakota,” Published September 2022. Accessed January 23, 2023.
- Zillow, “North Dakota Home Values,” Published December 2022. Accessed January 23, 2023.
- Stacker, “Cities with Most Expensive Homes - North Dakota,” Published November 2022. Accessed January 23, 2023.
- 270ToWin, “North Dakota,” Published January 2023. Accessed January 23, 2023.
- SafeWise, “North Dakota’s 10 Safest Cities of 2022,” Published March 2022. Accessed January 23, 2023.
