The birthplace of blues music and the namesake of the longest river in North America, Mississippi is a Southern state with lots of character. But its predominantly rural nature and humid subtropical climate can make moving difficult to do on your own. We recommend United Van Lines and International Van Lines as the first companies to contact when choosing a moving company in Mississippi.
United’s direct presence in the state via its agent at The Armstrong Company in Madison means convenient access to services. International Van Lines’ coverage area — spanning the U.S. and more than 100 countries — makes it a great option for interstate moves of any distance.
If you’re planning a local move in the Magnolia State — from Jackson to Ole Miss, for instance — Two Men and a Truck offers multiple highly rated locations in Mississippi offering fairly priced services.
Each of the moving companies we reviewed below scored well against our rating scale, which evaluates factors such as pricing, services and availability to render a star rating out of 5. We recommend requesting free quotes from at least three qualified movers ahead of your move date.
Best moving companies
The following movers offer the best service in Mississippi for a range of moving needs.
Long-distance:
Compare top choices for Mississippi moving companies
The following long-distance moving companies rated well on our grading scale for their service offerings, quote processes and general customer review scores.
Best long-distance movers in Mississippi
Each moving company listed below offers well-rated services for long-distance Mississippi moves.
Best movers for a local Mississippi move
The following movers offer highly rated service within Mississippi for local and long-distance moving needs.
A guide to professional movers: Making an informed choice
Do your homework and vet moving providers thoroughly before signing a contract, especially if it’s your first time moving long-distance. We’ve outlined key factors to consider when gathering quotes from Mississippi movers.
Moving services
Only request quotes from moving companies that can adequately handle your service needs. All movers provide released-value protection, loading and unloading, and transportation of goods in basic moving packages. Beyond this, movers charge extra for the following services:
- Packing and unpacking
- Crating for fragile items and antiques
- Vehicle shipping
- Short- and long-term storage
- Junk removal
- Home staging
- Furniture assembly and disassembly
Conduct a full walk-through of your home and write out a comprehensive inventory list to determine what add-on services you may need. Then, discuss them with your move coordinator when you request a quote.
Carriers vs. brokers
Be aware of your mover’s service model when you book. If you schedule your move with a carrier, that provider will directly handle all services included in your move.
Moving brokers, however, will not provide services but rather match you with a carrier and book your move for you. Brokers usually take a large deposit upfront as a booking fee. In either instance, your carrier assumes full liability for lost or damaged goods during your move.
Moving regulations
All moving companies must comply with regulations to operate legally. These requirements vary depending on the scope of the moving services a given provider offers.
Regulations for interstate and long-distance movers
Long-distance moving companies are federally regulated. All movers offering interstate moving services must carry United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Motor Carrier (MC) numbers. Use these to look up a mover’s registration status on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website. Active registration ensures that insurance will cover your items in transit if loss or damage occurs.
Regulations for intrastate and local movers
The state Public Service Commission (PSC) regulates local Mississippi moving companies. All local movers must carry a valid PSC number to do intrastate business.
Moving costs
Local and long-distance moves are billed differently. Look into or ask about a company’s pricing structure to ensure all fees are accounted for in your quote.
Long-distance moving costs
Long-distance and interstate relocations are billed according to move distance and shipment weight. These — along with add-on services — are used to calculate “line-haul fees,” which are more transparent bottom-line costs.
Long-distance moves are eligible for binding estimates, which will not shift between quote day and moving day unless your inventory or service needs do.
Local moving costs in Mississippi
Most local movers in Mississippi charge by the hour for intrastate service. The number of movers and moving trucks assigned to your move determines hourly rates.
Often, movers assign minimum charges to these relocation packages. These range from two to four hours of labor at your set hourly rate and help ensure that the moving crew is adequately paid.
You’ll usually only be able to secure a ballpark estimate for local moves since unexpected setbacks may cause the move to take longer than estimated.
Moving insurance
All moving companies are required to offer compensation options for lost or damaged items. The minimum requirement per federal law is released-value protection, which provides 60 cents per pound per item for loss or damage.
Beyond this, most movers provide full-value protection options at an additional cost. You’ll have to discuss additional coverage options with your move coordinator during the quote phase if you think your goods require it.
Final take: Get quotes from United and IVL for your Mississippi move, and book in spring or fall if you can
Based on our research and review, we recommend United Van Lines and International Van Lines for long-distance in Mississippi. For a local move within the state, Two Men and a Truck’s offices throughout the state provide speedy quotes and reliable service.
If your lease terms or home sale date allows it, we recommend booking your move during the spring or fall. The warmer months of May through September are the peak moving season for most moving companies — and the height of humid summer heat in Mississippi. This can lead to higher rates for service, difficulty booking your desired mover and uncomfortable moving conditions.
Our rating methodology for moving companies
Our moving recommendations are all backed by our detailed rating methodology. To fairly assess both interstate and local movers, we have tailored two sets of review standards for long-distance and intrastate movers.
Both sets of review standards assess factors including reputation and customer satisfaction, availability and range, services offered, pricing and quote practices and customer service. We rate each moving company out of 100 possible points. We then divide the final score by 20 to obtain the 5-star rating we feature in our reviews.
BBB and Google Reviews ratings are accurate as of May 2024.
Local moving companies near you
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
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