New Hampshire is the fifth smallest state in the U.S. — clocking in at just 9,349 square miles — but it doesn’t lack quality providers for long-distance and local moves.
The USA TODAY Homefront team researched and shopped more than 15 popular national movers and found that Allied Van Lines, Gentle Giant Moving Company and Born to Move Moving Company are the best choices for your move into or out of this little New England state.
We recommend Allied for long-distance relocations based on its customizable service options and wide availability. This national mover has multiple highly rated locations and partners in the state.
Gentle Giant stood out for its communicative customer service team and efficient quote process. We were also impressed by our hassle-free experience getting an estimate from Born to Move’s representative.
We put each mover through a rigorous review process — scoring them on service offerings, customer feedback and value — and arrived at this list of the six best providers for a New Hampshire move. Here’s what you need to know.
Top moving companies
New Hampshire’s top national and local moving companies have high customer satisfaction, competitive pricing and customizable service options.
Long-distance:
Our reviews of the best New Hampshire movers
The top providers for New Hampshire moves scored well on our grading scale thanks to high value, availability and services. See how they compare in the table below.
Best long-distance movers in New Hampshire
Here are our choices for the best long-distance and interstate movers in New Hampshire.
Mayflower
Best movers for a local New Hampshire move
The following local New Hampshire moving companies scored highly on our rating scale. These providers are highly rated by third parties, receive positive customer feedback and offer local services as well as long-distance moves.
Gentle Giant Moving Company NH
Born to Move Moving Company NH
Trend Moving & Storage
A guide to professional movers: Making an informed choice
Before you book a mover, check that the company holds proper licensing, provides the needed services and fits within your budget. Secure your ideal moving date at least one month ahead of your move date to ensure the company’s availability.
Add-on services will increase your final invoice. The additional fee could be worth it for the convenience and peace of mind. Common service options include the following:
Moving services
- Packing and unpacking
- Crating
- Short- and long-term storage services
- Packing supplies
- Vehicle shipping
- Cleaning services
- Junk removal
- Piano moving
Carriers vs. brokers
The moving industry has two basic service models: carriers and brokers. Your choice can impact your moving process. Understand your moving company’s model before booking.
Carriers are directly responsible for providing moving services. Unlike brokers, carriers own and operate moving trucks, employ professional movers and have authorization to transport your belongings.
Brokers are not movers. They act as intermediaries, arranging the connection between clients and for-hire carriers. In other words, they sell your move to the moving company with the winning bid. While brokers can streamline the process by connecting you with a reputable carrier and managing the booking, they typically require an upfront convenience fee and do not directly handle your moving services.
Moving regulations
Moving companies must follow certain state or federal regulations depending on the move types they offer.
Regulations for interstate and long-distance movers
All long-distance and interstate moving companies are subject to federal regulations and must hold active U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Motor Carrier (MC) numbers. Run these numbers through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration database to verify a mover’s registration status.
Regulations for intrastate and local movers
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation oversees movers in the state. Check that your intrastate moving company is properly registered before booking.
Moving costs
Your move distance and inventory size significantly affect your moving estimate. Below, we’ve detailed some key differences between long-distance and local moving costs.
Long-distance moving costs
Moving distance and shipping weight will determine the cost of a long-distance relocation. Ask for a binding estimate if your move is farther than 50 miles. These numbers shouldn’t change unless you adjust your move distance, inventory or service needs between your quote day and moving date.
Local moving costs in New Hampshire
Local moves are billed hourly; the specific rate depends on the moving company and the number of movers assigned to the job. Our estimates were around $230 per hour for three movers and $140 for two movers. Most local movers have a labor minimum.
Moving insurance
All moving companies must provide basic insurance coverage at no cost. Called released-value protection, it typically provides coverage at 60 cents per pound per item. This coverage is mandated by federal law and typically incorporated into all moving packages.
Some movers offer full-value protection at an additional cost. Under most full-value plans, you specify a declared value for your shipment and pay a premium based on a percentage of that value before the move. This insurance can guarantee full reimbursement for any damaged or lost items.
Final take: Talk to Allied Van Lines and Gentle Giant Moving Company for your New Hampshire move
We recommend getting quotes with Allied Van Lines for long-distance relocations and Gentle Giant for your local move.
Allied’s nationwide availability throughout the country and state means you won’t have to travel far to find a branch. The company’s in-house services, such as vehicle shipping, can make the move process less overwhelming since you won’t have to go through a third party. Gentle Giant’s solid reputation and friendly customer service instill trust in its ability to facilitate a smooth local move.
Book your mover at least four to eight weeks in advance for better scheduling options. We recommend getting at least three quotes before making your final booking decision.
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 April 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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