Choosing a mover can be overwhelming, but Moving Feedback is here to make things simple. We analyzed services, reviews, and pricing info for over 20 different movers in Portland to bring you our top 5 picks.
BEST OVERALL
BEST FOR LONG DISTANCE
BEST CUSTOMER REVIEWS
The research team at Moving Feedback has done the heavy lifting to bring you a reliable list of the top 5 movers in Portland, pulling from authentic customer reviews and our own 10+ years of experience in the moving industry.
We got the inside scoop on what movers are worth your time and some tips and tricks you can’t find anywhere else.
Read on to learn more about the top 5 movers in Portland, and check out our insider tips to make your Portland move even easier.
Budgeting is important, so keep in mind that a local move in Portland is going to cost between $450 and $5000, and a long-distance move costs somewhere between $1200 and $15500. You may have to pay more or less depending on the size of your load, and the distance you’re moving.
Distance | 1 Bedroom | 2 – 3 Bedroom | 4 – 5 Bedroom |
---|---|---|---|
Local (Less than 100 Miles) | $450 – $800 | $750 – $1900 | $1200 – $5000 |
100 miles | $1200 – $1600 | $1350 – $1700 | $1600 – $3400 |
250 miles | $1400 – $2100 | $1700 – $3600 | $2,100 – $4900 |
750 miles | $1600 – $2900 | $2100 – $7100 | $5500 – $8200 |
1500 miles | $1800 – $3400 | $3000 – $7500 | $6900 – $9800 |
2500 miles+ | $2200 – $3900 | $4100 – $8200 | $15500+ |
With tons of fresh air, enough actual space to live in, and minimal smog, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that life in Portland isn’t exactly cheap.
It’s also logical to assume that the moving companies in Portland are going to be similarly pricey. While each moving company will have its unique pricing and service options, our survey of most of moving companies in Portland revealed some common themes.
Here are the four most important things to have at the back of your mind when choosing a moving company in Portland.
It doesn’t matter how cheap a moving service is if they break your glassware, refuse to respond on time, and generally make you wish you carried all 2000 pounds of your property across state lines by yourself. By hand.
Nowadays, you have the luxury of checking on the internet to see how each mover has treated their customers. Getting information about moving companies is a simple Google or Facebook or Twitter search away.
Read reviews to see if the Portland mover you want to hire actually responds on time, lives up to their end of the bargain, and actually has a dedicated customer service line to take complaints and requests after the check has cleared.
As important as good service is, it shouldn’t come at an absurd price. Since moving companies in Portland run like any other business, you shouldn’t be upset that they want to make as much profit as possible.
What you should do is have a firm idea about what the average price charged by their closest rivals comes to and then use this figure to negotiate the best deal for yourself.
It’s not too difficult to find a moving company that provides good customer service at an affordable price, and reading this article will give you some helpful ideas about how to identify these companies, and negotiate a fair price.
Moving is a pain, but hiring movers means you won’t have to deal with the hard stuff. Check with a moving company to see what special services they provide. The more moving services available, the better.
This means that they offer service options ranging from simply transporting your property across state lines to doing pretty much all the work associated with moving — yes, including packing and moving heavy furniture — for you.
If you’re going to trust all of your worldly belongings to a mover in Portland, you better make sure that they can at least compensate you if things go sideways.
Check and double-check a mover’s registration with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the US Department of Transportation before you finally book a mover.
4.9 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.1 |
Best Overall | Best for Long Distance | Best Customer Reviews | Best Prices | Best Perks |
15% Seniors & Military Discounts | 18% Flexibility Discount | 20% Seasonal Discount | 15% Student Discount | Not Disclosed |
$2700-$6200 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2900-$6500 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2850-$6350 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2200-$5400 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2300-$5600 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) |
Get a Quote | Get a Quote | Get a Quote | Get a Quote | Get a Quote |
BEST OVERALL
Out of all the moving companies that we reviewed, Moving APT was our top choice.
With over 20 years of experience in the industry, they offer personalized moving solutions and attentive customer service.
They also offer a wide range of customizable moving options, which means you can choose services that best fit your needs and budget.
BEST FOR LONG DISTANCE
When it comes to premium moving, Adams Van Lines is our go-to mover in Portland.
They specialize in the safe and secure transport of delicate and valuable items and offer a completely hands-off relocation experience.
With their meticulous approach and skilled movers, Adams Van Lines is the ideal choice for those who value extra care during their move.
BEST CUSTOMER REVIEWS
Native Van Lines is highly-ranked Portland moving company. Their exceptional customer reviews and commitment to customer satisfaction make them stand out from the rest.
Native Van Lines has received numerous awards for their quality service, and their focus on personalized customer service sets them apart from other movers in Portland.
PDX Movers is a local and long-distance moving company based right in Portland.
As a small, family-owned business, they take pride in their close relationship with the community.
PDX Movers also offers containerized storage, which allows them to bring a storage container directly to your doorstep, load it up, and secure it at one of their storage sites.
BEST PERKS
Bridgetown Moving is a family-owned moving company based in the greater Portland area.
They pride themselves on their local knowledge, which makes them an excellent choice for customers who need to navigate the city’s narrow streets and tight corners.
Bridgetown Moving also offers sustainable moving services, with recyclable cartons and biodiesel trucks
Moving companies in Oregon have different rates for different types of moves. Local movers will charge an hourly rate that covers the cost of required movers and moving equipment.
These rates range between $50-$100 per hour, and the typical local move in Portland takes around 4-6 hours. Most companies will give you an estimate of the total cost of your move based on an hourly rate, and the number of hours they estimate it will take to complete your move.
For longer moves, moving companies charge a flat rate based on the weight of your belongings and the distance of your move. These rates can range from $2500-$7000 or more, depending on the size of your move. Be sure to get quotes from a few moving companies to compare rates and find the best deal for your specific needs.
Be sure to budget for optional and required fees charged by moving companies in Oregon, such as:
One additional cost you’ll need to budget for is parking permits. In Oregon, you must obtain a parking permit if you plan to park a moving truck on the street. These permits typically cost under $100 and can be obtained from your local police department or city hall.
To get an accurate cost assessment for comparison to moving quotes you receive from Moving Feedback’s moving partners, use our moving cost calculator.
This handy tool will give you an estimate based on the particular details of your move and the current market rates for movers in Oregon.
We researched and compiled information about some of the best moving companies in Portland, including their rates, service offerings, and the best times to close the deal.
We also included relevant tips about how to make your transition to life in another city as smooth and peaceful as possible.
Portland is a great city to move to, especially if you love greenery and have a healthy appreciation for actually seeing the stars in the night sky.
But, if you’ve had enough of the relentless cheering of the birds every morning and want to get out of town, we’ve got you covered, too. Read on for some important info on moving in and moving out of Portland.
So far in this article, we’ve talked about what moving companies in Portland do and how much they charge. In this section, we’ll focus instead on how you can get the most out of your moving experience.
We’ll handle these major questions one by one to help you get a better idea of how to handle your move:
While Portland isn’t your typical tourist town, it still receives about 7 million visitors per year.
If you’re confused about why tourists affect the ease and cost of moving, think about how traffic gets when they’re in town. Now imagine trying to move the contents of a three-bedroom apartment through that tangle.
In a similar vein, moving will be more difficult and pricier around major events, summer holidays, and weekends, so hiring a moving company in Portland during these months might not be the best idea.
Movers in Portland typically charge you an amount that reflects the amount of property you want to move. You’ll pay more for moving the contents of a three-bedroom apartment than you would for a one-bedroom.
This is because your Portland movers will send more hands to handle more work, and (as you may recall), you’re paying each person on this team a non-negotiable rate of up to $300 per hour.
As we said earlier in the article, Portland movers charge different rates depending on how far away you want to move. Moving companies will generally classify moves into local (usually within 100 miles) and long-distance moves.
Portland moving companies (and moving companies pretty much everywhere else), have fixed rates for this service. It’s probably the only thing you won’t be able to negotiate for a fairer price.
If you’re particularly anti-DIY, you can hire a moving company in Portland that can take it all off your hands. For a slightly larger fee, some Portland movers will do literally everything involved in the moving process for you.
For example, they can uninstall your home gym and transform your furniture back to its IKEA state of being. They can maneuver your baby grand piano through narrow staircases and carefully tow it to the truck that’s parked 3 miles from your back door.
If it has anything to do with moving, your white glove moving company in Portland will do it. At this point, we should mention that not all moving companies in Portland offer this service, so you may want to confirm before scheduling a spa day.
Life in Portland isn’t cheap. It’s one of the more beautiful cities in America with enough greenery to touch the shriveled heart of the most cynical New Yorker.
Nothing good comes cheap, however, and the cost of living in Portland is about 1.3 times the national average. When we crunched the numbers, we found that it’ll cost you about $209 for basic utilities.
If you intend to move around for work or pleasure, budget about $100 for a monthly transportation pass. Renting a one-bedroom apartment will cost a staggering $1,706 in the city center, and if you have delusions of actually owning one, get ready to shell out $4,952 per square meter.
While Portland generally is a great place to live in, some neighborhoods are much nicer than others. We’ll run through a shortlist of some of the neighborhoods in Portland so that even if you can’t afford to move there yet, you’ll have something to aspire to when you find your feet in Portland.
Yes, it is every bit as posh as it sounds. Home to 1,182 people, Healy Heights gets high marks for safety, family friendliness, and access to good public schools for the kids.
With a population of just under 3,000 people, Arlington Heights combines all the attractions of Healy Heights with easy access to the city.
If you’re interested in historic homes and want to indulge in this hobby in an environment that scores high in diversity, housing, and access to good public schools, then Eastmoreland is probably your best bet.
Have we mentioned that Portland is an amazing city yet? Regardless of whether you’re moving into Portland or moving out, here’s a list of some of the more popular attractions in Portland that you should visit at least once.
Powell’s City of Books: This iconic bookstore is a must-see for book lovers. It spans an entire city block and contains over a million new and used books.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI): A hands-on science museum that features interactive exhibits, a planetarium, and an IMAX theater.
International Rose Test Garden: This beautiful garden is home to over 10,000 roses of more than 650 varieties. It’s the perfect place to take a stroll and enjoy the fragrance and beauty of these blooms.
Hawthorne District: A trendy neighborhood in southeast Portland that offers unique boutiques, cafes, and restaurants. It’s a great place to explore on foot and experience Portland’s eclectic culture.
Washington Park: A large urban park that offers a variety of attractions, including the International Rose Test Garden, the Oregon Zoo, and the Portland Japanese Garden.
If you’re more of the “stare at a powerful, awe-inspiring force of nature just to remind yourself of your relative insignificance in the grand scheme of things” type (or you just like waterfalls), then make sure to check out Multnomah Falls.
You’re probably already tired of hearing that Portland has one of the highest costs of living in the United States.
If you factor in the labor rates charged by moving companies in Portland (around $300 per hour), then you’re looking at an approximate figure of $4,000 to hire movers in Portland for an out-of-town relocation.
One of the most convincing reasons to a moving company in Portland called the sheer beauty of the city and surrounding areas.
You may have gotten tired of it, but you have to admit that the greenery, mountains, and general unspoiled natural beauty that Portland has is a strong reason to make the move.
If you think you can handle the relatively high cost of living, why not contact a moving company in Portland today and make the move?
You can get a list of some of the more popular moving companies in Portland with a simple Google search. What’s even better is that these results will show you a rating that indicates — most of the time — the quality of service the company has rendered to its clients in the past.
Aside from a Google search, we always recommend checking in with friends and family to hear about their moving experiences. If your folks are more DIY oriented, you can also check out a city’s subreddit to see if anyone has any advice or recommendations.
Yes, as a general rule of thumb, you should tip all workers in the service industry and workers in the moving companies in Portland are no exception.
There aren’t any particular company-sanctioned tipping rates we’ve seen while carrying out our review of movers in Portland but we really advise that you should start at 10 percent and give more if you can.
We research and analyze huge amounts of data so that you can make the most educated and informed decision when it comes to choosing your local or long-distance movers.
We dig through customer reviews to get the real scoop on the 6 P’s:
Choosing the right moving company can make all the difference in your moving experience. By working with the best movers in Portland, you can enjoy a seamless and stress-free move.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the movers on our list to start planning your move today – and don’t forget to check back in with Moving Feedback for more mover reviews and pro-tips to make moving day even easier!