How Much Does It Cost To Move to California in 2023?

Publish Date: October 18, 2023

Last Modified Date: October 23, 2023

Tags: Tags: average moving cost, bay area, california, cheap moves, cheap moves to california, coast to coast moves, cost to move to california, la, livermore, los angeles, moving cost california, moving costs, moving to california, moving to california 2023, moving to norcal, moving to socal, norcal, san diego, santa cruz, silicon valley, socal

California has a lot to offer its residents: beautiful beaches, famous attractions, and yearlong sunshine. It’s no wonder people pay a premium to live there (overall, California has the fourth-highest cost of living, behind Hawaii, Washington D.C., and Massachusetts).

But how much does moving and living in California cost? Below are average moving costs based on thousands of moves booked through HireAHelper and their affiliates*.

California Moving Costs in 2023

Avg. Cost of a California Move (Moving labor-only): $398
Avg. Cost of a California Move (Movers with a truck): $997
Avg. Cost of a Long-Distance Move w/ CA Destination: $2,182 – $10,329

If you’re moving cross-country from the East Coast to California, you can expect to spend between $2,182 and $10,329 on your move, according to a recent PODS article. The main factors affecting this cost are distance, the moving service you choose, and the size of your move. A shorter move, such as one between Phoenix and L.A., would cost between $328 and $5,300, while the cost of a move from NYC to San Francisco could cost over $10,000.

Avg. Timeframe for a California Move – 3.4 Hours
Avg. Distance of a California Move – 35 Miles

The average time spent on a move that features an origin, destination, or both within California is just shy of three and a half hours, while the average distance traveled is 35 miles.

How Do These Figures Compare to Other States?

The average cost of California moving labor services is $16 more expensive than the national average. Across all move types and services, it costs an average of $396 to move locally anywhere within the country.

“Contrary to popular belief, not everything’s more expensive in SoCal versus NorCal. When comparing the cost of moving in Northern California versus Southern California, there’s virtually no statistical difference. Moving labor costs are roughly $443 in both regions, on average.”

The national average timeframe for moving is three hours (24 minutes shorter than the average California move), and items are transported an average of 74 miles (39 miles farther than the average California move). The specific moving service you use will make a difference, though.

The Current State of Moving to California in 2023

Between April 2020 and July 2022, California lost over 700,000 more residents than it gained, according to the Los Angeles Times. While the pandemic likely played a part in this exodus, the truth is that California residents have been leaving the Golden State for other, more affordable locales since 2000. California has one of the highest costs of living in the nation, and the highest sales tax rate. In San Francisco, for instance, the average home value is above $1.27 million. A family of four would need $112,903 in household income just to get by.

With COVID-19 causing many to shift to remote work, employees who were once tied to a desk suddenly had the freedom to find somewhere more affordable to put down roots.

Still, California has a very large population (over 39 million) and, despite having a net loss of hundreds of thousands of residents between 2020 and 2022, it still managed to rank as the third most moved-in state by volume last year with +3.6% move-ins.

While the cost of living and high taxes may be a turn-off for some, living in California comes with a gorgeous climate, breathtaking scenery, myriad job opportunities, and endless culture and entertainment. People are still moving to the Golden State and, with all of these perks, “California dreaming” isn’t likely going anywhere.

More 2023 California Moving Stats

Given the multiple moving options available to you, each has many pros and cons, including the price. The average California moving service costs in 2023 were as follows:

Transportation Type	Avg. Labor Cost	Avg. Transportation Cost	Total Cost
Container	$461	$2,762	$3,223
Truck	$478	$345	$823
Freight Trailer	$574	$1,500*	$2,074**

**Expressed as a national average, as state-specific data is not available.

Avg. Cost of Labor-Only Moving Services in California by Job Type

Hiring labor-only saves people money, but which part of your move you hire the labor for makes a difference. Let’s compare the average costs of different labor-only moving services in California to the national averages.

Type of Labor-Only Moving Service	U.S. Average	CA Average
Moving with on-site help only	$345	$353
Moving with unloading help only	$395	$387
Moving with loading help only	$400	$398
Moving with both loading and unloading help (booked together)	$490	$608

Top 5 Least Expensive Cities for Moves Within California (Labor-Only)

City (Origin or Destination)	Average Move Cost (Labor-Only)
Huntington Beach, CA	$290
Carlsbad, CA	$303
Long Beach, CA	$325
San Francisco, CA	$336
Corona, CA	$341

Top 5 Most Expensive Cities for Moves Within California (Labor-Only)

City (Origin or Destination)	Average Move Cost (Labor-Only)
Woodland Hills, CA	$689
Camarillo, CA	$655
Tracy, CA	$595
Redwood City, CA	$595
El Dorado Hills, CA	$579

California moves in the above graphs are calculated using booked moves where the origin city, destination city, or both reside within California and are at least 50 miles apart.

Which Cities in California Are Growing and Shrinking?

A view of a vineyard that continues into the hills in the distance. — Livermore, CA

Californian City With the Greatest Population Increase* – Santa Cruz, CA (+12.5%)**

This mellow beach town is located in Northern California along Highway One. Among other things, it’s known for its surf culture, whale watching, and close proximity to the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Californian City With the Greatest Population Loss* – Livermore, CA (-2%)**

Located in the San Francisco Bay area and dating back to 1869, Livermore is the state’s oldest wine region. In addition to its thriving wine industry, the city also enjoys a rich arts and culture scene.

*****Based on population increase or decrease *between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.***

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Most Affordable California Cities (Based on Cost of Living)

Here’s a closer look at six of the most affordable cities in California (according to Niche) and how their average household incomes and home values compare to the state averages.

City	Average Home Value	Median Household Income	Home Value to Household Income(Ratio)
Visalia, CA	$361,827	$69,252	100:19
Bakersfield, CA	$370,490	$69,014	100:19
Fresno, CA	$359,344	$57,211	100:16
Victorville, CA	$403,428	$61,206	100:15
Stockton, CA	$419,631	$63,916	100:15
San Bernardino, CA	$448,953	$55,372	100:12
California	$728,121	$84,097	100:12

Sources: Average home values are based on Zillow data and median household incomes are based on U.S. Census data (expressed in 2021 dollars) available as of June 2022.

Cost of Moving Within California (NorCal Versus SoCal)

Contrary to popular belief, not everything’s more expensive in SoCal versus NorCal. When comparing the cost of moving in Northern California versus Southern California, there’s virtually no statistical difference. Moving labor costs are roughly $443 in both regions, on average.

That said, Southern California is home to the most expensive city for moving in the entire country: Riverside. On average, state moves originating in Riverside totaled $538.

Least Expensive Moves in California by Origin City (Avg.)

City	Average Move Cost	Region
Oceanside, CA	$383	SoCal
Long Beach, CA	$395	SoCal
Huntington Beach, CA	$402	SoCal
Roseville, CA	$414	NorCal
San Diego, CA	$415	SoCal
Sacramento, CA	$423	NorCal
San Francisco, CA	$432	NorCal

Most Expensive Moves in California by Origin City (Avg.)

City	Average Move Cost	Region
Riverside, CA	$538	SoCal
Oakland, CA	$487	NorCal
Santa Monica, CA	$487	SoCal
Carlsbad, CA	$477	SoCal
San Jose, CA	$457	NorCal
Los Angeles, CA	$454	SoCal
Irvine, CA	$437	SoCal

What Are California’s 2023 Tax Rates?

The costs of moving to California aren’t just about hiring movers, buying packing supplies, or renting self-storage. If you’re moving from out of state, there’s a good chance the sales tax rates in California will be higher (possibly much higher) than you’re used to, affecting the final cost of moving-related expenses. Not to mention California’s high income taxes, which will almost certainly take a toll on your disposable income.

Below is a breakdown of California tax rates.

Sales taxes in California include:

California sales tax rate: 7.25% (highest in the U.S.)
Average local sales tax rate: 1.57%
California gasoline tax rate: 63¢
California cigarette tax rate: $2.87 (per 20-pack)

California income tax rates are as follows:

California Income Tax Brackets Based on Filing Status
Single or Married Filing Separately	Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widow(er)	Head of Household	Tax Rate
$0 – $10,099	$0 – $20,198	$0 – $20,212	1%
$10,100 – $23,942	$20,199 – $47,884	$20,213 – $47,887	2%
$23,943 – $37,788	$47,885 – $75,576	$47,888 – $61,730	4%
$37,789 – $52,455	$75,577 – $104,910	$61,731 – $76,397	6%
$52,456 – $66,295	$104,911 – $132,590	$76,398 – $90,240	8%
$66,296 – $338,639	$132,591 – $677,278	$90,241 – $460,547	9.3%
$338,640 – $406,364	$677,279 – $812,728	$460,548 – $552,658	10.3%
$406,365 – $677,275	$812,729 – $1,354,550	$552,659 – $921,095	11.3%
$677,276+	$1,354,551+	$921,096+	12.3%

Source: H&R Block

If you’re considering moving to California, be sure to look at your new city’s cost of living compared to your salary. Keep in mind that even if you’re moving for a job, it may not be necessary to live in one of the big, expensive cities listed above. There are plenty of affordable California suburbs — which aren’t necessarily in the middle of nowhere — including Morada, Desert Edge, and Golden Hills.

And, when you’re ready to book movers in California, use Hire A Helper’s moving calculator to understand what your own unique moving costs might be.

*Unless otherwise indicated, the previous statistics are based on thousands of moves carried out by the halfway point of 2021. These data points are calculations of average and median costs of “labor-only” and/or “Mover + Truck” moving services booked through HireAHelper.com, as well as “Long Distance Move” moving services from MovingPlace.com, and may also include additional related moving data from industry partners and affiliates collected between 2020 and 2021.

Illustrations by Naomi Ann Clarke

Los Angeles Moving Guide

Author: Jesse Relkin

Publish Date: June 7, 2023

Last Modified Date: June 27, 2023

Category: Local Moving, Moving Advice, Moving Checklists & Planning

Tags: Tags: best la movers, best time to move, california, cost of movers, hollywood, how many movers, l.a., la, la movers, live in la, los angeles, movers, moving cost, moving to L.A., moving to la, moving to los angeles, moving truck size, moving trucks, professional movers, what moving truck size, when to move

Whether you’re planning a local move in Los Angeles, or arriving to L.A. from another city, you probably already know that your experience can go a lot of different ways depending on the choices you make during your planning phase. A little information can go a long way toward eliminating stress before, during, and after your move.

As someone who’s moved around L.A. and across the U.S., I can assure you that as challenging as moving may be in this city, there are steps you can take to make it much easier. And this is the perfect place to start: A guide to saving time and money when you’re moving in Los Angeles, based on HireAHelper’s data from completing nearly 19,000 household moves across L.A. County.

Hiring Los Angeles Movers

The most important factor in how smoothly your move will go is who you hire to help you. Just like in any city, in L.A. you’re going to find a mix of reliable, less reliable, and downright shady movers, so you’ll want to do your research. As a general rule, make sure they’re insured and licensed. It’s also helpful to look through reviews from prior customers and choose a company with lots of positive feedback across platforms.

Los Angeles Moving Options

If you’re moving to Los Angeles, you essentially have three ways to move:

Do It Yourself (DIY). This is the most cost-effective way to move because, as it says on the tin, you’re pretty much planning to do everything yourself: packing boxes, loading your rental truck, and renting that truck in the first place. And while some people in their younger years can get away with bribing friends into helping them with some of that work in exchange for pizza and beer, I can attest that it gets harder and harder to go that route when your friend circle consists of harried adults with packed schedules and back problems.
Hybrid. This type of move is meant to be the best of both worlds — DIY plus hiring a little help. You’ll save some money by renting the truck and doing the driving yourself, and you’ll also find professionals to help with the heavy lifting. This option is also useful if you’re using a storage container to transport your stuff. Professionals are experts at packing trucks and containers, and they’re quicker at it than you’ll be, so you might end up saving yourself time as well as money.
Full-Service. With full-service moves, you’re not only paying a company to transport your items, but also to load and unload your belongings. They can even help with packing! If it’s within your budget, full-service moving can take a lot of the weight off your shoulders — and when it comes to moving, that pressure can be quite literal. If you’re moving long-distance or across the country, this option is particularly useful, as you can rest assured all the details are taken care of so you can focus on other aspects of your move. A word of caution, though: since you’re dealing with someone else’s timeline, this option is also the least flexible.

Planning Your Los Angeles Move

After choosing which option above best fits your needs, it’s time to plan the rest of the details. Here are some questions to sort out before hiring movers or otherwise finalizing your Los Angeles move.

How Much Do Movers in Los Angeles Cost?

According to HireAHelper’s data, hiring a moving company in Los Angeles costs $517 on average. This amounts to approximately $172 per hour (using the average time frame for a move). Of course, the price of moving can vary depending on various factors, including how many movers you’re expecting to help and how big of a house you’re moving.

“Consider [a medium rental] the Goldilocks of trucks, because it’s “just right” for most standard moves…[and] could fit anywhere from a one-bedroom to a three-bedroom apartment (up to 1,200 square feet).”

If you have an outsized number of belongings for your space, if you own any oversized or overweight furniture, or if you have anything especially fragile or difficult to move, make sure to mention this to your movers upfront, as this might factor into your quote. It’s better for everyone to know what to expect before the big day arrives!

The best way to budget is to look at quotes specific to your own move. You can start with this moving cost calculator.

See prices for local moving labor. Read real customer reviews. Easily book your help online.

How Long Does Moving in Los Angeles Take?

If you’re moving an entire house, it’s possible that the move will take almost a full day. On average, moves can take anywhere from 2 to 8 hours to complete. But generally speaking, the average Los Angeles move is about 3 hours.

How Many Movers Do I Need for my Move in Los Angeles?

Most moving companies will send a minimum of two movers for jobs that will take at least two hours. They might have specific requirements about how many you can, or must, reserve, depending on your move type. You can learn more about how to determine the number of movers you might need here. That being said, most L.A. area moves require two movers, according to data from HireAHelper.

What Size Truck Do I Need When Moving in Los Angeles?

The size of your moving truck all comes down to the size of your move — and that’s usually roughly estimated in terms of how many rooms you’re moving. Here are some of the standard moving truck sizes to consider:

Small Truck (10–13 feet): Technically, this size truck could work for all move sizes if you don’t mind making multiple trips, but if you’re hiring hourly moving help, it’s best to reserve small trucks for moving studio apartments, or about 400–600 square feet of living space.
Medium Truck (14–17 feet): Consider this the Goldilocks of trucks, because it’s “just right” for most standard moves. Depending on how much stuff you’ve actually got, this could fit anywhere from a one-bedroom to a three-bedroom apartment (up to 1,200 square feet).
Large Truck (18–24 feet): If you live in a full-sized home with up to four bedrooms (1,200–1,800 square feet of living space), then you’ll definitely want this larger truck size.
Extra-Large Truck (26+ feet): While I don’t know too many people personally with a minimum of five bedrooms in Los Angeles, I do know they exist. If this describes your home, it’s good to know there are extra-large moving trucks that can hold households of up to 2,400 square feet.

When Is the Best Time to Move in Los Angeles?

HireAHelper has collected the following data for the best times to move:

Best Time of the Month to Move: The 13th is the least busy day of any calendar month to move in Los Angeles.
Best Time of the Week to Move: Los Angeles’s least busy day of the week to move is Sunday.
Best Time of the Day to Move: The least busy time of day to start a move in Los Angeles is around 7 a.m.
Best Month to Move: This one really depends on your personal situation, like when your lease is up or how much cash you have on hand. If you’re looking to save some mula, Curbed reveals you might be able to get the best deals on rent in L.A. in November. On the other hand, if you care more about real estate scarcity, the best months for unit availability in Los Angeles are November and December, according to RentHop.

Good Luck with Your Move!

Even for the luckiest people, moving in Los Angeles is no walk in the park. My hope is that this guide can save you some headaches and spare your wallet. When you’re ready to take the plunge, explore your moving options with HireAHelper.com.

What To Expect When Moving from LA to NYC

Author: Jesse Relkin

Publish Date: October 14, 2022

Last Modified Date: October 18, 2022

Category: Long Distance Moving Advice, Neighborhood Advice

Tags: Tags: cross-country move, hireahelper, how to do a long distance move, how to move to new york, l.a., la, long distance move, los angeles, movers, moving, moving from la to nyc, moving from los angeles to new york, moving to nyc, new york city, nyc, pods

Each year, 9.8% of Americans move—and a third of those relocate to a new state. So if you’re thinking about moving from Los Angeles to New York City, you’re in good company.

But before you ditch the idyllic temps and less-than-idyllic traffic of L.A. for the skyscrapers and snowstorms of NYC, there are some key details to think through:

How much does a cross-country move cost?
What exactly does a cross-country relocation entail?
What does it mean for your car?

As someone who grew up in L.A., I understand all of the amazing qualities of this sprawling city, but I also know why, after a while, you might want to try something new. After all, New York City is a big place, with 8 million people, 5 boroughs, and about 3,000 “best slice” spots. Here’s what I learned on my move.

From Coast to Coast: What You Need To Know When Moving from LA to NYC

As Frank Sinatra crooned, “If you can make it here, you’ll make it anywhere.” Of course, that implies it takes some fortitude to make it in NYC. (As a Los Angelino, you’ve already got that in spades.)

Here are a few key differences to consider between the two cities:

Transportation: Los Angeles is a driving-centric town; you must have your own vehicle in L.A. But the traffic is atrocious, and it takes so long to get anywhere that you really have to think hard before every RSVP. NYC is all about walking, but the subway is always there as a backup. Although the multicolored Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) map might seem daunting at first, you’ll quickly get to know your local route, and your knowledge from memorizing overnight switchovers and deciphering the conductor’s messages will only grow.
“The Vibe”: There might be some culture shock if you’re used to laid-back vibes. They say that New Yorkers are mean and rude and, well, some people are! But to be fair, you can find gruff people anywhere. Both cities offer diverse communities who will likely love to chat about their favorite brunch spots, fitness fads, and what they love or hate about their town.
Weather: Are you sure you want to give up the beach? OK, to be fair, you don’t exactly have to! NYC offers access to Coney Island, the Rockaways, and the Hamptons, providing a variety of beach escapes with different vibes. The big change is that you only get to enjoy NYC beaches for a few months out of the year. Then again, there’s something to be said for adding chic coats to your wardrobe.

What’s the cost of living in NYC vs. L.A.?

One thing that New Yorkers love to talk about is how much everything costs. So, let’s talk about money.

NYC has one of the nation’s highest median incomes: $87,745.

However, you should also consider that rising housing costs and the overall cost of living counteract some of those take-home benefits. One study shows that when today’s median household income is adjusted against county cost of living, New York County ranks very poorly: No. 3,105 in the U.S.

So, you can’t simply ask, “Is it cheaper to live in L.A. or NYC?” It’s important to really take into account your own lifestyle and the factors that might impact your take-home pay—everything from groceries to movie theater tickets. Both L.A. and NYC are unsurprisingly among the most expensive cities in the United States; L.A. ranks No. 7, Brooklyn comes in at No. 4, and Manhattan owns the dubious honor of No. 1.

See fast facts below, based on the latest findings from the Council for Community and Economic Research.

Typical Monthly Rent (across all rentals):
- Manhattan: $4,604
- Brooklyn: $3,532
- Los Angeles: $2,717
Median Home Value:
- Manhattan: $2.4M
- Brooklyn: $734,800
- Los Angeles: $670,700
Grocery Premiums:
- Manhattan: 44% above the national average
- Brooklyn: 11%
- Los Angeles: 26%
Transportation:
- Manhattan: 18% above the national average
- Brooklyn: 11%
- Los Angeles: 10%

Moving far away?

Do it cheaper.

HireAHelper.com can save you up to 40%, compared to traditional interstate van lines.

Compare our long distance moving company options.

Moving to “Post-COVID-19” NYC

A few things have changed about living in New York since 2020, several of which might inform a move to NYC.

One factor is that renters in NYC might need to pay broker fees again. These fees, which can range from one month’s rent to 15% of annual rent, were briefly prohibited in 2020. However, that is a “might”, because it’s possible to sort listings so that only no-fee apartments are displayed in your searches. In some cases, the amount itself may be negotiable, but this is something to discuss with a broker up-front.

“Consider that the 40-hour drive from LA to NYC takes about four days on average to complete—and that’s with an average vehicle, not a large moving truck.”

Another thing is that prices have steeply increased from the all-time lows of the pandemic. Not only are NYC prices rising, but it’s made bidding on apartments pretty fierce. Prospective renters might offer to pay over the asking rate, sign leases sight unseen, put down deposits in cash, and do other things that would’ve seemed crazy year ago. While competitive, you probably aren’t used to competition this fierce in LA.

How to ensure you get an apartment in NYC

What helps most is to know exactly what you’re looking for so that you know it when you see it, and that you’re ready to act.

Have all of your paperwork on hand so that you can apply for an apartment right away; typical documents include pay stubs (or similar proof of employment), records from the past year’s tax returns, and proof of the money that’s currently in your bank account (or other assets you hold).

The Mover’s Guide for How To Get From Here (L.A.) to There (NYC)

You’ve made your decision to pack up and head off to the opposite coast. Congrats! Now it’s time for the actual moving part. Although it’s impossible to provide one guide that will suit every situation, this at-a-glance overview offers useful and comprehensive tips for moving to NYC.

How to get your move out of L.A. started

It’s not really possible nowadays to simply decide you’re leaving today. Several experts recommend booking movers two months ahead of your trip, but this is a general rule. Given this is a long-distance move, you might want to start as far back as three months, especially if you’ll be moving during the busy summer season, which books up fast!

Pack now!

When a friend of mine moved to NYC recently, she started planning a few months out and felt pretty confident, but looking back, she says she could have benefitted from a little extra time to double-check everything, pack a little earlier and slower, and itemize and appraise some of her belongings. Case in point: a few of her boxes went missing. But she had difficulty holding her movers accountable — she wasn’t 100% certain about what specifically was lost because she’d marked them down broadly (i.e., “Kitchen”).

You need to look at NYC places well in advance

Unfortunately, housing inventory doesn’t show up online too far in advance of its availability in NYC. At best, you might see it listed a month early, but that might not feel like a lot of time to find somewhere to live, put in an application, and get everything in order while also planning your move.

“With moving containers, you pack all your stuff up and have it driven cross-country for you!”

Consider a temporary location, like an Airbnb

This is why some people find temporary places to stay at first or lease places without ever visiting them. If possible, schedule a weekend trip to NYC about a month ahead of your move and plan long days with back-to-back viewings until you find a place. For this to succeed, you might want to enlist a broker and develop a relationship so that they understand your needs.

Tips to make your NYC move-in day smoother

While moving days anywhere might have their little quirks depending on the city, here are some NYC-specific tips for the big day.

Check and double-check your apartment measurements

Many New York buildings are old (like remodeled tenements), and even new builds are often atypical in size and shape to make the most of limited square footage (Ever hear of “shoebox” apartments?). Measure:

Your doorways (they are not all standard)
Halls (especially corners)
Stairwells (plus, count the flights if it’s a walk-up)

Make sure you can actually get everything into your apartment before you put so much effort into moving your items to NYC!

For move-in, you might need to show your building proof that your movers are insured

This protects the building in the event that any damage occurs to stairwells, hallways, and the like so forth, during the move-in process. Professional moving companies are used to being asked about this, but it might cost a small fee to request a copy of their proof of insurance. (Tip: If the building doesn’t bring this up, don’t ask!)

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How to haul all your stuff to NYC

You have a few options for getting yourself (and all your belongings) to NYC:

Do-It-Yourself: Some people think the main advantage of DIY is saving money, but this may or may not be true depending on how you go about it. Consider that the 40-hour drive from LA to NYC takes about four days on average to complete — and that’s with an average vehicle, not a large moving truck. You’ll have to think about paying for gas across about 2,800 miles. And if you park at hotels and motels along the way, you’ll want to make sure your worldly belongings stay secure in your truck while you sleep.
All-In-One/Full-Service: Many people enjoy using moving services that do packing, move-out, transport, move-in, and unpacking (or some combination of those options). The obvious perk is convenience because it lets you focus on other aspects of the move. However, it’s important to find a company you trust, since they’re handling every element of your move.
Shipping Containers: A solution like PODS might be ideal for moving to NYC, because PODS gives you both storage and moving in one service, and you only have to load and unload one time. With moving containers, you pack all your stuff up and have it driven cross-country for you! Once your containers get to New York, you have the option to leave them in storage for as long as you need while you find a place to live and get yourself settled. Then, once you’re ready, you just book your container delivery and unload everything into your new place.

How much does it cost to move from L.A. to NYC?

First of all, give yourself time to price-shop! Do your research, compare prices, and don’t be afraid to bring other company quotes to places you prefer and ask them to match them.

And don’t assume all moving companies are the same. Some are definitely more trustworthy and experienced than others.

Remember my friend whose items got “lost” when moving to NYC? She later learned that other complaints about that company losing belongings were buried on Google. With a little more time spent, she would have turned those up before losing her entire jewelry box while trying to save a few bucks.

The great thing is that most websites offer free quotes based on your specific details. Here are a few quotes that I turned up for each of the options above using exact NYC addresses:

DIY (Rent and Drive a Truck Yourself): $179–$219 (per day, truck rental) + $1,088 (total gas, assuming an average moving truck’s MPG and current national gas price average as of September 2022)
Full-Service: $4,290–$7,280
Shipping Containers: $3,368–$4,420

The main takeaway is that while the DIY and shipping container options look a lot cheaper than full-service, when all is said and done, the final numbers may not be so far off from each other. It all depends on which company you use, whether or not you choose to drive, how long you take to drive if you choose to, and little add-ons like getting insurance, permits, or adding moving labor.

Rather than concentrate entirely on the price tag, decide what really works best for your move — then pursue the best company and a fair price.

What’s the best time of year to move to NYC?

Generally, it’s cheaper to move during winter months and holiday weekends when fewer people are moving and demand is lower.

Demand is highest during a few peak dates in New York City: June 1 or 15 and September 1 or 15.

On and around those dates, it’s more difficult to find movers and rental trucks. But in NYC, there’s more to consider. For example, if you move into a high-rise building, you’ll often need to reserve special parking spots for move-in trucks (loading zones), and you might need to reserve the building’s freight elevators for furniture and big boxes.

Parking slots can fill up on prime move-in days, meaning that even if your lease is starting on June 1, if you can’t reserve parking and elevators, you might need to bring some of your things on another day in order to meet the building’s move-in policies and codes. If you’re moving into a more relaxed building, these might not be concerns.

Remember, consider available apartment inventory. If you choose a month when fewer people are moving out, there might be fewer vacancies for you to choose from.

“…if you move into a high-rise building, you’ll often need to reserve special parking spots for move-in trucks…and you might need to reserve the building’s freight elevators for furniture and big boxes.”

Do I need a car in NYC?

This is a question that always gets asked, and there are, unfortunately, only three real answers:

Sell it. Some people have cars in NYC, but the hassle of parking it is typically not worth the convenience of having it. Renting spaces can be anywhere from $200–$500 per month, while street parking requires moving your car to alternate sides of the road almost every day to avoid getting a ticket.
Tow it. If you’re driving yourself across the country, you can easily tow your car behind the truck and bring it with you.
Drive it. If your belongings are being moved separately, you could take a nice, long road trip and see more of the U.S. Don’t forget to factor in today’s gas prices and your car’s mileage.

How much money should I save before moving to NYC?

It’s hard to give an exact number to save up before you make your move since that figure really depends on where you’re going and what your rent situation will be. But I can give you a list of factors that can help you come up with a number that makes sense.

You’ll need to have enough money to cover:

Moving costs (see above)
First month’s rent
Last month’s rent
Security deposit (which is typically equivalent to a month’s rent)
Tipping your movers: Make a good impression by tipping your doormen, movers, and anyone who helps you get settled. They will remember, and it will go a long way toward ensuring a more pleasant acclimation period.
Cabs/takeout/extras: When you move, you’ll be exhausted, and you’ll spend a few days ordering takeout and taking cars everywhere instead of walking. This is one of those rare times it really does help to throw money at the problem—pad your budget just enough.

All in all, you’re easily looking at ~$5,000+ estimate for moving from L.A. to NYC. That’s between a rental truck or moving service, first and last month’s rent, and other miscellaneous costs. (Even the most extreme DIY scenario will still net a couple grand in expenses.)

Of course, it’s always good to add some buffer in there to cover the extras that are sure to come up. Nothing makes you feel more like a New Yorker than a crazy curveball thrown at you at the moment you least expect it.

Hopefully, this advice helps you feel more confident about moving from L.A. to NYC. Now all you need to do is take the leap.

Illustrations by Meredith Miotke

Los Angeles Real Estate Guide 2021: Neighborhood by Neighborhood

Author: Alexis Rhiannon

Publish Date: August 5, 2021

Last Modified Date: September 1, 2021

Category: Buying & Selling a Home, Neighborhood Advice

Tags: Tags: 2021 real estate guide, affordable la housing, best la neighborhoods, brentwood, california, echo park, el sereno, hollywood, hollywood hills, hollywood homes, la, la homes, la homes to buy, la neighborhoods, lincoln heights, live in la, los angeles, los angeles calfornia, los angeles real estate, mar vista, moving, moving to ca, moving to california, moving to la, pacific palisades, real estate, silver lake, socal, socal homes, socal houses, studio city, west hollywood, wilshire park

Hello and welcome to another episode of “You Can Live Anywhere”! I’m your host, Alexis Rhiannon, a 30-something freelance writer who was reminded by the 2020 pandemic that she could do her job from literally anywhere with an internet connection.

Last time, I explored the absurdity that is the 2021 Portland housing market. This time, I’m putting together a home-buying guide for moving to Los Angeles.

As you may be aware, I already live in LA, but I currently rent a West Hollywood one-bedroom I’ve lived in with my boyfriend for just two-and-a-half years. During that time, we’ve already paid $53,400 in rent, a number that’s breaking my brain as efficiently as it’s pushing me toward the goal of homeownership. I figured I’d see what the real estate landscape is like right here where I’m already living, and where plenty of people are looking right now.

An Overview of the Los Angeles Real Estate Market in 2021

I reached out to Jeffrey Saad, a real estate agent with two decades of experience, a professional chef and host of The Cooking Channel’s “United Tastes of America”, and an extremely generous resource.

He was kind enough to (virtually) walk me through LA’s hottest neighborhoods, including the always-popular classics and some surprising up-and-coming neighborhoods. I also got a snapshot of pricing for Summer 2021, and beyond.

Some facts about the 2021 LA real-estate market:

The Los Angeles area covers a whopping 490 square miles of real estate, which is a huge chunk of property to try to get your brain around—Saad has been at it for twenty years and says he’s still learning new things about it
Los Angeles has about a month and a half of inventory right now, which means that if properties stopped hitting the market today, there’d be nothing to sell in about six weeks. (As a reminder, six months of inventory is considered a balance between a buyer’s and seller’s market, so the LA market remains strongly tilted toward sellers)
That number is still slightly better than Portland’s jaw-dropping .45 months of inventory, as LA properties are spending a bit more time on the market; Los Angeles properties spend 65 days on the market, on average
We’re likely to be living in this dip for a while, as there’s very little new construction right now; Saad tells us it’s hard for builders to even turn a profit these days

But don’t let those facts and figures get you down! Saad also notes that for as expensive and competitive as the LA market may seem right now, it’s still a great value among the titan cities.

The average cost per square foot in the San Francisco and New York areas is right around $2,000, which leaves LA sitting pretty at about $1,000 per square foot.

“Los Angeles properties spend 65 days on the market, on average.”

Sure, that sounds incredibly high, but again, this is a sprawling tract of land we’re talking about. High-end stuff skews the numbers big time, which means there might be a spot for you in the LA sun.

To help you out, I’ll break the numbers down for you in some of the best areas.

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Where People Want to Live in Los Angeles in 2021

When I examined the prices of Portland homes in 2021, I listed neighborhoods by the average amount of days on the market per town, as well as the average buy and sell price in 2021. That made sense for Portland because, well, it’s basically three times as hectic as the LA market.

Because homes are sitting on the LA market for longer, and because the sprawl of LA is so large it strongly impacts averages (with the higher-market stuff frequently seeing price drops before selling, which isn’t often reflected in the data), we decided to break down the list price per square foot, which is more useful of a metric for Los Angeles.

Pacific Palisades

Median List Price: $5,787,500

Price Per Square Foot: $1,230

Nestled between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean is what Saad calls the “crown jewel” of the LA market.

You’ve got your beach access, you’ve got your picturesque hiking and biking trails, you’ve got your breathtaking views in every direction, and you’ve got your multi-million-dollar homes to match. Almost entirely residential, the Pacific Palisades features large private homes popular with wealthy families and outdoorsy folks alike. And while it’s not an area I see in my future, it’s been at the top of a lot of lists for a while now. It seems destined to stay there.

Brentwood

Median List Price: $5,675,000

Per Square Foot: $1,221

A quick journey east and slightly north from the coastline brings you to Brentwood, another affluent enclave and sought-after ZIP Code.

Prices are very similar to Pacific Palisades, but the texture of the neighborhood is slightly different. Brentwood is still a quiet community, with tree-lined streets stretching up into the hills, but it also features some restaurants and boutiques where you might just spot one of the area’s many celebrity residents.

Mar Vista

Median List Price: $1,599,500

Per Square Foot: $1,021

Southeast from Brentwood, but still solidly on the westside, is Mar Vista—the first of these neighborhoods I could actually imagine a working millennial like myself living in (were I absolutely stacked with cash, that is). Saad referred to it as “the new Venice,” noting that the area just west of the 405 is “on fire” right now.

Of late in 2021, the community has become popular with 30-somethings like myself, drawn there by the nearby beaches, an excellent park, and trendy cocktail and dessert establishments.

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West Hollywood / Hollywood Hills

Median List Price: $2,608,125

Per Square Foot: $1,045

Saad warned me when I started this project that LA is one of the most dynamic and difficult-to-define markets out there, and the West Hollywood/Hollywood Hills area is the perfect example.

This area stretches across four separate ZIP Codes (!) and contains everything from the coveted Bird Streets, to my own humble one-bedroom in the rapidly-shrinking Little Odessa area. Clearly, it’s hard to make generalizations. But West Hollywood is generally pretty popular with young industry professionals and artists, and it features progressive politics, popular restaurants and shopping, and an intimidatingly hot nightlife.

Studio City

Median List Price: $2,547,499

Per Square Foot: $833

We’re going to continue marching eastward, but first, we’re jaunting further north to Studio City in the San Fernando Valley—basically just across Laurel Canyon, from where we just were above.

Saad said this neighborhood is hot now, has always been hot, and is going to stay hot. It roughly offers a 50% discount on regular LA rates, if you’re willing to add an extra 20 to 30 minutes to your commute. Not a bad deal, when you consider all it has to offer: suburban quiet with gorgeous views, surprisingly varied eateries, and the lowest price per square foot we’ve seen yet (but as these things go, probably not for long).

Sherman Oaks / Encino / Tarzana

Median List Price: $2,512,000

Per Square Foot: $691

No, your eyes don’t deceive you! This is three whole neighborhoods; a huge swath of land just east of Studio City. But Saad lumped them together for our conversation to prove a point. When you’re predicting the movement of the market through Los Angeles, there are only two ways you can realistically go at this point: east or north.

As prices rise literally everywhere, further out neighborhoods are going to start rising with the tide, and Sherman Oaks, Encino and Tarzana are certainly a part of this trend. Saad is even seeing prices rising in Valley Village, an area bordered by freeways that had previously stayed below the radar. (This might be a good place to buy right now, if you have a chunk of change lying around.)

Silver Lake

Median List Price: $1,369,500

Per Square Foot: $784

Skip back across the hills and continue east, and you’ll hit Silver Lake, an exceedingly cool-kid neighborhood that’s really having a moment right now. (I feel like people ask about LA neighborhoods as compared with New York City neighborhoods all the time, and this is basically your Williamsburg.) Young, hip celebrities get spotted here all the time, and there are funky coffee shops, chic thrift stores, and restaurants I follow on Instagram as far as the eye can see.

Echo Park

Median List Price: $1,319,000

Per Square Foot: $693

Nudged up against Silver Lake, Echo Park is architecturally and scenically quite similar to its slightly bougier cousin to the west. (This is a fact you see reflected in the price per square foot.) The area has a great nightlife, with popular wine bars and music venues, and it basically has the vibe of being a great place to bring a date—or to bring yourself every day, because you own a house there.

Lincoln Heights

Median List Price: $862,500

Per Square Foot: $746

Okay here’s where I really want you taking notes, because this feels like one of those realtor scoops everyone’s always chasing. In the same way that Echo Park is the new Silver Lake, Saad says that Lincoln Heights is the new Echo Park (in the good ways and the bad).

As one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, the area is steeped in history, with lovely old buildings and tight-knit neighborhoods. But while populations currently skew young and diverse, those statistics are likely to shift again as the area gains popularity and the long-time residents get priced out.

El Sereno

Median List Price: $798,000

Per Square Foot: $623

Right next to Lincoln Heights is another up-and-comer, coming in at the lowest price per square foot on this entire list. El Sereno is currently a largely Latinx neighborhood with a long and storied history and a quick commute to downtown Los Angeles—which you should shorten to “DTLA” if you want to Blend In™. El Sereno also has many affordable (and delicious) restaurants.

Wilshire Park

Median List Price: $2,795,000

Per Square Foot: $888

We’re jumping elsewhere on the map now, letting DTLA slingshot us back west to a compact little neighborhood in Central Los Angeles known as Wilshire Park.

It’s an area inhabited mostly by renters, but its high walkability score makes it an appealing destination for buyers as well. Saad spoke of the area’s cool, old architecture—specifically colonial revival—and emphasized the size of the houses in particular: “It’s a lot of home for the money,” he told me. “Big homes on big lots.”

Los Angeles is—in a nutshell—a pricey place with a lot of options that have a lot of personality.

My personal takeaway from this list is that Los Angeles is probably not where I’m ultimately going to buy—at least not now. But it does hold some pretty undeniable opportunities and amenities for those who are super-wealthy (I mean, let’s be honest), or for those looking for a new investment property. I wish you all the best as I continue my personal search.

How Much Does It Cost To Move to California in 2021?

Author: Casey Bond

Publish Date: July 16, 2021

Last Modified Date: February 11, 2022

Category: Local Moving, Long Distance Moving Advice, Money Saving

Tags: Tags: 2021, 2021 moving, 2021 moving costs, 2021 moving study, average moving cost, bay area, california, cheap movers, cheap moving, el darado hills, la, los angeles, movers, moving, moving costs, moving data, moving prices, oceanside, san diego, san francisco, san jose

California has a lot to offer its residents: beautiful people and beaches, famous attractions, and yearlong sunshine. It’s no wonder people pay a premium to live there (overall, California has the fourth-highest cost of living, behind Hawaii, Washington D.C., and New York).

But how much does moving and living in California cost? Below are moving and price of living costs based on thousands of moves booked through HireAHelper and their affiliates*.

California Moving Costs in 2021

Avg. Cost of a California Move (Labor-only) – $465

Avg. Cost of a California Move (Movers + Truck) – $949

Avg. Cost of a Long-Distance Move w/ CA Destination – $5,600

The average cost of a cross-country move to California is $5,600 according to Unpakt. A long-distance move to California varies wildly in cost, measured by both distance and size of move. You can expect anywhere between $2,000 from a state over, to over $10,000 to move multiple bedrooms from New York City to California. (See how much we can save you.)

Avg. Time and Distance of a California Move – 3 Hours

Avg. Distance of a California Move – 58 Miles

The average length of time of a move that features an origin, destination, or both within California is three hours, while the average distance traveled is just under 58 miles. (Most moves are local.)

How Do These Figures Compare to Other States?

$67 higher, on avg.

The average cost of Californian moving labor services is higher by $67.17, compared to the U.S. as a whole.

Across all move types and services, it costs $397.83 to move locally anywhere within the country, on average.

The national average timeframe for moving is also three hours, and items are transported an average of 36 miles. What service you order for your move makes a difference, though.

The Current State of Moving to California in 2021

The previous year (2020) was a big one for moving, thanks in large part to COVID-19. Last year, a quarter of Americans who moved did so because of the pandemic.

With massive business shutdowns, millions of Americans found themselves out of work. In California alone, 2.7 million jobs were wiped out between March and April of 2020. That meant people downsized their living situations to account for decreased income and to absorb new pandemic-era expenses. According to one HireAHelper poll, about 35% of people in the U.S. who moved due to the pandemic cited financial hardship as their main reason for moving.

Millions of people also shifted to remote work—many of whom also had to juggle childcare and remote learning on top of their jobs. While this came with new financial challenges, it also presented the newfound flexibility to move away from major cities where physical offices were located to lower cost-of-living towns, which negatively impacted California’s typical business appeal.

Not too surprisingly, California lost more residents than it gained last year. That’s likely due to its higher tax burden and cost of living in general. Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Jose were the cities that lost the most residents in California. This is not a coincidence; they’re also among the cities with the highest costs of living—not just in California, but the whole country.

In San Francisco, for instance, median home prices are above $1.4 million. A family of four would need $111,136 in household income just to get by.

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More 2021 California Moving Stats

Avg. Cost of a Local California Move, by Moving Service

Given multiple moving options available to you, there are many pros and cons to each, including the price. The average California moving service costs in 2021 were as follows:

Transportation Type	Avg. Labor Cost	Avg. Transportation Cost	Total Cost
Container	$461	$2,762	$3,223
Truck	$478	$345	$823
Freight Trailer	$574	$1,500*	$2,074**

**Expressed as a national average, as state-specific data is not available.

Avg. Cost of Labor-Only Moving Services in California by Job Type

Hiring labor-only saves people money, but which end of the move you hire for statistically makes a difference. The average cost of moving services by job type versus the U.S. average is as follows:

	U.S. Average	CA Average
Moving on-site only	$309	$328
Moves with only unloading help	$343	$451
Moves with only loading help	$396	$461
Full move w/ both loading and unloading booked together	$573	$727

**Least Expensive Long-Distance Move (50+ Miles) in California by Origin/Destination* City (Avg.)**

City	Average Move Cost
Chula Vista, CA	$516
Burbank, CA	$531
Panorama City, CA	$637
Santa Ana, CA	$648
Vista, CA	$672

**Most Expensive Long-Distance Move (50+ Miles) in California by Origin/Destination* City (Avg.)**

City	Average Move Cost
San Jose, CA	$1,288
Sacramento, CA	$1,252
Fremont, CA	$1,129
Hayward, CA	$1,109
Long Beach, CA	$1,056

*California moves in the above graphs are calculated using booked moves where the origin city, destination city, or both reside within California and are at least 50 miles apart.

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Which Cities in California Are Growing and Shrinking?

Most popular Californian city by population net-gain ratio – El Dorado Hills, CA

This is a rural town just over 20 miles east of the state’s capital, Sacramento, CA.

Least popular Californian city by population net-loss ratio – San Jose, CA

As a major tech hub, it makes sense that workers in the Bay Area, who now have the ability to work from home, might be migrating to states and cities with a cheaper cost of living.

Most Affordable Calfornia Cities (by Median Home Value and Household Income)

Here’s a closer look at how seven of the most affordable cities’ income and housing numbers compare to the state average, according to various sources, including Cost of Living Index and U.S. Census data available as of 2021*.

	Median Home Value	Median Household Income
Bakersfield	$214,600	$63,139
Chico	$286,700	$45,337
Clovis	$284,200	$68,682
Eureka	$249,300	$39,720
Oxnard	$390,000	$64,837
Redlands	$350,900	$68,956
Temecula	$394,600	$87,115
Vacaville	$354,600	$77,807
California Avg.	$578,267	$80,440

*Based on 2020 Census data expressed in 2019 dollars (2020-21 Census data releases in September 2021)

Cost of Moving WITHIN California (NorCal Versus SoCal)

Contrary to popular belief, not everything’s more expensive in SoCal versus NorCal. When comparing the cost of moving in Northern California versus Southern California, there’s virtually no statistical difference. Moving labor costs are roughly $443 in both regions, on average.

That said, Southern California is home to the most expensive city for moving in the entire country: Riverside. On average, state moves originating in Riverside totaled $538, more than anywhere else.

Least Expensive Moves in California by Origin City (Avg.)

City	Average Move Cost	Region
Oceanside, CA	$383	SoCal
Long Beach, CA	$395	SoCal
Huntington Beach, CA	$402	SoCal
Roseville, CA	$414	NorCal
San Diego, CA	$415	SoCal
Sacramento, CA	$423	NorCal
San Francisco, CA	$432	NorCal

Most Expensive Moves in California by Origin City (Avg.)

City	Average Move Cost	Region
Riverside, CA	$538	SoCal
Oakland, CA	$487	NorCal
Santa Monica, CA	$487	SoCal
Carlsbad, CA	$477	SoCal
San Jose, CA	$457	NorCal
Los Angeles, CA	$454	SoCal
Irvine, CA	$437	SoCal

What Are California’s 2021 Tax Rates?

The costs of moving to and within California aren’t just about hiring movers, buying packing supplies, or renting self storage. Your purchases are also subject to income tax, which average particularly high in California, as compared to other states. (And if you’re coming from another state, there could be higher long-term costs of living by moving to California in the form of income taxes.)

Below is a breakdown of California tax rates.

Sales taxes in California include:

California sales tax rate: 7.25% (highest in the U.S.)
Average local sales tax rate: 1.43%
California gasoline tax rate: 60.6¢
California cigarette tax rate: $2.87 (per 20-pack)

California income tax rates are as follows:

$1,000,000+$1,000,000+13.30%

Taxable Income
Single	Married Filing Jointly	Married Filing Sep.	Head of Household	Tax Rate
$0 – $8,809	$0 – $17,618	$0 – $8,809	$0 – $17,629	1.00%
$8,809 – $20,883	$17,618 – $41,766	$8,809 – $20,883	$17,629 – $41,768	2.00%
$20,883 – $32,960	$41,766 – $65,920	$20,883 – $32,960	$41,768 – $53,843	4.00%
$32,960 – $45,753	$65,920 – $91,506	$32,960 – $45,753	$53,843 – $66,636	6.00%
$45,753 – $57,824	$91,506 – $115,648	$45,753 – $57,824	$66,636 – $78,710	8.00%
$57,824 – $295,373	$115,648 – $590,746	$57,824 – $295,373	$78,710 – $401,705	9.30%
$295,373 – $354,445	$590,746 – $708,890	$295,373 – $354,445	$401,705 – $482,047	10.30%
$354,445 – $590,742	$708,890 – $1,181,484	$354,445 – $590,742	$482,047 – $803,410	11.30%
$590,742 – $999,999	$1,181,484 – $1,999,999	$590,742 – $999,999	$803,410 – $999,999	12.30%
$1,000,000+	$2,000,000+	$1,000,000+	13.30%

If you’re considering moving to California, carefully consider the city’s cost of living compared to your salary. Even if you’re moving for a job, it may not be necessary to relocate to one of the big, expensive cities listed above. There are plenty of smaller, more affordable California cities—which aren’t necessarily in the middle of nowhere—including Eureka, Oxnard, Redlands, and Temecula.

And, when you’re ready to book movers in California, use our moving calculator to understand what your own unique moving costs might be.

*Unless otherwise indicated, the previous statistics are based on thousands of moves carried out by the halfway point of 2021. These data points are calculations of average and median costs of “labor-only” and/or “Mover + Truck” moving services booked through HireAHelper.com, as well as “Long Distance Move” moving services from MovingPlace.com, and may also include additional related moving data from industry partners and affiliates collected between 2020 and 2021.

Illustrations by Naomi Ann Clarke

How to Orchestrate a New York to Los Angeles Move in 28 Days Flat

Author: Alexis Rhiannon

Publish Date: February 5, 2021

Last Modified Date: September 23, 2021

Category: Long Distance Moving Advice

Tags: Tags: apartment hunting, california, cheap movers, coast to coast, cross-country move, hireahelper, la, la apartment, long distance move, long distance movers, los angeles, los angeles apartment, movers, moving coasts, moving truck, new york, new york apartment, new york city, nyc

In February 2019 I’d been living in New York for a decade. I had vague, hazy plans to consider a move to the west coast in the next three to five years, but had done zero planning about how to make that happen.

Then, on the first of the month, my boyfriend was offered his dream job in Los Angeles, with a proposed start date of March 1st. That gave us just four weeks to break our lease, pack up our entire lives, make the cross-country move, and find an apartment in an unfamiliar city. Yikes.

Where do I even start with my whirlwind NYC to LA move?

It was an intimidating proposition, made even more so by the fact that I couldn’t find any published resources to help guide the way. Luckily, my partner and I are both writers and performers, so there were a lot of people in our community who’d made that same move. (It’s super common for creatives on one coast to get cast or staffed on a show on the other, and have just weeks or even days to show up on site.)

Through a combination of their recommendations and my own frantic research, I was able to cobble together a plan for how to do the long distance move from NYC to LA that went off without a hitch… and then I wrote it all down.

Month 1: Leaving New York

Day 1: Book your movers ASAP (they get booked fast)

Your very first call should be to a moving company, because long-distance mover slots book up lightning fast. Come in with as wide a range of possible moving dates as you can—shoot for three to five days—that flexibility will make it more likely that you’ll be able to snag your first choice.

Our first choice was a business called Oz Moving & Storage, a company offering residential, commercial, and long-distance moves in three states: New York, New Jersey, and California. (But of course, you can check a mover marketplace like HireAHelper.com to find a company that works for you.) Not only did Oz come highly recommended by friends who’d used them, but the company offered a service that seemed tailor-made for our situation: the ability to book without an existing address on the LA end, plus 30 days of free storage.

Oz quoted me a price of $1954.59 to move our one-bedroom just under 3,000 miles (this is not a bad deal for a coast to coast move), and I put down my $50 deposit to reserve an appointment. Then I moved on to the next item on my list, ready to build out the rest of my schedule around that tentpole.

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Day 1-5: Get your plane ticket

Now that your stuff has a way to get to LA, you should probably find a way to get your body there as well.

We’d toyed with the idea of driving for our cross-country move, but ultimately opted to fly so we’d have more time to apartment hunt on the other end. Also, like most New Yorkers, we didn’t have a car, which both complicated and eased our travel arrangements.

Once we’d booked a flight—scheduling it for well into the afternoon, since our movers were set to arrive in the morning—we looked for a short term Airbnb in LA. We booked an affordable spot for five days up front, and confirmed with our host that she’d be open to us extending our stay if we didn’t find an apartment during that time.

Day 1-5: (Gently) break your lease

Ideally, your lease is ending organically, or you’re in a month-to-month situation, but if you’re not and don’t want to pay a penalty, your best bet is to drop the news on your landlord as soon as possible. The sooner the unit is filled after your departure, the less likely it is that you’ll have to pay any kind of penalty for bailing out early. In our case, avoiding getting dinged came down to flexibility… and a tremendous amount of luck.

“Your very first call should be to a moving company, because long-distance mover slots book up lightning fast.”

Moments after we spoke to our landlord, he ran into our downstairs neighbor, who happened to have a friend looking for a spot. She shot some video of our space, and he asked if he could come by to view the place before a scheduled trip took him out of town. He committed to taking the place on the spot.

With a move-in date of March 1st, the apartment wouldn’t sit empty for a single day, so we didn’t have to pay a penalty, and got back every dollar of our deposit. Phew!

Day 5-infinity: Spend as much time as you want apartment-browsing online, but don’t sign anything

You’ll notice that I haven’t said anything about trying to lock down an apartment in advance, and the reason for that is —I didn’t do it, and I don’t want you to either.

Here’s why: for those of us who have lived in New York City for any length of time, the rental market has broken our brains. This is a fact. But the Los Angeles market isn’t nearly as competitive, so signing an LA lease sight unseen is setting yourself up for a scam or a disappointment.

For example, one of my friends lined up a gorgeous one-bedroom in advance, only to discover a cockroach infestation that necessitated a quick move-out. I was also shown quite a few listings that were priced higher online than the number I was quoted in person. It seems many agencies are well aware that out-of-towners are eager to get everything nailed down in advance, and some take advantage by increasing the rent on online listings to see what they can get away with!

Also, final note: the LA apartment we ended up renting was one I’d seen a listing for in advance and hadn’t even bothered saving. But I had a totally different reaction when I saw it in person, so please don’t stress too hard if you’re not seeing anything that grabs you.

Day 10: Sell any big-ticket items you’re not in love with

The price of a long-distance move has everything to do with the amount of boxes and larger furniture pieces you’re bringing, so make your choices wisely. Anything that doesn’t fall into the must-have category can go up on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, where the profits from its sale can go toward your moving costs.

Neither of us was completely enamored with our couch, so we sold it in New York — for almost as much as it had cost in the first place. And since we had a connection to the guy who was moving into our place, I took photos and wrote detailed descriptions of all the furniture we weren’t bringing with us, in hopes he might want to buy some of it. It was a time-consuming process, but the new tenant wound up wanting almost all of it! He Venmoed us $1,100 for the pieces he was interested in, which made it well worth the effort.

Day 14: Start packing up your New York apartment

My personal feeling is it’s never too early to start packing, but I’d say make sure you’ve begun in earnest by the time your move date is two weeks out. Don’t seal up the boxes until Day 25 or so, but you can start filling them now with items you don’t use on a regular basis, making sure to label the boxes carefully and avoid overloading them.

Day 28: Bring your freaking sheets with you

Since we’d have to go without the majority of our stuff for weeks as we waited for the rest of our stuff to arrive, I made sure to leave space for daily items in our checked luggage. For us, that list included a few kitchen supplies, toiletries, our electronics, and was missing one big item: bed linens.

We’d always planned to purchase an air mattress before our first night in our new apartment, but for some reason, we hadn’t considered what we’d sleep under. We spent a few embarrassing, shivery nights swaddled in coats and towels before a lovely friend took pity on us and brought over some sheets, pillows, and a comforter.

Month 2: Okay, You’re in LA. Now What?

Congratulations! Your feet are on the ground in Los Angeles, and the settling in has begun. (This is the easy part, I promise.)

Day 1-5: Stretch your apartment-hunting legs (literally)

The advice we heard over and over again was simple: walk the streets looking for “FOR RENT” signs. Once you find one, call the number listed and cross your fingers you get to talk to a real person, who will either schedule an appointment or come show you the place right then.

“To get a moving permit, Los Angeles City residents can call (213) 485-2298 with at least five days’ notice—be prepared to pay around $50.”

We got started in West Hollywood, because it was walkable to my boyfriend’s new job, and set our sights on a one-bedroom for $2,000 or less. I’d learned from my research that that would be a tough ask, and one agent actually laughed in our faces as she showed us a unit, but I figured we could afford to be a little picky since this was our first day looking. That mindset paid off when just down the block from that giggly agent, we found the perfect spot on our very first day looking: an adorable one-bedroom for just $1,750.

We applied on the spot and were approved, our new building manager eyeing us nervously as we sweatily raced through the application, desperate to protect this apartment from the hordes of prospective renters we were certain were on our tail. (We saw no one all day, our brains are very sick.)

Day 5: Give your address to your moving company

Once you have keys in hand, it’s time to inform the moving company (or whoever you’re storing your stuff with) of your new address, which in our case also triggered the next phase of our move. Oz would be moving our boxes from New York storage and onto the truck any day now, which opened a 14-day window during which we could expect to receive our items.

Day 15: Get a moving permit, ideally for the correct city

As the time got closer, we heard from Oz again, with informative emails narrowing down the delivery window to a certain day, and noting that we’d likely need a moving permit.

To get a moving permit, Los Angeles City residents can call (213) 485-2298 with at least five days’ notice—be prepared to pay around $50. (For West Hollywood residents, the number is (323) 848-6392, and charges start at $10 and go up to $35 depending on the specifics of your move.)

Just for fun, try knowing what city you live in before you get a permit. I called LA instead of WeHo, and they got all the way out to our block before realizing that we were outside the LA City limits. They refunded my money, but I had to start over with WeHo with not enough time before the deadline, which was nice and stressful. (Thankfully, everything ultimately worked out.)

Day 15: Ask your landlord whether your new building requires a Certificate of Insurance (COI)

This was a new concept to me. Oz noted in an email that if our building required one, they’d be happy to provide it, but that didn’t turn out to be necessary at our location.

apartment fridge — I wish my fridge looked this cool.

Day 15: Be aware that for some bizarre reason, your apartment might not come with a fridge

I know. This is a very weird one. Our apartment did come with a fridge. And we were warned that plenty don’t. If yours doesn’t, don’t worry—there’s apparently a thriving market for secondhand fridges in and around LA. If you need one, consider planning its arrival for the day the rest of your stuff arrives, so you don’t have to lug it into your apartment solo. (Remembering to check with your movers to make sure that’s an okay task to add, of course.)

Day 366: Note that your lease will likely transition to month-to-month after a year

Apparently, this is the case in other cities as well, but since I’d been in a rent-stabilized unit for most of my time in New York, I wasn’t aware. After your first year in many LA apartments, your lease will switch over to a month-to-month situation.

And that’s a wrap on that—you’re officially an Angeleno! Who knows if the time will ever come when I need to attempt this long distance move in reverse, but if it does, I feel much more prepared now than I did the first time around.

Moving to New York City instead? Check out our guide.

2020 Study: Where Are Americans From, State by State, City by City?

Author: Volodymyr Kupriyanov

Publish Date: December 6, 2020

Last Modified Date: September 16, 2021

Category: Moving Advice

Tags: Tags: born and raised, california, la, long distance moving, los angeles, michigan, movers, moving, new york, nyc, out of state, population, texas, us, us born

Key findings:

Homebodies of Michigan: 77% of people living in Michigan were born there
Only 25% of people living in Nevada were born in Nevada, 19% were born in California
14% of the Oregonian population are actually from California
People born in New York state account for 8% of Florida’s population
A quarter (25%) of Miami residents are from Cuba
52% of New Yorkers were born outside the state of New York
28% of Miami residents who were born elsewhere are under 24

Americans move around a lot. Less than in years and decades, as we’ve noted in our studies, but millions of Americans move every year.

Whether it’s chasing dreams in New York City or LA, chasing the sun in Phoenix or Miami, or craving a change of pace in Seattle or Austin – many of us end up living in places far from places where we were born.

In this post, we look at the U.S. states and cities to see where their residents are from. Which cities have the most diverse populations? Which states the most residents from neighboring states, and which are top destinations for expats from overseas?

Read on below to find out.

Born and Raised: Proud ‘Michiganers’ and More

Before we get into the cities, let’s have a quick look at the states. For most states, it is true that the lion’s share of the population was born in that state. The state that houses the highest percentage of its original residents is Michigan, with 77%. The lowest? It’s Nevada, where only 25% of the current population were born in Nevada.

Interestingly enough, it’s these states in the Midwest and around the Great Lakes that have the highest proportion of people born in them who still live there. Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin—over 70% of people living in these states never left them.

The curious exception to this rule is Louisiana, where only 24% of the population were born outside the Bayou State.

New Yorkers in California, Californians in Texas

Things get more interesting when we look at the people born outside the states they live in.

California might be a dream destination for many people in the U.S. and beyond, but boy do Californians get around. Not only were 19% of Nevada’s residents born in the Golden State, so were 14% inside Oregon, 10% in Idaho, and 9% in the state of Washington. Even 3% of all Texans were born in California.

“…it’s these states in the Midwest and around the Great Lakes that have the highest proportion of people born in them who still live there: Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin—over 70% of people living in these states never left them.”

But it’s not just Californians that like to settle outside their home state. New Yorkers have been up and down the East Coast: 11% of people in the neighboring New Jersey were born in the Empire State, as were 10% of those living in Connecticut, 8% of those in Florida. Enough New Yorkers have made it to the West Coast that 2% of California’s population are from New York, making it the largest out-of-state diaspora in the state.

Elsewhere, born-and-bred Texans, regardless of whether they were born in Dallas or San Antonio, have a strong presence in the four states Texas borders, just like those from the state of Illinois, who successfully settled just outside the border of their own state.

Breaking Down Cities: Where Are New Yorkers Actually From?

Now that we’ve looked at the states, let’s turn to the cities. We looked at ten of the biggest cities across the country to get a sense of just how many people from all over the country and the world they bring together.

Looking at the most obvious example of a global metropolis that is New York City, you might be surprised to find out that 48% of people living in NYC are from the state of New York, with the total share of U.S.-born population at 59%.

About 15% of New York City residents are from other countries in North America—DR and Jamaica being top countries representing the regions, while 12% are from Asia with 4.4% from China.

Just under 7% of New Yorkers were born in Europe, and there’s a clear Slavic bias there with three of the top four countries being Russia, Ukraine, and Poland.

We Love LA!

Across the country on the West Coast, the picture for Los Angeles is both different and similar to that of NYC. The overwhelming majority of the LA residents are American-born (62%), with 45% being born in the Golden State itself.

However, the breakdown of overseas residents is entirely different. Where New York is dominated by the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, more people in LA hail from Mexico and El Salvador. Where most Asian-born New Yorkers are from China, in Los Angeles, they originate from the Philippines and Korea.

The share of European expats in LA is half that of New York City – only 3.5% – with the biggest diaspora hailing from Armenia.

Miami, the Melting Pot City

The one big city with a starkly different picture of its population is Miami, FL. Not only do as many as 44% of its residents come from abroad, a quarter of them (25%) hail from Cuba.

“The state that houses the highest percentage of its original residents is Michigan, with 77%. The lowest? It’s Nevada, where only 25% of the current population were born in Nevada.”

Slightly more (28%) were born in Florida itself, with a share of all American-born residents at 41%. Where South American-born residents were much more of a rarity in the likes of NYC and LA, as many as one in ten people in Miami were born on that continent.

Expats from Europe make up 3% of Miami’s population, but note that most Europeans in Miami are from Spain. Asian-born residents barely register 1%.

Check our interactive chart below to find out how the population of other big US cities breaks down by their place of birth.

What Age to Move

Miami’s Cuban heritage isn’t the only thing that makes it stand out. Unlike many of the biggest cities in the United States, over a quarter of people moving there (28%) are in their teens and early twenties.

For cities like Boston, DC, and Philadelphia, the majority of people (over 50%) who were born elsewhere are Millennials, i.e., those who in 2020 are between the ages of 29 and 34.

Surprisingly enough, out-of-state movers to NYC, San Francisco, LA are overwhelmingly in their forties and early fifties.

Nearly 93% of people who moved to LA from outside of California were Gen X’ers, as are 83% of people in San Francisco. For New York City, Gen X’ers accounted for almost two-thirds (65%) of all residents born out-of-state.

These stats mean one of two things: either people who have moved to these cities moved a long time ago, or that people are moving to these cities when they’re much older and have the means to do it. Either way, it’s either a sign of trends changing or these big cities becoming increasingly unaffordable for young people to move into.

For better or for worse, most people across the United States tend to stay put and never leave their state. However, for all those homebodies, there are plenty of those who seek their fortunes elsewhere: all those New Yorkers in California, Cubans in Miami, Russians in New York City, and Californians in Texas.

Methodology

All the percentages, graphs, maps, and visualizations are based on the data from the American Community Survey – a Census Bureau survey reaching around 170,000 Americans each year – for the years 2014 through 2019 (latest year available) detailing the place of birth and the place of residence of survey participants.

Illustrations by Daniel Fishel

5 Things to Ask Before You Move Into a City Apartment

Author: Kevin The Mover

Publish Date: February 7, 2017

Last Modified Date: September 13, 2021

Category: Loading & Unloading Guides, Moving Day

Tags: Tags: 5 things, apartment hunting, atlanta, boston, boxes, cheap movers, chicago, city, detroit, dumpster, free boxes, hah, hireahelper, houston, insurance, kevin, la, las vegas, lists, los angeles, miami, movers insurance, moving, new york, nyc, san diego, san francisco, st.louis, stairs

So you’re all set to move into your new downtown apartment! Congratulations! You’ve got your life loaded up and your old life is in the rear view mirror of a U-Haul. Nothing to do now but set up the new pad and get your new life in the city rolling!

Wait!

There’s more to moving into a new apartment building than just picking up your key and having your buddy hold the elevator. City buildings likely come with a whole list of rules and regulations for moving in, so whether you are moving by yourself or hiring movers to do it for you, it’s wise to contact your building manager ahead of time for the complete run-down. With that in mind, here’s a list of five questions that should top your moving day FAQ.

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California Moving Costs in 2023

How Do These Figures Compare to Other States?

“Contrary to popular belief, not everything’s more expensive in SoCal versus NorCal. When comparing the cost of moving in Northern California versus Southern California, there’s virtually no statistical difference. Moving labor costs are roughly $443 in both regions, on average.”

The Current State of Moving to California in 2023

More 2023 California Moving Stats

**Expressed as a national average, as state-specific data is not available.

Avg. Cost of Labor-Only Moving Services in California by Job Type

Top 5 Least Expensive Cities for Moves Within California (Labor-Only)

Top 5 Most Expensive Cities for Moves Within California (Labor-Only)

California moves in the above graphs are calculated using booked moves where the origin city, destination city, or both reside within California and are at least 50 miles apart.

Which Cities in California Are Growing and Shrinking?

Californian City With the Greatest Population Increase*** – Santa Cruz, CA (+12.5%)

Californian City With the Greatest Population Loss*** – Livermore, CA (-2%)

***Based on population increase or decrease between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Most Affordable California Cities (Based on Cost of Living)

Sources: Average home values are based on Zillow data and median household incomes are based on U.S. Census data (expressed in 2021 dollars) available as of June 2022.

Cost of Moving Within California (NorCal Versus SoCal)

Least Expensive Moves in California by Origin City (Avg.)

Most Expensive Moves in California by Origin City (Avg.)

What Are California’s 2023 Tax Rates?

Source: H&R Block

Illustrations by Naomi Ann Clarke

Hiring Los Angeles Movers

Los Angeles Moving Options

Planning Your Los Angeles Move

How Much Do Movers in Los Angeles Cost?

“Consider [a medium rental] the Goldilocks of trucks, because it’s “just right” for most standard moves…[and] could fit anywhere from a one-bedroom to a three-bedroom apartment (up to 1,200 square feet).”

How Long Does Moving in Los Angeles Take?

How Many Movers Do I Need for my Move in Los Angeles?

What Size Truck Do I Need When Moving in Los Angeles?

When Is the Best Time to Move in Los Angeles?

Good Luck with Your Move!

From Coast to Coast: What You Need To Know When Moving from LA to NYC

Moving far away?

Do it cheaper.

Moving to “Post-COVID-19” NYC

“Consider that the 40-hour drive from LA to NYC takes about four days on average to complete—and that’s with an average vehicle, not a large moving truck.”

The Mover’s Guide for How To Get From Here (L.A.) to There (NYC)

How to get your move out of L.A. started

“With moving containers, you pack all your stuff up and have it driven cross-country for you!”

Tips to make your NYC move-in day smoother

How to haul all your stuff to NYC

How much does it cost to move from L.A. to NYC?

What’s the best time of year to move to NYC?

“…if you move into a high-rise building, you’ll often need to reserve special parking spots for move-in trucks…and you might need to reserve the building’s freight elevators for furniture and big boxes.”

Do I need a car in NYC?

How much money should I save before moving to NYC?

Illustrations by Meredith Miotke

An Overview of the Los Angeles Real Estate Market in 2021

“Los Angeles properties spend 65 days on the market, on average.”

Where People Want to Live in Los Angeles in 2021

Pacific Palisades

Brentwood

Mar Vista

Moving far away?

Do it cheaper.

West Hollywood / Hollywood Hills

Studio City

Sherman Oaks / Encino / Tarzana

Silver Lake

Echo Park

Lincoln Heights

El Sereno

Wilshire Park

California Moving Costs in 2021

Avg. Cost of a California Move (Labor-only) – $465

Avg. Cost of a California Move (Movers + Truck) – $949

Avg. Cost of a Long-Distance Move w/ CA Destination – $5,600

Avg. Time and Distance of a California Move – 3 Hours

Avg. Distance of a California Move – 58 Miles

How Do These Figures Compare to Other States?

The Current State of Moving to California in 2021

Moving far away?

Do it cheaper.

More 2021 California Moving Stats

Avg. Cost of a Local California Move, by Moving Service

**Expressed as a national average, as state-specific data is not available.

Avg. Cost of Labor-Only Moving Services in California by Job Type

Least Expensive Long-Distance Move (50+ Miles) in California by Origin/Destination* City (Avg.)

Most Expensive Long-Distance Move (50+ Miles) in California by Origin/Destination* City (Avg.)

Californian City With the Greatest Population Increase* – Santa Cruz, CA (+12.5%)**

Californian City With the Greatest Population Loss* – Livermore, CA (-2%)**

*****Based on population increase or decrease *between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.***

**Least Expensive Long-Distance Move (50+ Miles) in California by Origin/Destination* City (Avg.)**

**Most Expensive Long-Distance Move (50+ Miles) in California by Origin/Destination* City (Avg.)**