Moving from California to Maine
An interstate move, so the FMCSA's rules apply from the first quote. Between Los Angeles and Portland it is about 3,063 miles and 7 days on the road (about 56 hours of driving); the 50 city pairs we price between the two states run from 3,004 to 3,235 miles.
Prices from our published model (last updated ), not quotes. Distances marked ~ are estimated from city coordinates. Carriers: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census, snapshot 2026-09-24. We do not move anyone.
- ~3,063 miLos Angeles → Portland
- 7–14 daysTypical transit
- $13,784+2-bedroom, movers
- 50City routes priced
In short
About 1,784 people moved from California to Maine in 2024 (Census estimate, ±875), and about 1,860 went the other way. Between Los Angeles and Portland it is about 3,063 miles; a two-bedroom move with full-service movers runs $13,784 – $18,378 in our model, delivered in 7–14 days. 431 movers based in California hold interstate authority.
Who moves from California to Maine
The Census Bureau's 2024 survey puts the flow at about 1,784 people a year (±875), against about 1,860 (±1,028) from Maine to California, so Maine loses about 76 people a year on this exchange. California is the 5th-largest of the 48 states sending people to Maine; Maine took in about 35,281 from other states in all.
| From | To | People a year |
|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | Cumberland County | 123 ±100 |
| San Diego County | York County | 94 ±131* |
| San Francisco County | Cumberland County | 71 ±78* |
| Orange County | Cumberland County | 70 ±78* |
| San Bernardino County | Franklin County | 59 ±81* |
US Census Bureau: ACS 2024 state-to-state migration and ACS 2016–2020 county-to-county flows; people a year with a 90% margin of error. County names link to their cost guides. * Margin as large as the estimate.
Los Angeles to Portland, the representative route
Each state is represented by its largest city we cover. The map shows that corridor; the table further down prices every city pair between California and Maine.
Cost of moving from California to Maine
At about 3,063 miles, full-service movers should land around $13,784 – $18,378 for a two-bedroom home and $15,851 – $21,135 for three bedrooms. Load a container yourself and the two-bedroom figure drops to $9,924 – $13,232; a freight trailer is $6,616 – $8,821.
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $10,338 – $13,784 | $7,443 – $9,924 | $4,962 – $6,616 |
| 1 bedroom | $12,405 – $16,540 | $8,932 – $11,909 | $5,954 – $7,939 |
| 2 bedrooms | $13,784 – $18,378 | $9,924 – $13,232 | $6,616 – $8,821 |
| 3 bedrooms | $15,851 – $21,135 | $11,413 – $15,217 | $7,608 – $10,145 |
| 4 bedrooms | $17,919 – $23,891 | $12,901 – $17,202 | $8,601 – $11,468 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $20,675 – $27,567 | $14,886 – $19,848 | $9,924 – $13,232 |
Transport only, for an estimated 3,063 miles, from our published model: distance × home-size factor × service rate, shown as −10% to +20% around the base figure. Packing, storage, stairs and specialty items sit on top. How we price it.
City-to-city routes from California to Maine
Every pair of cities we cover in the two states, nearest first. 1 has a full route page with a map, transit and licensed movers.
| Route | Distance | Transit | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino to Portland | ~3,004 mi | 7–14 days | $13,518 – $18,024 | $15,546 – $20,728 |
| Moreno Valley to Portland | ~3,008 mi | 7–14 days | $13,536 – $18,048 | $15,566 – $20,755 |
| Fontana to Portland | ~3,016 mi | 7–14 days | $13,572 – $18,096 | $15,608 – $20,810 |
| Riverside to Portland | ~3,018 mi | 7–14 days | $13,581 – $18,108 | $15,618 – $20,824 |
| Ontario to Portland | ~3,027 mi | 7–14 days | $13,622 – $18,162 | $15,665 – $20,886 |
| Lancaster to Portland | ~3,034 mi | 7–14 days | $13,653 – $18,204 | $15,701 – $20,935 |
| Anaheim to Portland | ~3,043 mi | 7–14 days | $13,694 – $18,258 | $15,748 – $20,997 |
| Chula Vista to Portland | ~3,049 mi | 7–14 days | $13,721 – $18,294 | $15,779 – $21,038 |
| Irvine to Portland | ~3,051 mi | 7–14 days | $13,730 – $18,306 | $15,789 – $21,052 |
| Fresno to Portland | ~3,052 mi | 7–14 days | $13,734 – $18,312 | $15,794 – $21,059 |
| San Diego to Portland | ~3,054 mi | 7–14 days | $13,743 – $18,324 | $15,804 – $21,073 |
| Santa Ana to Portland | ~3,055 mi | 7–14 days | $13,748 – $18,330 | $15,810 – $21,079 |
| Bakersfield to Portland | ~3,059 mi | 7–14 days | $13,766 – $18,354 | $15,830 – $21,107 |
| Los Angeles to Portland | ~3,063 mi | 7–14 days | $13,784 – $18,378 | $15,851 – $21,135 |
| Santa Clarita to Portland | ~3,064 mi | 7–14 days | $13,788 – $18,384 | $15,856 – $21,142 |
| Roseville to Portland | ~3,070 mi | 7–14 days | $13,815 – $18,420 | $15,887 – $21,183 |
| Long Beach to Portland | ~3,071 mi | 7–14 days | $13,820 – $18,426 | $15,892 – $21,190 |
| Sacramento to Portland | ~3,087 mi | 7–14 days | $13,892 – $18,522 | $15,975 – $21,300 |
| San Bernardino to Bangor | ~3,088 mi | 7–14 days | $13,896 – $18,528 | $15,980 – $21,307 |
| Modesto to Portland | ~3,091 mi | 7–14 days | $13,910 – $18,546 | $15,996 – $21,328 |
| Moreno Valley to Bangor | ~3,092 mi | 7–14 days | $13,914 – $18,552 | $16,001 – $21,335 |
| Stockton to Portland | ~3,097 mi | 7–14 days | $13,937 – $18,582 | $16,027 – $21,369 |
| Fontana to Bangor | ~3,099 mi | 7–14 days | $13,946 – $18,594 | $16,037 – $21,383 |
| Riverside to Bangor | ~3,102 mi | 7–14 days | $13,959 – $18,612 | $16,053 – $21,404 |
| Ontario to Bangor | ~3,110 mi | 7–14 days | $13,995 – $18,660 | $16,094 – $21,459 |
| Oxnard to Portland | ~3,114 mi | 7–14 days | $14,013 – $18,684 | $16,115 – $21,487 |
| Lancaster to Bangor | ~3,116 mi | 7–14 days | $14,022 – $18,696 | $16,125 – $21,500 |
| Anaheim to Bangor | ~3,127 mi | 7–14 days | $14,072 – $18,762 | $16,182 – $21,576 |
| Fresno to Bangor | ~3,127 mi | 7–14 days | $14,072 – $18,762 | $16,182 – $21,576 |
| Irvine to Bangor | ~3,135 mi | 7–14 days | $14,108 – $18,810 | $16,224 – $21,631 |
| Chula Vista to Bangor | ~3,136 mi | 7–14 days | $14,112 – $18,816 | $16,229 – $21,638 |
| Bakersfield to Bangor | ~3,138 mi | 7–14 days | $14,121 – $18,828 | $16,239 – $21,652 |
| Roseville to Bangor | ~3,138 mi | 7–14 days | $14,121 – $18,828 | $16,239 – $21,652 |
| Santa Ana to Bangor | ~3,139 mi | 7–14 days | $14,126 – $18,834 | $16,244 – $21,659 |
| San Diego to Bangor | ~3,141 mi | 7–14 days | $14,135 – $18,846 | $16,255 – $21,673 |
| Los Angeles to Bangor | ~3,146 mi | 7–14 days | $14,157 – $18,876 | $16,281 – $21,707 |
| Santa Clarita to Bangor | ~3,146 mi | 7–14 days | $14,157 – $18,876 | $16,281 – $21,707 |
| Fremont to Portland | ~3,150 mi | 7–14 days | $14,175 – $18,900 | $16,301 – $21,735 |
| San Jose to Portland | ~3,152 mi | 7–14 days | $14,184 – $18,912 | $16,312 – $21,749 |
| Long Beach to Bangor | ~3,155 mi | 7–14 days | $14,198 – $18,930 | $16,327 – $21,769 |
| Sacramento to Bangor | ~3,155 mi | 7–14 days | $14,198 – $18,930 | $16,327 – $21,769 |
| Oakland to Portland | ~3,158 mi | 7–14 days | $14,211 – $18,948 | $16,343 – $21,790 |
| Modesto to Bangor | ~3,162 mi | 7–14 days | $14,229 – $18,972 | $16,363 – $21,818 |
| San Francisco to Portland | ~3,166 mi | 7–14 days | $14,247 – $18,996 | $16,384 – $21,845 |
| Stockton to Bangor | ~3,166 mi | 7–14 days | $14,247 – $18,996 | $16,384 – $21,845 |
| Oxnard to Bangor | ~3,195 mi | 7–14 days | $14,378 – $19,170 | $16,534 – $22,045 |
| Fremont to Bangor | ~3,220 mi | 7–14 days | $14,490 – $19,320 | $16,663 – $22,218 |
| San Jose to Bangor | ~3,223 mi | 7–14 days | $14,504 – $19,338 | $16,679 – $22,239 |
| Oakland to Bangor | ~3,227 mi | 7–14 days | $14,522 – $19,362 | $16,700 – $22,266 |
| San Francisco to Bangor | ~3,235 mi | 7–14 days | $14,558 – $19,410 | $16,741 – $22,321 |
Routes without a link are priced on estimated distance only; the calculator measures the exact drive.
Roadside inspections: interstate movers based in California
288 of the 431 interstate movers listed here had at least one roadside inspection in the 24 months to September 13, 2026, 2,633 inspections in all. Inspectors put the vehicle out of service in 233 of 1,930 vehicle inspections (12.1%), below the 19.0% for listed movers nationally. Drivers were put out of service in 330 of 2,512 driver inspections (13.1%, against 13.0%). None has an acute or critical violation from an FMCSA investigation in the past 12 months.
| Carrier | Inspections | Vehicle out of service | Driver out of service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meathead Movers IncSan Luis Obispo, CA · USDOT 921143 | 125 | 3 of 87 | 8 of 125 |
| Best California MoversNorth Hollywood, CA · USDOT 3489907 | 91 | 1 of 70 | 8 of 87 |
| Air Container TransferBrisbane, CA · USDOT 1701515 | 63 | 8 of 56 | 1 of 63 |
| Altar Boys MovingPacoima, CA · USDOT 2824890 | 63 | 3 of 33 | 5 of 56 |
| Move Happy AcmeLos Angeles, CA · USDOT 3136064 | 61 | 8 of 39 | 8 of 58 |
| American Hills Moving & Storage IncWest Hills, CA · USDOT 4128186 | 49 | 3 of 29 | 30 of 49 |
FMCSA Safety Measurement System carrier summary, 24-month window. How the comparison is calculated.
Licensed movers at both ends
1,592 listed household-goods carriers are based in California, 431 of them with interstate authority, which this move requires; the California directory ranks them. At the Maine end, 39 are based in the state, useful for a local crew after delivery: movers in Maine, moving costs in Maine, or the reverse trip, Maine to California. The federal rules for the move itself are in who regulates movers and binding vs non-binding estimates.
Other moves from California
California to Maine moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from California to Maine?
Between the two states' main cities, Los Angeles and Portland, the distance is about 3,063 miles. From our model that is $13,784 – $18,378 for a two-bedroom home and $15,851 – $21,135 for three bedrooms with full-service movers, transport only. A container you load yourself is about $9,924 – $13,232 for the two-bedroom home; a freight trailer about $6,616 – $8,821. Across the 50 city pairs we price between California and Maine, distances run from 3,004 to 3,235 miles, so use the table for your own cities.
How long does a move from California to Maine take?
Los Angeles to Portland is 7 days on the road (about 56 hours of driving). The move itself typically takes 7 to 14 days, because at this distance it usually travels on a consolidated load sharing trailer space with other households. Get the delivery window in writing. Book ahead: 6 to 8 weeks, 8 to 12 in summer.
Do I need an interstate-licensed mover for California to Maine?
Yes. A move from California into Maine is regulated by the FMCSA, so the carrier needs active interstate operating authority as well as a USDOT number. Of the 1,592 listed movers based in California, 431 hold that authority; the rest can only move you within California.
What is the cheapest way to move from California to Maine?
Load a freight trailer yourself: about $6,616 – $8,821 for a two-bedroom home over 3,063 miles against $13,784 – $18,378 with full-service movers. A container, about $9,924 – $13,232, splits the difference and gives you days to load.
How many people move from California to Maine each year?
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey estimates about 1,784 people (±875) moved from California to Maine that year, against about 1,860 (±1,028) from Maine to California. That makes California the 5th-largest source of new residents for Maine among the states.