Moving from San Francisco, CA to Stockton, CA
At about 72 miles, San Francisco to Stockton is a local move. Movers bill it by the hour — crew size × hourly rate × hours on site, plus a travel fee — so the bill depends on how long loading and unloading take more than on the miles. At 72 miles the drive is on the clock too — about an hour each way — so expect travel time billed above the flat fee.
Distance estimated from city coordinates; the calculator measures your exact route. Prices from our published model, not quotes.
In short
Moving from San Francisco, CA to Stockton, CA covers about 72 miles and is a local move. Full-service movers cost $515 – $859 for a two-bedroom home in our model, done in one day. About 1,290 people a year move between the two counties (Census).
The route
At 72 miles, crews cover San Francisco to Stockton in a single day — about an hour on the road — so there is no delivery window to negotiate. What matters is access at both ends — stairs, elevators, how far the truck can park from the door — because every extra hour is billed.
- Move type
- Local move
- Driving
- about an hour
- Usually moves on
- an hourly crew with one truck
- Book ahead
- 1 to 2 weeks
Cost of moving from San Francisco to Stockton
Priced by the hour; the container and freight columns show what the same hours cost with a lower-rate crew.
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $235 – $375 | $195 – $315 | $175 – $285 |
| 1 bedroom | $315 – $575 | $255 – $475 | $225 – $425 |
| 2 bedrooms | $475 – $775 | $375 – $635 | $325 – $565 |
| 3 bedrooms | $795 – $1,425 | $615 – $1,155 | $525 – $1,020 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,355 – $2,075 | $1,035 – $1,675 | $875 – $1,475 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $1,675 – $2,475 | $1,275 – $1,995 | $1,075 – $1,755 |
Inside the 100-mile local band, so these are hourly figures: crew size × hourly rate × hours on site, plus a travel fee. Container and freight columns show the same job done by a lower-cost crew. How we price it.
Worked example: a two-bedroom home, San Francisco to Stockton
2 movers × 5–7 hours × $44–$56 an hour, plus a $75 travel fee = $515 to $859. The 72 miles only enter through the travel fee and drive time. Every parameter is on the methodology page; moving cost per mile explains why the rate falls with distance.
How many people move from San Francisco to Stockton
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates that about 1,290 people a year (±358) moved from San Francisco County, CA, home to San Francisco, to San Joaquin County, CA, home to Stockton. Going the other way: about 539 people a year (±285). Movers from San Francisco County make up 3.9% of the 33,244 people a year who moved into San Joaquin County from another county or state.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Alameda County, CA | 10,553 ±1,042 |
| San Mateo County, CA | 8,260 ±979 |
| Contra Costa County, CA | 5,568 ±857 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | 5,205 ±743 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | 3,735 ±605 |
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Alameda County, CA | 5,902 ±1,075 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | 2,960 ±647 |
| Sacramento County, CA | 2,746 ±653 |
| Stanislaus County, CA | 2,276 ±533 |
| Contra Costa County, CA | 2,122 ±593 |
Licensed movers at each end
270 household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of San Francisco. 124 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 12.2% of their 640 vehicle inspections ended with a truck put out of service. The largest by registered fleet:
| Carrier | Based in | Size | Inspections, 24 mo | Vehicle out of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Container TransferUSDOT 1701515 | Brisbane · 7 mi | 60 trucks | 63 | 14.3% of 56 |
| Waters Moving & Storage IncUSDOT 1125579 | Martinez · 19 mi | 35 trucks | 24 | 4.5% of 22 |
| Crown Worldwide Moving and Storage LLCUSDOT 2970 | Union City · 23 mi | 25 trucks | 19 | 18.8% of 16 |
| Nor-Cal Moving ServicesUSDOT 1844592 | Hayward · 19 mi | 23 trucks | 29 | 7.1% of 28 |
| Ontrack Moving LLCUSDOT 2551548 | Hayward · 19 mi | 20 trucks | 39 | 0.0% of 25 |
| Johnson & Daly Moving & StorageUSDOT 2611854 | San Rafael · 14 mi | 18 trucks | 4 | 0.0% of 4 |
How these figures are calculated
At the Stockton end
For a local crew after delivery, the largest licensed carriers within 30 miles of Stockton: Grace Moving Company LLC (Modesto, 10 trucks), Mid Cal Moving & Storage Company (Stockton, 8 trucks), JC Express Movers Inc (Walnut Creek, 8 trucks), Tim Movers (Brentwood, 6 trucks).
Rules that apply to this move
Both ends are in California, so California rather than the FMCSA regulates the move: ask the mover which California licence or registration it holds and check it with the state. The federal 110% cap on non-binding estimates does not reach a move inside California, so your protection on this 72-mile job is the estimate you sign, which on an hourly job means the rate, the minimum hours and the travel fee in writing. More in binding vs non-binding estimates.
Before you book San Francisco to Stockton
Get the hourly rate, minimum and travel fee in writing
Local quotes hide in three numbers: the rate per mover per hour (about $44 to $56 for a full-service crew), a minimum number of hours, and a travel or "truck" fee of around $75. Ask for all three before you compare two movers.
Describe the access honestly
A third-floor walk-up, a long carry from the truck, an elevator that needs booking — each adds an hour or more, and on an hourly job that is the whole bill. Tell the mover before they quote, not on the day.
Arriving in Stockton
A local move inside Stockton later — across town, out of temporary housing — is billed by the hour: about $515 – $859 for a two-bedroom home and $867 – $1,587 for three bedrooms. The nearest cities we cover from Stockton are Modesto (about 34 mi), Sacramento (about 50 mi), Fremont (about 56 mi).
Other routes from San Francisco
All routes from San Francisco, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco to Fremont, CA | ~38 mi | $515 – $859 |
| San Francisco to San Jose, CA | ~49 mi | $515 – $859 |
| San Francisco to Sacramento, CA | ~86 mi | $515 – $859 |
| San Francisco to Modesto, CA | ~90 mi | $515 – $859 |
| San Francisco to Roseville, CA | ~105 mi | $473 – $630 |
| San Francisco to Fresno, CA | ~188 mi | $846 – $1,128 |
| San Francisco to Reno, NV | ~215 mi | $968 – $1,290 |
| San Francisco to Bakersfield, CA | ~293 mi | $1,319 – $1,758 |
Also moving to Stockton: from Modesto, CA, from Sacramento, CA, from Fremont, CA, from Roseville, CA.
San Francisco to Stockton moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from San Francisco to Stockton?
It is billed by the hour. A two-bedroom home with a crew of 2 for 5 to 7 hours comes to about $515 – $859; a three-bedroom home with a crew of 3 for 6 to 9 hours is about $867 – $1,587. Both include a travel fee of around $75. The 72 miles between the two cities barely matter — hours on site do.
How long does a move from San Francisco to Stockton take?
One day. The drive is about an hour, and a local crew loads, drives and unloads in a single shift. Book ahead: 1 to 2 weeks, 3 to 4 in summer or at a month-end.
What is the cheapest way to move from San Francisco to Stockton?
Do the packing yourself and hire the crew only for loading, driving and unloading. On an hourly job every hour you save is money off the bill, and packing is the slowest part. A container is rarely worth it under 72 miles because the container fee replaces very little labour.
Is San Francisco to Stockton an interstate move?
No. Both cities are in California, so the move is regulated by California rather than by the federal FMCSA. The carrier needs a USDOT number and whatever California requires of household-goods movers; interstate authority (an MC number) is not required for this job. The federal 110% rule on non-binding estimates does not apply either, which is a good reason to ask for a binding estimate.
How many people move from San Francisco to Stockton each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 1,290 people a year (margin of error ±358) moved from San Francisco County, which contains San Francisco, to San Joaquin County, which contains Stockton.
Sources for this page
The published cost model; US Census Bureau ACS migration flows (± is the 90% margin of error); the FMCSA Motor Carrier Census and Safety Measurement System; 49 CFR Part 375. Data last refreshed September 24, 2026.