Moving from Dover, DE to Philadelphia, PA
At about 68 miles, Dover to Philadelphia 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 68 miles the drive is on the clock too — about an hour each way — so expect travel time billed above the flat fee. It does cross a state line, so the federal interstate rules apply even though the job is priced like a local one.
Distance estimated from city coordinates; the calculator measures your exact route. Prices from our published model, not quotes.
In short
Moving from Dover, DE to Philadelphia, PA covers about 68 miles and is a local move. Full-service movers cost $445 – $719 for a two-bedroom home in our model, done in one day. About 34 people a year move between the two counties (Census).
The route
At 68 miles, crews cover Dover to Philadelphia 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 Dover to Philadelphia
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, Dover to Philadelphia
2 movers × 5–7 hours × $37–$46 an hour, plus a $75 travel fee = $445 to $719. The 68 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 Dover to Philadelphia
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates that about 34 people a year (±34) moved from Kent County, DE, home to Dover, to Philadelphia County, PA, home to Philadelphia. The margin of error is as large as the estimate, so read it as a handful of households rather than a count. Going the other way: about 276 people a year (±188). Movers from Kent County make up 0.1% of the 67,261 people a year who moved into Philadelphia County from another county or state.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| New Castle County, DE | 3,023 ±854 |
| Sussex County, DE | 1,168 ±357 |
| Wicomico County, MD | 288 ±242 |
| Buncombe County, NC | 235 ±171 |
| Franklin County, OH | 148 ±237 |
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Montgomery County, PA | 6,964 ±711 |
| Delaware County, PA | 5,131 ±857 |
| Bucks County, PA | 4,654 ±928 |
| Camden County, NJ | 3,114 ±777 |
| Kings County, NY | 2,379 ±681 |
Licensed movers at each end
11 household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Dover. 4 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 37.5% of their 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jrmoving LLCUSDOT 2404539 | Middletown · 25 mi | 6 trucks | 19 | 45.5% of 11 |
| American Dream MoversUSDOT 4497002 | Dover · 3 mi | 4 trucks | 0 | — |
| Berry Van Lines IncUSDOT 6722 | Dover · 4 mi | 4 trucks | 0 | — |
| GW Moving & TruckingUSDOT 4145891 | Middletown · 25 mi | 3 trucks | 1 | — |
| Keep It - Moving & Labor LLCUSDOT 3361659 | Camden Wyo · 8 mi | 2 trucks | 6 | 0.0% of 4 |
| Elevated Moving ExpertsUSDOT 4208011 | Dover · 3 mi | 1 truck | 0 | — |
How these figures are calculated
At the Philadelphia end
For a local crew after delivery, the largest licensed carriers within 30 miles of Philadelphia: Flower Transfer Logistics (Sewell, 134 trucks), Wayne Moving and Storage (West Chester, 28 trucks), ABC Pro Movers Inc (Philadelphia, 26 trucks), Hughes Relocation Services Inc (Lansdale, 21 trucks).
Rules that apply to this move
Both ends are in Delaware, so Delaware rather than the FMCSA regulates the move: ask the mover which Delaware 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 Delaware, so your protection on this 68-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 Dover to Philadelphia
Get the hourly rate, minimum and travel fee in writing
Local quotes hide in three numbers: the rate per mover per hour (about $37 to $46 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 Philadelphia
A local move inside Philadelphia later — across town, out of temporary housing — is billed by the hour: about $495 – $817 for a two-bedroom home and $831 – $1,506 for three bedrooms. The nearest cities we cover from Philadelphia are Wilmington (about 29 mi), Allentown (about 56 mi), Dover (about 68 mi).
Other routes from Dover
All routes from Dover, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Dover to Wilmington, DE | ~47 mi | $445 – $719 |
Also moving to Philadelphia: from Wilmington, DE, from Allentown, PA, from Newark, NJ, from Jersey City, NJ.
Dover to Philadelphia moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Dover to Philadelphia?
It is billed by the hour. A two-bedroom home with a crew of 2 for 5 to 7 hours comes to about $445 – $719; a three-bedroom home with a crew of 3 for 6 to 9 hours is about $741 – $1,317. Both include a travel fee of around $75. The 68 miles between the two cities barely matter — hours on site do.
How long does a move from Dover to Philadelphia 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 Dover to Philadelphia?
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 68 miles because the container fee replaces very little labour.
Is Dover to Philadelphia an interstate move?
No. Both cities are in Delaware, so the move is regulated by Delaware rather than by the federal FMCSA. The carrier needs a USDOT number and whatever Delaware 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 Dover to Philadelphia each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 34 people a year (margin of error ±34) moved from Kent County, which contains Dover, to Philadelphia County, which contains Philadelphia.
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.