Moving from Wilmington, DE to Philadelphia, PA
At about 29 miles, Wilmington 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. 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 Wilmington, DE to Philadelphia, PA covers about 29 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 832 people a year move between the two counties (Census).
The route
At 29 miles, crews cover Wilmington to Philadelphia in a single day — under 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
- under an hour
- Usually moves on
- an hourly crew with one truck
- Book ahead
- 1 to 2 weeks
Cost of moving from Wilmington 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, Wilmington to Philadelphia
2 movers × 5–7 hours × $37–$46 an hour, plus a $75 travel fee = $445 to $719. The 29 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 Wilmington to Philadelphia
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates that about 832 people a year (±244) moved from New Castle County, DE, home to Wilmington, to Philadelphia County, PA, home to Philadelphia. Going the other way: about 2,250 people a year (±626). Movers from New Castle County make up 1.2% of the 67,261 people a year who moved into Philadelphia County from another county or state.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Kent County, DE | 2,700 ±701 |
| Sussex County, DE | 1,546 ±395 |
| Delaware County, PA | 1,426 ±362 |
| Chester County, PA | 1,241 ±404 |
| Cecil County, MD | 1,176 ±405 |
| 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
122 household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Wilmington. 47 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 5.4% of their 294 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flower Transfer LogisticsUSDOT 346532 | Sewell · 23 mi | 134 trucks | 262 | 2.0% of 201 |
| Wayne Moving and StorageUSDOT 1771238 | West Chester · 17 mi | 28 trucks | 19 | 0.0% of 8 |
| Delaware Moving & Storage IncUSDOT 396829 | Bear · 14 mi | 20 trucks | 1 | — |
| Isaac's Moving and Storage IncUSDOT 550501 | Philadelphia · 30 mi | 12 trucks | 10 | 0.0% of 7 |
| Broad Street Movers LLCUSDOT 2472401 | Philadelphia · 27 mi | 10 trucks | 6 | 0.0% of 4 |
| Litemoverscom LLCUSDOT 2173383 | Wayne · 23 mi | 9 trucks | 8 | 0.0% of 1 |
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 29-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 Wilmington 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 Wilmington
All routes from Wilmington, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmington to Dover, DE | ~47 mi | $445 – $719 |
| Wilmington to Baltimore, MD | ~76 mi | $445 – $719 |
| Wilmington to Annapolis, MD | ~85 mi | $445 – $719 |
| Wilmington to Newark, NJ | ~116 mi | $522 – $696 |
| Wilmington to Jersey City, NJ | ~121 mi | $545 – $726 |
| Wilmington to New York City, NY | ~123 mi | $554 – $738 |
| Wilmington to Pittsburgh, PA | ~280 mi | $1,260 – $1,680 |
| Wilmington to Tampa, FL | ~1,056 mi | $4,752 – $6,336 |
Also moving to Philadelphia: from Allentown, PA, from Dover, DE, from Newark, NJ, from Jersey City, NJ.
Wilmington to Philadelphia moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Wilmington 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 29 miles between the two cities barely matter — hours on site do.
How long does a move from Wilmington to Philadelphia take?
One day. The drive is under 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 Wilmington 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 29 miles because the container fee replaces very little labour.
Is Wilmington 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 Wilmington to Philadelphia each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 832 people a year (margin of error ±244) moved from New Castle County, which contains Wilmington, 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.