Moving from Durham, NC to Raleigh, NC
At about 24 miles, Durham to Raleigh 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.
Distance estimated from city coordinates; the calculator measures your exact route. Prices from our published model, not quotes.
In short
Moving from Durham, NC to Raleigh, NC covers about 24 miles and is a local move. Full-service movers cost $455 – $733 for a two-bedroom home in our model, done in one day. About 6,396 people a year move between the two counties (Census).
The route
At 24 miles, crews cover Durham to Raleigh 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 Durham to Raleigh
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, Durham to Raleigh
2 movers × 5–7 hours × $38–$47 an hour, plus a $75 travel fee = $455 to $733. The 24 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 Durham to Raleigh
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates that about 6,396 people a year (±1,096) moved from Durham County, NC, home to Durham, to Wake County, NC, home to Raleigh. Going the other way: about 4,673 people a year (±905). Movers from Durham County make up 8.8% of the 72,515 people a year who moved into Wake County from another county or state.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Wake County, NC | 6,396 ±1,096 |
| Orange County, NC | 2,251 ±561 |
| Guilford County, NC | 1,001 ±369 |
| Forsyth County, NC | 801 ±322 |
| Alamance County, NC | 792 ±501 |
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Durham County, NC | 6,396 ±1,096 |
| Johnston County, NC | 3,607 ±905 |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | 2,399 ±632 |
| Orange County, NC | 1,738 ±582 |
| Franklin County, NC | 1,681 ±693 |
Licensed movers at each end
99 household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Durham. 26 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 27.7% of their 65 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All American RelocationUSDOT 917428 | Raleigh · 26 mi | 41 trucks | 4 | 33.3% of 3 |
| Zippy ShellUSDOT 2574332 | Wake Forest · 20 mi | 35 trucks | 4 | 33.3% of 3 |
| Trosa MovingUSDOT 675014 | Durham · 0 mi | 32 trucks | 11 | 0.0% of 5 |
| Excel Moving & Storage IncUSDOT 1140462 | Raleigh · 22 mi | 32 trucks | 1 | 100.0% of 1 |
| Miracle Movers RaleighUSDOT 3139734 | Durham · 6 mi | 20 trucks | 2 | — |
| All My Sons Moving & Storage of RaleighUSDOT 906054 | Raleigh · 9 mi | 16 trucks | 1 | 100.0% of 1 |
How these figures are calculated
At the Raleigh end
For a local crew after delivery, the largest licensed carriers within 30 miles of Raleigh: All American Relocation (Raleigh, 41 trucks), Zippy Shell (Wake Forest, 35 trucks), Excel Moving & Storage Inc (Raleigh, 32 trucks), Trosa Moving (Durham, 32 trucks).
Rules that apply to this move
Both ends are in North Carolina, so North Carolina rather than the FMCSA regulates the move: ask the mover which North Carolina 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 North Carolina, so your protection on this 24-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 Durham to Raleigh
Get the hourly rate, minimum and travel fee in writing
Local quotes hide in three numbers: the rate per mover per hour (about $38 to $47 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 Raleigh
A local move inside Raleigh later — across town, out of temporary housing — is billed by the hour: about $455 – $733 for a two-bedroom home and $759 – $1,344 for three bedrooms. The nearest cities we cover from Raleigh are Durham (about 24 mi), Chapel Hill (about 29 mi), Fayetteville (about 60 mi).
Other routes from Durham
All routes from Durham, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Durham to Chapel Hill, NC | ~11 mi | $455 – $733 |
| Durham to Greensboro, NC | ~58 mi | $455 – $733 |
| Durham to Fayetteville, NC | ~74 mi | $455 – $733 |
| Durham to Winston-Salem, NC | ~89 mi | $455 – $733 |
| Durham to Charlotte, NC | ~141 mi | $635 – $846 |
| Durham to Richmond, VA | ~156 mi | $702 – $936 |
| Durham to Washington, DC | ~262 mi | $1,179 – $1,572 |
| Durham to Philadelphia, PA | ~397 mi | $1,787 – $2,382 |
Also moving to Raleigh: from Chapel Hill, NC, from Fayetteville, NC, from Greensboro, NC, from Winston-Salem, NC.
Durham to Raleigh moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Durham to Raleigh?
It is billed by the hour. A two-bedroom home with a crew of 2 for 5 to 7 hours comes to about $455 – $733; a three-bedroom home with a crew of 3 for 6 to 9 hours is about $759 – $1,344. Both include a travel fee of around $75. The 24 miles between the two cities barely matter — hours on site do.
How long does a move from Durham to Raleigh 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 Durham to Raleigh?
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 24 miles because the container fee replaces very little labour.
Is Durham to Raleigh an interstate move?
No. Both cities are in North Carolina, so the move is regulated by North Carolina rather than by the federal FMCSA. The carrier needs a USDOT number and whatever North Carolina 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 Durham to Raleigh each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 6,396 people a year (margin of error ±1,096) moved from Durham County, which contains Durham, to Wake County, which contains Raleigh.
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.