Moving from Manchester, NH to Portland, ME
At about 88 miles, Manchester to Portland 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 88 miles the drive is on the clock too — about 2 hours 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 Manchester, NH to Portland, ME covers about 88 miles and is a local move. Full-service movers cost $495 – $803 for a two-bedroom home in our model, done in one day. About 123 people a year move between the two counties (Census).
The route
At 88 miles, crews cover Manchester to Portland in a single day — about 2 hours 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 2 hours
- Usually moves on
- an hourly crew with one truck
- Book ahead
- 1 to 2 weeks
Cost of moving from Manchester to Portland
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, Manchester to Portland
2 movers × 5–7 hours × $42–$52 an hour, plus a $75 travel fee = $495 to $803. The 88 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 Manchester to Portland
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates that about 123 people a year (±65) moved from Hillsborough County, NH, home to Manchester, to Cumberland County, ME, home to Portland. Going the other way: about 92 people a year (±57). Movers from Hillsborough County make up 0.8% of the 15,393 people a year who moved into Cumberland County from another county or state.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Merrimack County, NH | 2,643 ±580 |
| Rockingham County, NH | 2,367 ±521 |
| Middlesex County, MA | 1,699 ±362 |
| Strafford County, NH | 842 ±235 |
| New Hanover County, NC | 805 ±1,083 |
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| York County, ME | 1,799 ±379 |
| Androscoggin County, ME | 1,445 ±352 |
| Penobscot County, ME | 726 ±337 |
| Kennebec County, ME | 542 ±262 |
| Oxford County, ME | 536 ±187 |
Licensed movers at each end
34 household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Manchester. 17 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 15.0% of their 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trend Moving & StorageUSDOT 3092893 | Londonderry · 9 mi | 17 trucks | 22 | 10.0% of 10 |
| 3-E Moving & Storage IncUSDOT 750245 | North Chelmsford · 25 mi | 12 trucks | 9 | 75.0% of 4 |
| College Hunks Hauling Junk & MovingUSDOT 3429495 | Lowell · 26 mi | 12 trucks | 8 | 25.0% of 4 |
| Ray the MoverUSDOT 2724757 | Manchester · 4 mi | 10 trucks | 2 | 0.0% of 2 |
| Able Moving & StorageUSDOT 42189 | Amherst · 11 mi | 9 trucks | 3 | 0.0% of 3 |
| Harrington Moving & Storage LLCUSDOT 709082 | Andover · 28 mi | 5 trucks | 3 | 0.0% of 2 |
How these figures are calculated
At the Portland end
For a local crew after delivery, the largest licensed carriers within 30 miles of Portland: Bisson Moving LLC (Westbrook, 20 trucks), Earle W Noyes & Sons Moving Specialists (Portland, 14 trucks), Integrity Movers (Scarborough, 5 trucks), Reds Moving Inc (Lewiston, 5 trucks).
Rules that apply to this move
Both ends are in New Hampshire, so New Hampshire rather than the FMCSA regulates the move: ask the mover which New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire, so your protection on this 88-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 Manchester to Portland
Get the hourly rate, minimum and travel fee in writing
Local quotes hide in three numbers: the rate per mover per hour (about $42 to $52 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 Portland
A local move inside Portland 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 Portland are Manchester (about 88 mi), Nashua (about 101 mi), Boston (about 115 mi).
Other routes from Manchester
All routes from Manchester, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester to Worcester, MA | ~63 mi | $495 – $803 |
| Manchester to Wilmington, DE | ~360 mi | $1,620 – $2,160 |
| Manchester to Raleigh, NC | ~733 mi | $3,299 – $4,398 |
| Manchester to Columbia, SC | ~942 mi | $4,239 – $5,652 |
| Manchester to Chicago, IL | ~964 mi | $4,338 – $5,784 |
| Manchester to Gainesville, FL | ~1,282 mi | $5,769 – $7,692 |
| Manchester to Tallahassee, FL | ~1,304 mi | $5,868 – $7,824 |
| Manchester to Cape Coral, FL | ~1,488 mi | $6,696 – $8,928 |
Also moving to Portland: from Boston, MA, from Bangor, ME, from Hartford, CT, from Bridgeport, CT.
Manchester to Portland moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Manchester to Portland, ME?
It is billed by the hour. A two-bedroom home with a crew of 2 for 5 to 7 hours comes to about $495 – $803; a three-bedroom home with a crew of 3 for 6 to 9 hours is about $831 – $1,479. Both include a travel fee of around $75. The 88 miles between the two cities barely matter — hours on site do.
How long does a move from Manchester to Portland, ME take?
One day. The drive is about 2 hours, 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 Manchester to Portland, ME?
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 88 miles because the container fee replaces very little labour.
Is Manchester to Portland, ME an interstate move?
No. Both cities are in New Hampshire, so the move is regulated by New Hampshire rather than by the federal FMCSA. The carrier needs a USDOT number and whatever New Hampshire 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 Manchester to Portland, ME each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 123 people a year (margin of error ±65) moved from Hillsborough County, which contains Manchester, to Cumberland County, which contains Portland.
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.