Moving from Philadelphia, PA to Wilmington, DE
At about 29 miles, Philadelphia to Wilmington 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 Philadelphia, PA to Wilmington, DE covers about 29 miles and is a local move. Full-service movers cost $495 – $817 for a two-bedroom home in our model, done in one day. About 2,250 people a year move between the two counties (Census).
The route
At 29 miles, crews cover Philadelphia to Wilmington 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 Philadelphia to Wilmington
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, Philadelphia to Wilmington
2 movers × 5–7 hours × $42–$53 an hour, plus a $75 travel fee = $495 to $817. 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 Philadelphia to Wilmington
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates that about 2,250 people a year (±626) moved from Philadelphia County, PA, home to Philadelphia, to New Castle County, DE, home to Wilmington. Going the other way: about 832 people a year (±244). Movers from Philadelphia County make up 9.5% of the 23,632 people a year who moved into New Castle County from another county or state.
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Montgomery County, PA | 11,698 ±1,204 |
| Delaware County, PA | 8,343 ±1,332 |
| Bucks County, PA | 5,797 ±970 |
| Camden County, NJ | 3,242 ±635 |
| Chester County, PA | 2,473 ±515 |
| County | People a year |
|---|---|
| Kent County, DE | 3,023 ±854 |
| Philadelphia County, PA | 2,250 ±626 |
| Delaware County, PA | 2,203 ±704 |
| Chester County, PA | 1,122 ±321 |
| Cecil County, MD | 1,114 ±415 |
Licensed movers at each end
196 household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Philadelphia. 90 of them had a roadside inspection in the last 24 months, and 7.2% of their 401 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 · 14 mi | 134 trucks | 262 | 2.0% of 201 |
| Wayne Moving and StorageUSDOT 1771238 | West Chester · 23 mi | 28 trucks | 19 | 0.0% of 8 |
| ABC Pro Movers IncUSDOT 2631702 | Philadelphia · 11 mi | 26 trucks | 6 | 0.0% of 2 |
| Hughes Relocation Services IncUSDOT 110502 | Lansdale · 21 mi | 21 trucks | 5 | 50.0% of 2 |
| Reads Moving Systems IncUSDOT 113600 | Montgomeryville · 19 mi | 19 trucks | 1 | 0.0% of 1 |
| Clemmer Moving & Storage IncUSDOT 85504 | Telford · 28 mi | 17 trucks | 24 | 8.3% of 12 |
How these figures are calculated
At the Wilmington end
For a local crew after delivery, the largest licensed carriers within 30 miles of Wilmington: Flower Transfer Logistics (Sewell, 134 trucks), Wayne Moving and Storage (West Chester, 28 trucks), Delaware Moving & Storage Inc (Bear, 20 trucks), Isaac's Moving and Storage Inc (Philadelphia, 12 trucks).
Rules that apply to this move
Both ends are in Pennsylvania, so Pennsylvania rather than the FMCSA regulates the move: ask the mover which Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania, 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 Philadelphia to Wilmington
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 $53 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 Wilmington
A local move inside Wilmington later — across town, out of temporary housing — is billed by the hour: about $445 – $719 for a two-bedroom home and $741 – $1,317 for three bedrooms. The nearest cities we cover from Wilmington are Philadelphia (about 29 mi), Dover (about 47 mi), Allentown (about 69 mi).
Other routes from Philadelphia
All routes from Philadelphia, nearest first.
| Route | Distance | 2-bedroom, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia to Allentown, PA | ~56 mi | $495 – $817 |
| Philadelphia to Dover, DE | ~68 mi | $495 – $817 |
| Philadelphia to Newark, NJ | 85 mi | $495 – $817 |
| Philadelphia to Jersey City, NJ | ~92 mi | $495 – $817 |
| Philadelphia to New York City, NY | 95 mi | $495 – $817 |
| Philadelphia to Baltimore, MD | ~104 mi | $468 – $624 |
| Philadelphia to Harrisburg, PA | ~109 mi | $491 – $654 |
| Philadelphia to Yonkers, NY | ~111 mi | $500 – $666 |
Also moving to Wilmington: from Dover, DE, from Harrisburg, PA, from Washington, DC, from Jersey City, NJ.
Philadelphia to Wilmington moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Philadelphia to Wilmington?
It is billed by the hour. A two-bedroom home with a crew of 2 for 5 to 7 hours comes to about $495 – $817; a three-bedroom home with a crew of 3 for 6 to 9 hours is about $831 – $1,506. 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 Philadelphia to Wilmington 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 Philadelphia to Wilmington?
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 Philadelphia to Wilmington an interstate move?
No. Both cities are in Pennsylvania, so the move is regulated by Pennsylvania rather than by the federal FMCSA. The carrier needs a USDOT number and whatever Pennsylvania 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 Philadelphia to Wilmington each year?
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2016–2020) estimates about 2,250 people a year (margin of error ±626) moved from Philadelphia County, which contains Philadelphia, to New Castle County, which contains Wilmington.
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.