Moving from Virginia to Illinois
An interstate move, so the FMCSA's rules apply from the first quote. Between Virginia Beach and Chicago it is about 830 miles and 2 days on the road (about 15 hours of driving); the 15 city pairs we price between the two states run from 690 to 908 miles.
Prices from our published model (last updated ), not quotes. Distances marked ~ are estimated from city coordinates. Carriers: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census, snapshot 2026-09-24. We do not move anyone.
- ~830 miVirginia Beach → Chicago
- 3–7 daysTypical transit
- $3,735+2-bedroom, movers
- 15City routes priced
In short
About 4,974 people moved from Virginia to Illinois in 2024 (Census estimate, ±2,291), and about 6,488 went the other way. Between Virginia Beach and Chicago it is about 830 miles; a two-bedroom move with full-service movers runs $3,735 – $4,980 in our model, delivered in 3–7 days. 263 movers based in Virginia hold interstate authority.
Who moves from Virginia to Illinois
The Census Bureau's 2024 survey puts the flow at about 4,974 people a year (±2,291), against about 6,488 (±1,960) from Illinois to Virginia, so Illinois loses about 1,514 people a year on this exchange. Virginia is the 13th-largest of the 48 states sending people to Illinois; Illinois took in about 199,996 from other states in all.
| From | To | People a year |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City | Lake County | 357 ±246 |
| Albemarle County | Lake County | 323 ±409* |
| Fairfax County | Cook County | 296 ±145 |
| Arlington County | Cook County | 282 ±123 |
| Virginia Beach City | St. Clair County | 264 ±352* |
US Census Bureau: ACS 2024 state-to-state migration and ACS 2016–2020 county-to-county flows; people a year with a 90% margin of error. County names link to their cost guides. * Margin as large as the estimate.
Virginia Beach to Chicago, the representative route
Each state is represented by its largest city we cover. The map shows that corridor; the table further down prices every city pair between Virginia and Illinois.
Cost of moving from Virginia to Illinois
At about 830 miles, full-service movers should land around $3,735 – $4,980 for a two-bedroom home and $4,295 – $5,727 for three bedrooms. Load a container yourself and the two-bedroom figure drops to $2,689 – $3,586; a freight trailer is $1,793 – $2,390.
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,801 – $3,735 | $2,017 – $2,689 | $1,345 – $1,793 |
| 1 bedroom | $3,362 – $4,482 | $2,420 – $3,227 | $1,614 – $2,151 |
| 2 bedrooms | $3,735 – $4,980 | $2,689 – $3,586 | $1,793 – $2,390 |
| 3 bedrooms | $4,295 – $5,727 | $3,093 – $4,123 | $2,062 – $2,749 |
| 4 bedrooms | $4,856 – $6,474 | $3,496 – $4,661 | $2,331 – $3,108 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $5,603 – $7,470 | $4,034 – $5,378 | $2,689 – $3,586 |
Transport only, for an estimated 830 miles, from our published model: distance × home-size factor × service rate, shown as −10% to +20% around the base figure. Packing, storage, stairs and specialty items sit on top. How we price it.
City-to-city routes from Virginia to Illinois
Every pair of cities we cover in the two states, nearest first. 4 have a full route page with a map, transit and licensed movers.
| Route | Distance | Transit | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington to Chicago | ~690 mi | 3–7 days | $3,105 – $4,140 | $3,571 – $4,761 |
| Richmond to Chicago | ~721 mi | 3–7 days | $3,245 – $4,326 | $3,731 – $4,975 |
| Arlington to Springfield | ~785 mi | 3–7 days | $3,533 – $4,710 | $4,062 – $5,416 |
| Arlington to Peoria | ~787 mi | 3–7 days | $3,542 – $4,722 | $4,073 – $5,430 |
| Richmond to Springfield | ~789 mi | 3–7 days | $3,551 – $4,734 | $4,083 – $5,444 |
| Richmond to Peoria | ~800 mi | 3–7 days | $3,600 – $4,800 | $4,140 – $5,520 |
| Norfolk to Chicago | ~813 mi | 3–7 days | $3,659 – $4,878 | $4,207 – $5,610 |
| Chesapeake to Chicago | ~820 mi | 3–7 days | $3,690 – $4,920 | $4,243 – $5,658 |
| Virginia Beach to Chicago | ~830 mi | 3–7 days | $3,735 – $4,980 | $4,295 – $5,727 |
| Norfolk to Springfield | ~876 mi | 3–7 days | $3,942 – $5,256 | $4,533 – $6,044 |
| Chesapeake to Springfield | ~880 mi | 3–7 days | $3,960 – $5,280 | $4,554 – $6,072 |
| Norfolk to Peoria | ~890 mi | 3–7 days | $4,005 – $5,340 | $4,606 – $6,141 |
| Chesapeake to Peoria | ~895 mi | 3–7 days | $4,028 – $5,370 | $4,632 – $6,176 |
| Virginia Beach to Springfield | ~895 mi | 3–7 days | $4,028 – $5,370 | $4,632 – $6,176 |
| Virginia Beach to Peoria | ~908 mi | 3–7 days | $4,086 – $5,448 | $4,699 – $6,265 |
Routes without a link are priced on estimated distance only; the calculator measures the exact drive.
Roadside inspections: interstate movers based in Virginia
107 of the 263 interstate movers listed here had at least one roadside inspection in the 24 months to September 13, 2026, 1,338 inspections in all. Inspectors put the vehicle out of service in 164 of 765 vehicle inspections (21.4%), above the 19.0% for listed movers nationally. Drivers were put out of service in 163 of 1,338 driver inspections (12.2%, against 13.0%). None has an acute or critical violation from an FMCSA investigation in the past 12 months.
| Carrier | Inspections | Vehicle out of service | Driver out of service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Transfer IncChesapeake, VA · USDOT 139659 | 426 | 50 of 247 | 3 of 426 |
| JK Moving ServicesSterling, VA · USDOT 1065394 | 107 | 7 of 57 | 8 of 107 |
| Stewart Moving and StorageMidlothian, VA · USDOT 1194537 | 102 | 13 of 50 | 9 of 102 |
| Quality Services MovingLorton, VA · USDOT 819924 | 54 | 16 of 32 | 11 of 54 |
| Hampton Roads Moving & StorageSuffolk, VA · USDOT 1581633 | 46 | 10 of 25 | 2 of 46 |
| Apple MovingChesapeake, VA · USDOT 163678 | 40 | 4 of 22 | 4 of 40 |
FMCSA Safety Measurement System carrier summary, 24-month window. How the comparison is calculated.
Licensed movers at both ends
411 listed household-goods carriers are based in Virginia, 263 of them with interstate authority, which this move requires; the Virginia directory ranks them. At the Illinois end, 341 are based in the state, useful for a local crew after delivery: movers in Illinois, moving costs in Illinois, or the reverse trip, Illinois to Virginia. The federal rules for the move itself are in who regulates movers and binding vs non-binding estimates.
Other moves from Virginia
Virginia to Illinois moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Virginia to Illinois?
Between the two states' main cities, Virginia Beach and Chicago, the distance is about 830 miles. From our model that is $3,735 – $4,980 for a two-bedroom home and $4,295 – $5,727 for three bedrooms with full-service movers, transport only. A container you load yourself is about $2,689 – $3,586 for the two-bedroom home; a freight trailer about $1,793 – $2,390. Across the 15 city pairs we price between Virginia and Illinois, distances run from 690 to 908 miles, so use the table for your own cities.
How long does a move from Virginia to Illinois take?
Virginia Beach to Chicago is 2 days on the road (about 15 hours of driving). The move itself typically takes 3 to 7 days, because at this distance it usually travels on either a dedicated truck or a consolidated load, depending on the carrier and the season. Get the delivery window in writing. Book ahead: 4 to 6 weeks, 6 to 8 in summer.
Do I need an interstate-licensed mover for Virginia to Illinois?
Yes. A move from Virginia into Illinois is regulated by the FMCSA, so the carrier needs active interstate operating authority as well as a USDOT number. Of the 411 listed movers based in Virginia, 263 hold that authority; the rest can only move you within Virginia.
What is the cheapest way to move from Virginia to Illinois?
Load a freight trailer yourself: about $1,793 – $2,390 for a two-bedroom home over 830 miles against $3,735 – $4,980 with full-service movers. A container, about $2,689 – $3,586, splits the difference and gives you days to load.
How many people move from Virginia to Illinois each year?
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey estimates about 4,974 people (±2,291) moved from Virginia to Illinois that year, against about 6,488 (±1,960) from Illinois to Virginia. That makes Virginia the 13th-largest source of new residents for Illinois among the states.