Moving from Washington to Iowa
An interstate move, so the FMCSA's rules apply from the first quote. Between Seattle and Des Moines it is about 1,706 miles and 4 days on the road (about 31 hours of driving); the 10 city pairs we price between the two states run from 1,443 to 1,827 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.
- ~1,706 miSeattle → Des Moines
- 7–14 daysTypical transit
- $7,677+2-bedroom, movers
- 10City routes priced
In short
About 652 people moved from Washington to Iowa in 2024 (Census estimate, ±304), and about 907 went the other way. Between Seattle and Des Moines it is about 1,706 miles; a two-bedroom move with full-service movers runs $7,677 – $10,236 in our model, delivered in 7–14 days. 149 movers based in Washington hold interstate authority.
Who moves from Washington to Iowa
The Census Bureau's 2024 survey puts the flow at about 652 people a year (±304), against about 907 (±766) from Iowa to Washington, so Iowa loses about 255 people a year on this exchange. Washington is the 19th-largest of the 43 states sending people to Iowa; Iowa took in about 59,199 from other states in all.
| From | To | People a year |
|---|---|---|
| Snohomish County | Linn County | 203 ±281* |
| King County | Polk County | 160 ±143 |
| Thurston County | Polk County | 71 ±83* |
| Spokane County | Johnson County | 62 ±104* |
| Snohomish County | Dallas County | 52 ±72* |
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.
Seattle to Des Moines, 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 Washington and Iowa.
Cost of moving from Washington to Iowa
At about 1,706 miles, full-service movers should land around $7,677 – $10,236 for a two-bedroom home and $8,829 – $11,771 for three bedrooms. Load a container yourself and the two-bedroom figure drops to $5,527 – $7,370; a freight trailer is $3,685 – $4,913.
| Home size | Full-service movers | Moving container | Freight trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $5,758 – $7,677 | $4,146 – $5,527 | $2,764 – $3,685 |
| 1 bedroom | $6,909 – $9,212 | $4,975 – $6,633 | $3,316 – $4,422 |
| 2 bedrooms | $7,677 – $10,236 | $5,527 – $7,370 | $3,685 – $4,913 |
| 3 bedrooms | $8,829 – $11,771 | $6,357 – $8,475 | $4,238 – $5,650 |
| 4 bedrooms | $9,980 – $13,307 | $7,186 – $9,581 | $4,790 – $6,387 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $11,516 – $15,354 | $8,291 – $11,055 | $5,527 – $7,370 |
Transport only, for an estimated 1,706 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 Washington to Iowa
Every pair of cities we cover in the two states, nearest first. 2 have a full route page with a map, transit and licensed movers.
| Route | Distance | Transit | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane to Des Moines | ~1,443 mi | 7–14 days | $6,494 – $8,658 | $7,468 – $9,957 |
| Spokane to Cedar Rapids | ~1,533 mi | 7–14 days | $6,899 – $9,198 | $7,933 – $10,578 |
| Seattle to Des Moines | ~1,706 mi | 7–14 days | $7,677 – $10,236 | $8,829 – $11,771 |
| Tacoma to Des Moines | ~1,709 mi | 7–14 days | $7,691 – $10,254 | $8,844 – $11,792 |
| Vancouver to Des Moines | ~1,716 mi | 7–14 days | $7,722 – $10,296 | $8,880 – $11,840 |
| Olympia to Des Moines | ~1,732 mi | 7–14 days | $7,794 – $10,392 | $8,963 – $11,951 |
| Seattle to Cedar Rapids | ~1,798 mi | 7–14 days | $8,091 – $10,788 | $9,305 – $12,406 |
| Tacoma to Cedar Rapids | ~1,802 mi | 7–14 days | $8,109 – $10,812 | $9,325 – $12,434 |
| Vancouver to Cedar Rapids | ~1,815 mi | 7–14 days | $8,168 – $10,890 | $9,393 – $12,524 |
| Olympia to Cedar Rapids | ~1,827 mi | 7–14 days | $8,222 – $10,962 | $9,455 – $12,606 |
Routes without a link are priced on estimated distance only; the calculator measures the exact drive.
Roadside inspections: interstate movers based in Washington
95 of the 149 interstate movers listed here had at least one roadside inspection in the 24 months to September 13, 2026, 845 inspections in all. Inspectors put the vehicle out of service in 84 of 468 vehicle inspections (17.9%), below the 19.0% for listed movers nationally. Drivers were put out of service in 73 of 807 driver inspections (9.0%, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Relocation Services Aff Aes TransportationFife, WA · USDOT 340754 | 184 | 13 of 108 | 2 of 183 |
| Puget Sound Transfer & StoragePort Angeles, WA · USDOT 430203 | 58 | 6 of 31 | 0 of 52 |
| Hogland Transfer CoEverett, WA · USDOT 8264 | 44 | 4 of 15 | 0 of 44 |
| Jordan River Moving & StorageKirkland, WA · USDOT 901418 | 34 | 3 of 17 | 4 of 34 |
| Asap Movers LLCOlympia, WA · USDOT 4119742 | 23 | 3 of 14 | 9 of 21 |
| Olympic Moving & Storage IncOlympia, WA · USDOT 586615 | 23 | 5 of 16 | 1 of 23 |
FMCSA Safety Measurement System carrier summary, 24-month window. How the comparison is calculated.
Licensed movers at both ends
458 listed household-goods carriers are based in Washington, 149 of them with interstate authority, which this move requires; the Washington directory ranks them. At the Iowa end, 119 are based in the state, useful for a local crew after delivery: movers in Iowa, moving costs in Iowa, or the reverse trip, Iowa to Washington. The federal rules for the move itself are in who regulates movers and binding vs non-binding estimates.
Other moves from Washington
Washington to Iowa moving FAQ
How much does it cost to move from Washington to Iowa?
Between the two states' main cities, Seattle and Des Moines, the distance is about 1,706 miles. From our model that is $7,677 – $10,236 for a two-bedroom home and $8,829 – $11,771 for three bedrooms with full-service movers, transport only. A container you load yourself is about $5,527 – $7,370 for the two-bedroom home; a freight trailer about $3,685 – $4,913. Across the 10 city pairs we price between Washington and Iowa, distances run from 1,443 to 1,827 miles, so use the table for your own cities.
How long does a move from Washington to Iowa take?
Seattle to Des Moines is 4 days on the road (about 31 hours of driving). The move itself typically takes 7 to 14 days, because at this distance it usually travels on a consolidated load sharing trailer space with other households. Get the delivery window in writing. Book ahead: 6 to 8 weeks, 8 to 12 in summer.
Do I need an interstate-licensed mover for Washington to Iowa?
Yes. A move from Washington into Iowa is regulated by the FMCSA, so the carrier needs active interstate operating authority as well as a USDOT number. Of the 458 listed movers based in Washington, 149 hold that authority; the rest can only move you within Washington.
What is the cheapest way to move from Washington to Iowa?
Load a freight trailer yourself: about $3,685 – $4,913 for a two-bedroom home over 1,706 miles against $7,677 – $10,236 with full-service movers. A container, about $5,527 – $7,370, splits the difference and gives you days to load.
How many people move from Washington to Iowa each year?
The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey estimates about 652 people (±304) moved from Washington to Iowa that year, against about 907 (±766) from Iowa to Washington. That makes Washington the 19th-largest source of new residents for Iowa among the states.