Moving Costs in Ames, IA
Two formulas cover every move out of Ames. Under about 100 miles you pay for a crew's time: a two-bedroom home is $505 – $831 in our model. Beyond that you pay for weight and distance: $1,616 – $2,154 to Chicago, IL. 29 licensed movers are based within 30 miles. Every figure comes from the same published model as the calculator, not from any company.
Carrier counts from the FMCSA Motor Carrier Census, snapshot September 24, 2026. No paid placement.
- 2-bed local move
- $505 – $831
- 2 movers × 5–7 h + $75 travel
- 3-bed local move
- $849 – $1,533
- 3 movers × 6–9 h + travel
- 2-bed to Chicago
- $1,616 – $2,154
- ≈ 359 miles, transport only
- Movers within 30 mi
- 29
- 10 with interstate authority
In short
A two-bedroom local move in Ames runs $505 – $831 in our model and a three-bedroom $849 – $1,533, billed by the hour. Long distance, a two-bedroom move to Chicago, IL is $1,616 – $2,154. 29 licensed movers are based within 30 miles. The largest Census flow out of Story County goes to Polk County, about 2,109 people a year.
What a move from Ames costs
Local moves are crew × hours × an hourly rate; long-distance moves are weight × distance.
Local moves in Ames: billed by the hour
A two-bedroom move in Ames: 2 movers × 5–7 hours × $43–$54 an hour, plus $75 travel, is $505 – $831.
| Home | Crew | Hours | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 2 | 2–3 | $247 – $399 |
| 1 bedroom | 2 | 3–5 | $333 – $615 |
| 2 bedrooms | 2 | 5–7 | $505 – $831 |
| 3 bedrooms | 3 | 6–9 | $849 – $1,533 |
| 4 bedrooms | 4 | 8–10 | $1,451 – $2,235 |
| 5+ bedrooms | 4 | 10–12 | $1,795 – $2,667 |
Hourly rates are scaled to Iowa: hand movers there earn a median $20.91 an hour against $19.35 nationally (BLS, May 2025), so the model's national $40–$50 band becomes $43–$54 per mover per hour.
Long distance from Ames: priced by weight and miles
Full-service, transport only. From Ames, Chicago, IL is the nearest priced metro (≈ 359 mi) and Los Angeles, CA the farthest (≈ 1,682 mi); ≈ marks estimated miles.
| To | Miles | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | ≈ 1,188 | $5,346 – $7,128 | $6,148 – $8,197 |
| Los Angeles, CA | ≈ 1,682 | $7,569 – $10,092 | $8,704 – $11,606 |
| Chicago, IL | ≈ 359 | $1,616 – $2,154 | $1,858 – $2,477 |
| Dallas, TX | ≈ 772 | $3,474 – $4,632 | $3,995 – $5,327 |
| Houston, TX | ≈ 995 | $4,478 – $5,970 | $5,149 – $6,866 |
| Washington, DC | ≈ 1,046 | $4,707 – $6,276 | $5,413 – $7,217 |
| Miami, FL | ≈ 1,583 | $7,124 – $9,498 | $8,192 – $10,923 |
| Philadelphia, PA | ≈ 1,133 | $5,099 – $6,798 | $5,863 – $7,818 |
| Atlanta, GA | ≈ 887 | $3,992 – $5,322 | $4,590 – $6,120 |
| Phoenix, AZ | ≈ 1,359 | $6,116 – $8,154 | $7,033 – $9,377 |
Long-distance lanes from Ames, by home size
| From Ames to | Miles | Studio | 1 bedroom | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | ≈ 1,188 | $4,010 – $5,346 | $4,811 – $6,415 | $6,148 – $8,197 | $6,950 – $9,266 |
| Los Angeles, CA | ≈ 1,682 | $5,677 – $7,569 | $6,812 – $9,083 | $8,704 – $11,606 | $9,840 – $13,120 |
| Chicago, IL | ≈ 359 | $1,212 – $1,616 | $1,454 – $1,939 | $1,858 – $2,477 | $2,100 – $2,800 |
| Dallas, TX | ≈ 772 | $2,606 – $3,474 | $3,127 – $4,169 | $3,995 – $5,327 | $4,516 – $6,022 |
| Houston, TX | ≈ 995 | $3,358 – $4,478 | $4,030 – $5,373 | $5,149 – $6,866 | $5,821 – $7,761 |
| Washington, DC | ≈ 1,046 | $3,530 – $4,707 | $4,236 – $5,648 | $5,413 – $7,217 | $6,119 – $8,159 |
| Miami, FL | ≈ 1,583 | $5,343 – $7,124 | $6,411 – $8,548 | $8,192 – $10,923 | $9,261 – $12,347 |
| Philadelphia, PA | ≈ 1,133 | $3,824 – $5,099 | $4,589 – $6,118 | $5,863 – $7,818 | $6,628 – $8,837 |
| Atlanta, GA | ≈ 887 | $2,994 – $3,992 | $3,592 – $4,790 | $4,590 – $6,120 | $5,189 – $6,919 |
| Phoenix, AZ | ≈ 1,359 | $4,587 – $6,116 | $5,504 – $7,339 | $7,033 – $9,377 | $7,950 – $10,600 |
Distances marked ≈ are estimated. Full-service movers, transport only.
Licensed movers serving Ames
29 FMCSA-registered household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Ames, 10 of them with interstate authority; 10 had a roadside inspection in the past 24 months. The Ames movers page lists every one with its USDOT number, fleet and inspection record, and its long-distance section keeps only those that can cross a state line.
Who moves to and from Story County
Ames sits in Story County, IA, home to about 96,495 people aged one and over. In the Census Bureau's 2016–2020 American Community Survey, about 5,046 (±576) people a year moved into the county from another state, about 908 (±284) from abroad and about 7,742 (±841) from elsewhere in Iowa. Going the other way, the county-to-county estimates add up to roughly 4,253 a year leaving for another state.
| To | People a year | From Ames | 2-bedroom move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, IADes Moines moving costs | 2,109 ±459 | ≈ 35 mi to Des Moines | $505 – $831 |
| Boone County, IABoone moving costs | 431 ±175 | ≈ 15 mi to Boone | $505 – $831 |
| Dallas County, IAWaukee moving costs | 251 ±136 | ≈ 38 mi to Waukee | $505 – $831 |
| Maricopa County, AZChandler moving costs | 216 ±139 | ≈ 1,355 mi to Chandler | $6,098 – $8,130 |
| Linn County, IACedar Rapids moving costs | 191 ±97 | ≈ 117 mi to Cedar Rapids | $527 – $702 |
The largest groups of newcomers come from Polk County, IA (about 1,914), Marion County, IA (about 426) and Linn County, IA (about 381). Across state lines, the largest flows out go to Minnesota (about 711), Illinois (about 433) and California (about 357); the largest flows in come from Minnesota (about 1,243), Illinois (about 1,225) and Texas (about 294).
US Census Bureau, ACS 2016–2020 county-to-county migration flows; people a year with a 90% margin of error. Miles are estimated from city coordinates; move prices are full-service, transport only, from the published model.
Nearby cost guides in Iowa
Moving to or from Iowa · Every priced route from Iowa · Des Moines cost guide
Moving costs in Ames: questions people ask
How much does it cost to hire movers in Ames, IA?
A local move (under about 100 miles) is billed by the hour: $43–$54 per mover per hour plus about $75 travel in our model, so a two-bedroom home with two movers for 5–7 hours is $505 – $831 and a three-bedroom home with three movers is $849 – $1,533. Packing, stairs and long carries are extra.
How much is a long-distance move from Ames?
Priced on weight and distance, about $5.00 per mile for a two-bedroom home in our model. From Ames to Chicago, IL (about 359 miles) that is $1,616 – $2,154, and to Los Angeles, CA (about 1,682 miles) $7,569 – $10,092, transport only.
Are there licensed movers in Ames?
29 FMCSA-registered household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Ames, 10 of them with interstate authority. The Ames movers page lists each one with its USDOT number.
Where do people from Story County move?
The largest flows out of the county go to Polk County (about 2,109 a year), Boone County (about 431 a year), Dallas County (about 251 a year), and roughly 4,253 people a year leave for another state, by the Census Bureau's 2016–2020 estimates. The table on this page prices a two-bedroom move to each destination.
What is the cheapest way to move out of Ames?
For the same route and load, a moving container prices 28% below full-service movers and a freight trailer 52% below, because you do the loading. A rental truck is cheaper still on the transport line but adds fuel, lodging and your own days.
Sources. Costs from the published model; carriers from the FMCSA Motor Carrier Census (snapshot September 24, 2026) and Safety Measurement System; Census ACS migration flows.