Moving Costs in Dubuque, IA
Two formulas cover every move out of Dubuque. 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: $860 – $1,146 to Chicago, IL. 7 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
- $860 – $1,146
- ≈ 191 miles, transport only
- Movers within 30 mi
- 7
- 5 with interstate authority
In short
A two-bedroom local move in Dubuque 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 $860 – $1,146. 7 licensed movers are based within 30 miles. The largest Census flow out of Dubuque County goes to Johnson County, about 563 people a year.
What a move from Dubuque costs
Local moves are crew × hours × an hourly rate; long-distance moves are weight × distance.
Local moves in Dubuque: billed by the hour
A two-bedroom move in Dubuque: 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 Dubuque: priced by weight and miles
Full-service, transport only. From Dubuque, Chicago, IL is the nearest priced metro (≈ 191 mi) and Los Angeles, CA the farthest (≈ 1,859 mi); ≈ marks estimated miles.
| To | Miles | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | ≈ 1,015 | $4,568 – $6,090 | $5,253 – $7,004 |
| Los Angeles, CA | ≈ 1,859 | $8,366 – $11,154 | $9,620 – $12,827 |
| Chicago, IL | ≈ 191 | $860 – $1,146 | $988 – $1,318 |
| Dallas, TX | ≈ 874 | $3,933 – $5,244 | $4,523 – $6,031 |
| Houston, TX | ≈ 1,070 | $4,815 – $6,420 | $5,537 – $7,383 |
| Washington, DC | ≈ 883 | $3,974 – $5,298 | $4,570 – $6,093 |
| Miami, FL | ≈ 1,516 | $6,822 – $9,096 | $7,845 – $10,460 |
| Philadelphia, PA | ≈ 962 | $4,329 – $5,772 | $4,978 – $6,638 |
| Atlanta, GA | ≈ 810 | $3,645 – $4,860 | $4,192 – $5,589 |
| Phoenix, AZ | ≈ 1,534 | $6,903 – $9,204 | $7,938 – $10,585 |
Long-distance lanes from Dubuque, by home size
| From Dubuque to | Miles | Studio | 1 bedroom | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | ≈ 1,015 | $3,426 – $4,568 | $4,111 – $5,481 | $5,253 – $7,004 | $5,938 – $7,917 |
| Los Angeles, CA | ≈ 1,859 | $6,274 – $8,366 | $7,529 – $10,039 | $9,620 – $12,827 | $10,875 – $14,500 |
| Chicago, IL | ≈ 191 | $645 – $860 | $774 – $1,031 | $988 – $1,318 | $1,117 – $1,490 |
| Dallas, TX | ≈ 874 | $2,950 – $3,933 | $3,540 – $4,720 | $4,523 – $6,031 | $5,113 – $6,817 |
| Houston, TX | ≈ 1,070 | $3,611 – $4,815 | $4,334 – $5,778 | $5,537 – $7,383 | $6,260 – $8,346 |
| Washington, DC | ≈ 883 | $2,980 – $3,974 | $3,576 – $4,768 | $4,570 – $6,093 | $5,166 – $6,887 |
| Miami, FL | ≈ 1,516 | $5,117 – $6,822 | $6,140 – $8,186 | $7,845 – $10,460 | $8,869 – $11,825 |
| Philadelphia, PA | ≈ 962 | $3,247 – $4,329 | $3,896 – $5,195 | $4,978 – $6,638 | $5,628 – $7,504 |
| Atlanta, GA | ≈ 810 | $2,734 – $3,645 | $3,281 – $4,374 | $4,192 – $5,589 | $4,739 – $6,318 |
| Phoenix, AZ | ≈ 1,534 | $5,177 – $6,903 | $6,213 – $8,284 | $7,938 – $10,585 | $8,974 – $11,965 |
Distances marked ≈ are estimated. Full-service movers, transport only.
Licensed movers serving Dubuque
7 FMCSA-registered household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Dubuque, 5 of them with interstate authority; 4 had a roadside inspection in the past 24 months. The Dubuque 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 Dubuque County
Dubuque sits in Dubuque County, IA, home to about 96,007 people aged one and over. In the Census Bureau's 2016–2020 American Community Survey, about 3,305 (±576) people a year moved into the county from another state, about 230 (±98) from abroad and about 1,450 (±293) from elsewhere in Iowa. Going the other way, the county-to-county estimates add up to roughly 1,942 a year leaving for another state.
| To | People a year | From Dubuque | 2-bedroom move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County, IAIowa City moving costs | 563 ±324 | ≈ 84 mi to Iowa City | $505 – $831 |
| Black Hawk County, IAWaterloo moving costs | 353 ±167 | ≈ 98 mi to Waterloo | $505 – $831 |
| Jo Daviess County, IL | 207 ±171 | — | — |
| Linn County, IACedar Rapids moving costs | 181 ±99 | ≈ 71 mi to Cedar Rapids | $505 – $831 |
| Story County, IAAmes moving costs | 177 ±98 | ≈ 178 mi to Ames | $801 – $1,068 |
The largest groups of newcomers come from Jo Daviess County, IL (about 530), Cook County, IL (about 382) and Polk County, IA (about 238). Across state lines, the largest flows out go to Wisconsin (about 491), Illinois (about 451) and Kentucky (about 203); the largest flows in come from Illinois (about 1,303), Wisconsin (about 536) and Florida (about 222).
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 Dubuque: questions people ask
How much does it cost to hire movers in Dubuque, 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 Dubuque?
Priced on weight and distance, about $5.00 per mile for a two-bedroom home in our model. From Dubuque to Chicago, IL (about 191 miles) that is $860 – $1,146, and to Los Angeles, CA (about 1,859 miles) $8,366 – $11,154, transport only.
Are there licensed movers in Dubuque?
7 FMCSA-registered household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Dubuque, 5 of them with interstate authority. The Dubuque movers page lists each one with its USDOT number.
Where do people from Dubuque County move?
The largest flows out of the county go to Johnson County (about 563 a year), Black Hawk County (about 353 a year), Jo Daviess County (about 207 a year), and roughly 1,942 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 Dubuque?
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.