Moving Costs in Storm Lake, IA
Two formulas cover every move out of Storm Lake. 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: $2,052 – $2,736 to Chicago, IL. 2 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
- $2,052 – $2,736
- ≈ 456 miles, transport only
- Movers within 30 mi
- 2
- 1 with interstate authority
In short
A two-bedroom local move in Storm Lake 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 $2,052 – $2,736. 2 licensed movers are based within 30 miles. The largest Census flow out of Buena Vista County goes to Sac County, about 130 people a year.
What a move from Storm Lake costs
Local moves are crew × hours × an hourly rate; long-distance moves are weight × distance.
Local moves in Storm Lake: billed by the hour
A two-bedroom move in Storm Lake: 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 Storm Lake: priced by weight and miles
Full-service, transport only. From Storm Lake, Chicago, IL is the nearest priced metro (≈ 456 mi) and Miami, FL the farthest (≈ 1,681 mi); ≈ marks estimated miles.
| To | Miles | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | ≈ 1,281 | $5,765 – $7,686 | $6,629 – $8,839 |
| Los Angeles, CA | ≈ 1,605 | $7,223 – $9,630 | $8,306 – $11,074 |
| Chicago, IL | ≈ 456 | $2,052 – $2,736 | $2,360 – $3,146 |
| Dallas, TX | ≈ 801 | $3,605 – $4,806 | $4,145 – $5,527 |
| Houston, TX | ≈ 1,038 | $4,671 – $6,228 | $5,372 – $7,162 |
| Washington, DC | ≈ 1,146 | $5,157 – $6,876 | $5,931 – $7,907 |
| Miami, FL | ≈ 1,681 | $7,565 – $10,086 | $8,699 – $11,599 |
| Philadelphia, PA | ≈ 1,229 | $5,531 – $7,374 | $6,360 – $8,480 |
| Atlanta, GA | ≈ 989 | $4,451 – $5,934 | $5,118 – $6,824 |
| Phoenix, AZ | ≈ 1,298 | $5,841 – $7,788 | $6,717 – $8,956 |
Long-distance lanes from Storm Lake, by home size
| From Storm Lake to | Miles | Studio | 1 bedroom | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | ≈ 1,281 | $4,323 – $5,765 | $5,188 – $6,917 | $6,629 – $8,839 | $7,494 – $9,992 |
| Los Angeles, CA | ≈ 1,605 | $5,417 – $7,223 | $6,500 – $8,667 | $8,306 – $11,074 | $9,389 – $12,519 |
| Chicago, IL | ≈ 456 | $1,539 – $2,052 | $1,847 – $2,462 | $2,360 – $3,146 | $2,668 – $3,557 |
| Dallas, TX | ≈ 801 | $2,703 – $3,605 | $3,244 – $4,325 | $4,145 – $5,527 | $4,686 – $6,248 |
| Houston, TX | ≈ 1,038 | $3,503 – $4,671 | $4,204 – $5,605 | $5,372 – $7,162 | $6,072 – $8,096 |
| Washington, DC | ≈ 1,146 | $3,868 – $5,157 | $4,641 – $6,188 | $5,931 – $7,907 | $6,704 – $8,939 |
| Miami, FL | ≈ 1,681 | $5,673 – $7,565 | $6,808 – $9,077 | $8,699 – $11,599 | $9,834 – $13,112 |
| Philadelphia, PA | ≈ 1,229 | $4,148 – $5,531 | $4,977 – $6,637 | $6,360 – $8,480 | $7,190 – $9,586 |
| Atlanta, GA | ≈ 989 | $3,338 – $4,451 | $4,005 – $5,341 | $5,118 – $6,824 | $5,786 – $7,714 |
| Phoenix, AZ | ≈ 1,298 | $4,381 – $5,841 | $5,257 – $7,009 | $6,717 – $8,956 | $7,593 – $10,124 |
Distances marked ≈ are estimated. Full-service movers, transport only.
Licensed movers serving Storm Lake
2 FMCSA-registered household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Storm Lake, 1 of them with interstate authority; 0 had a roadside inspection in the past 24 months. The Storm Lake 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 Buena Vista County
Storm Lake sits in Buena Vista County, IA, home to about 19,734 people aged one and over. In the Census Bureau's 2016–2020 American Community Survey, about 458 (±165) people a year moved into the county from another state, about 59 (±49) from abroad and about 627 (±154) from elsewhere in Iowa. Going the other way, the county-to-county estimates add up to roughly 375 a year leaving for another state.
| To | People a year | From Storm Lake | 2-bedroom move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sac County, IA | 130 ±70 | — | — |
| Lancaster County, NELincoln moving costs | 124 ±195* | ≈ 173 mi to Lincoln | $779 – $1,038 |
| Polk County, IADes Moines moving costs | 103 ±105* | ≈ 127 mi to Des Moines | $572 – $762 |
| Black Hawk County, IAWaterloo moving costs | 76 ±71 | ≈ 169 mi to Waterloo | $761 – $1,014 |
| Johnson County, KSOverland Park moving costs | 48 ±63* | ≈ 297 mi to Overland Park | $1,337 – $1,782 |
The largest groups of newcomers come from Miami-Dade County, FL (about 74), Adams County, MS (about 57) and Carroll County, IA (about 51). Across state lines, the largest flows out go to Nebraska (about 145), Kansas (about 99) and Illinois (about 30); the largest flows in come from Florida (about 83), Mississippi (about 57) and Ohio (about 37).
US Census Bureau, ACS 2016–2020 county-to-county migration flows; people a year with a 90% margin of error. * The margin is as large as the estimate: a handful of households, not a count. 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 Storm Lake: questions people ask
How much does it cost to hire movers in Storm Lake, 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 Storm Lake?
Priced on weight and distance, about $5.00 per mile for a two-bedroom home in our model. From Storm Lake to Chicago, IL (about 456 miles) that is $2,052 – $2,736, and to Miami, FL (about 1,681 miles) $7,565 – $10,086, transport only.
Are there licensed movers in Storm Lake?
2 FMCSA-registered household-goods carriers are based within 30 miles of Storm Lake, 1 of them with interstate authority. The Storm Lake movers page lists each one with its USDOT number.
Where do people from Buena Vista County move?
The largest flows out of the county go to Sac County (about 130 a year), Lancaster County (about 124 a year), Polk County (about 103 a year), and roughly 375 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 Storm Lake?
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.