The Moving Industry by the Numbers: 2019 Trends

Numbers don't lie, but they do require context. Every year, the American Moving & Storage Association publishes data that paints a picture of where our industry stands — and where it's headed. Let's dig into what the 2019 numbers actually mean for operators on the ground.

How Big Is the Moving Industry Right Now?

The U.S. household goods moving industry generates roughly $86 billion in annual revenue, according to IBISWorld's latest estimates. That figure includes everything from the one-truck local operator to the van line agencies running 500+ interstate shipments a month.

There are approximately 7,000 FMCSA-registered interstate movers and an estimated 18,000+ intrastate operators. But here's the stat that matters: the top 50 companies control less than 30% of total revenue. This is still a deeply fragmented industry, which means opportunity exists for well-run smaller operators to capture share.

The average revenue per interstate shipment sits around $4,300, up about 3.5% from 2018. Local moves average significantly less — somewhere in the $1,200-$1,800 range depending on market — but the volume is higher and the operational complexity is lower.

Where Are People Moving?

The U.S. Census Bureau's migration data and United Van Lines' annual study both tell the same story: the South and West continue to win.

The top inbound states for 2018 (the most recent full-year data available) were:

1. Idaho — 67% inbound
2. Arizona — 63% inbound
3. South Carolina — 61% inbound
4. Tennessee — 60% inbound
5. North Carolina — 59% inbound

The top outbound states won't surprise anyone: New Jersey, Illinois, Connecticut, New York, and Kansas led departures.

What does this mean practically? If you operate in a high-inbound market, your challenge is capacity — you need more trucks, more crews, and better scheduling to handle the demand. A strong dispatch platform becomes non-negotiable when you're juggling 20+ moves a day across a metro area that's growing 4% year-over-year.

If you're in an outbound market, the play is different. You've got plenty of outgoing shipments, but you need backhaul strategies to avoid sending trucks home empty. Partnering with agents in inbound markets or diversifying into corporate relocation can help stabilize revenue.

What's Happening With Pricing?

Rates are climbing, and that's mostly good news for operators — though the reasons are mixed.

Driver shortages continue to push labor costs up across transportation. The ATA estimated a shortage of roughly 60,800 truck drivers in 2018, and 2019 projections aren't much better. For moving companies, this means your experienced CDL holders have leverage, and you're competing with long-haul freight carriers who can offer year-round consistent schedules.

Fuel costs have stabilized somewhat compared to the 2018 spikes, hovering around $2.85-$3.10 per gallon for diesel nationally. That's manageable, but still 12-15% higher than the 2016 lows.

The net effect: tariff rates for interstate moves increased an average of 4-6% heading into 2019 peak season. Most consumers are absorbing the increase without significant pushback, partly because demand remains strong and partly because the overall economy is healthy.

How Are Consumer Expectations Changing?

This is where the numbers get interesting for operators thinking about technology investment.

A 2019 survey by MovingLabor found that 78% of consumers research moving companies online before calling anyone. Of those, 63% said they'd prefer to get an initial quote digitally rather than scheduling an in-home estimate as the first step.

That tracks with what we see across the industry. Companies offering online quotes are capturing leads that traditional phone-first operators miss entirely. When someone's browsing moving companies at 10 PM on a Tuesday, they're not going to call you — but they will fill out a quote form if one exists.

Additionally, 44% of surveyed customers said real-time communication during their move was "very important," up from 31% in a similar 2016 survey. People want to know where their stuff is. They want confirmation texts. They want to sign documents electronically instead of dealing with carbon-copy paperwork on moving day.

The client portal model — where customers can log in, see their job status, review documents, and make payments — is moving from "nice to have" to expected. Not by every customer, but by enough of them that ignoring the trend puts you at a competitive disadvantage.

What About the Corporate Relocation Segment?

Corporate relocations make up an estimated 15-18% of total industry revenue but punch above their weight in profitability. The average corporate move runs $12,000-$25,000 depending on distance, services, and whether storage is involved.

The corporate segment has been growing steadily. Companies are relocating employees at higher rates as the labor market tightens — if you can't find talent locally, you bring it from somewhere else. For moving companies, this means longer-term contracts, more predictable revenue, and typically faster payment cycles than residential customers.

Breaking into corporate relocation requires a level of documentation and reporting that not every operator can deliver. Relocation management companies (RMCs) want standardized invoicing, proof-of-delivery documentation, and claims data. If you're still running your back office on spreadsheets and paper files, you're not going to pass their vendor qualification process.

Is the Industry Actually Growing or Just Inflating?

Both, honestly. Unit volume (total number of shipments) is growing at roughly 1.5-2% annually, driven by population growth, continued migration patterns, and a strong housing market. Revenue growth is higher — 3.5-5% — because pricing is outpacing volume.

The real growth story for individual operators isn't the macro trend. It's market share capture. In a fragmented industry with thousands of competitors, the companies investing in technology, branding, and customer experience are pulling away from those that aren't.

Operators using modern moving software report 15-25% higher revenue per salesperson compared to those relying on manual processes, primarily because they can handle more leads without dropping balls. A CRM built for movers doesn't just organize contacts — it automates follow-ups that would otherwise fall through the cracks during your busiest months.

What Should Operators Focus on in 2019?

Based on the data, three priorities stand out:

Capacity planning. If you're in a growth market, the bottleneck is trucks and crews, not leads. Plan your fleet additions and hiring now — waiting until June means you're already behind.

Digital customer experience. The gap between consumer expectations and what most moving companies deliver is wide. Close it with online quoting, electronic documentation, and proactive communication.

Operational efficiency. With costs rising across the board, margin improvement has to come from doing more with what you have. That means better route planning, tighter scheduling, and less administrative overhead.

The numbers say the moving industry is healthy and growing. But "the industry" doesn't grow your company — smart decisions do. Schedule a demo to see how the right tools can help you capitalize on the trends working in your favor.