Madison, WI Moving Costs 2026
Madison runs slightly above the national average despite Wisconsin's low statewide costs, the isthmus street grid, limited truck parking near campus, and a mover pool sized for a small city all push crew hours up.
Typical local move, 2-bedroom home
$875–$1,325
2-mover crew
$125/hr
3-mover crew
$188/hr
4-mover crew
$250/hr
Truck included · how we calculate
Madison hourly moving rates
| Crew size | Rate / hour | Typical for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 movers | $125 | Studio – 1BR |
| 3 movers | $188 | 2BR – 3BR |
| 4 movers | $250 | 4BR+ |
Local move cost by home size
| Home size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $325 | $400 | $500 |
| 1 Bedroom | $450 | $550 | $675 |
| 2 Bedroom | $875 | $1,075 | $1,325 |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,200 | $1,500 | $1,825 |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,950 | $2,375 | $2,900 |
| 5+ Bedroom | $2,375 | $2,900 | $3,525 |
What drives moving costs in Madison
A local move is crew hours, so the question is always what the housing here does to those hours. The isthmus is two miles wide with limited truck parking, one-way streets, and near-campus buildings that require a reserved loading zone. Suburban Middleton and Fitchburg addresses are considerably quicker.
Net of all that, Madison prices effectively at the national average. A 2-bedroom local move runs about $1,075 here and about the same nationally, Madison's local index of 1.01 is close enough to the national blend that the difference disappears at this size. It shows up on bigger homes, where the same percentage is applied to a larger bill.
Who is moving in Madison, and when
University and state-government employment set the rhythm, with the August 15 lease turnover concentrating an enormous share of the city's annual moving volume into a single day, plus steady biotech relocation.
Madison's calendar revolves around the August 15 lease turnover, when a large share of the city moves on the same day, by far the most expensive and most booked-out date of the year.
Moving from Madison to nearby metros
The closest markets we publish rates for, with the real road distance from Madison and what a 3-bedroom household costs over exactly that distance. Anything under about 50 miles is still priced as a local, hourly job; past that, per-mile transport starts stacking on top of the crew hours.
| Corridor | Distance | Typical | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison to Milwaukee, WI | 89 mi | $1,925 | $1,575–$2,350 |
| Madison to Chicago, IL | 144 mi | $2,175 | $1,775–$2,650 |
| Madison to Grand Rapids, MI | 223 mi | $2,475 | $2,025–$3,025 |
| Madison to Minneapolis, MN | 275 mi | $2,675 | $2,200–$3,275 |
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Madison moving cost FAQ
In 2026, Madison movers charge about $125/hour for a 2-mover crew, $188/hour for 3 movers, and $250/hour for 4, truck included.
Typical Madison local moves run $325–$500 for a studio up to $2,375–$3,525 for a large house.
The isthmus is two miles wide with limited truck parking, one-way streets, and near-campus buildings that require a reserved loading zone. Suburban Middleton and Fitchburg addresses are considerably quicker. Netted out, Madison prices effectively at the national average: a typical 2-bedroom local move runs about $1,075 here, the same as the national blend.
University and state-government employment set the rhythm, with the August 15 lease turnover concentrating an enormous share of the city's annual moving volume into a single day, plus steady biotech relocation.
Madison's calendar revolves around the August 15 lease turnover, when a large share of the city moves on the same day, by far the most expensive and most booked-out date of the year.
Madison to Milwaukee is roughly 89 miles. A 3-bedroom household on that corridor runs about $1,575–$2,350 off-peak, typically $1,925.
Moving across Wisconsin
See statewide costs, every city we cover, and popular routes in and out on the moving to Wisconsin hub.
Price Madison by home size and square footage
The table above is priced by bedroom count. If you know your home's finished square footage instead, the cost by square footage guide converts sq ft to a planning weight and a price. To sanity-check a written bid from a national brand against these figures, see how the major moving companies set their rates.