The short answer
Long-distance cost rises with mileage, but the rate per mile falls as the haul lengthens. In our model a short interstate corridor carries a high implied per-mile figure because crew hours at both ends are a large share of a small total; a cross-country corridor carries a much lower one because the same fixed service work is spread over thousands of miles.
Past roughly 1,500 miles two other things change. Shipment weight becomes the dominant variable, so trimming the inventory pays more than it does on a short lane. And delivery moves from a date to a window, because carriers consolidate long-haul shipments. The distance table below is computed across every corridor we publish.
Moving Cost Advisor model data
Modeled 3-bedroom cost by distance band, and what it implies per mile
Swipe the table sideways to see every column
| Distance band | Corridors priced | Median distance | Median modeled midpoint | Implied per mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 500 miles | 108 | 395 miles | $3,400 | $8.61 per mile |
| 500–999 miles | 507 | 790 miles | $4,900 | $6.20 per mile |
| 1,000–1,499 miles | 516 | 1,205 miles | $6,100 | $5.06 per mile |
| 1,500–2,199 miles | 581 | 1,830 miles | $7,800 | $4.26 per mile |
| 2,200 miles and over | 588 | 2,505 miles | $9,450 | $3.77 per mile |
MCA model output. Per-mile figures are derived by dividing the median modeled midpoint by the median band distance — they are an arithmetic consequence of the model, not a rate movers publish.
Moving Cost Advisor model data
Median modeled cost by home size, across our full corridor inventory
Swipe the table sideways to see every column
| Home size | Assumed shipment weight | Median modeled midpoint | Weight-normalised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 1,500–2,600 lbs | $2,450 | $1,200 per 1,000 lbs |
| 1 Bedroom | 2,400–3,800 lbs | $3,200 | $1,025 per 1,000 lbs |
| 2 Bedroom | 4,200–6,200 lbs | $4,800 | $925 per 1,000 lbs |
| 3 Bedroom | 6,800–9,500 lbs | $7,050 | $875 per 1,000 lbs |
| 4 Bedroom | 9,500–13,000 lbs | $9,400 | $825 per 1,000 lbs |
| 5+ Bedroom | 13,000–18,000 lbs | $12,600 | $825 per 1,000 lbs |
MCA model output. Every one of the 2,300 published corridors repriced at each profile (median corridor: 1,530 miles), then summarised on midpoints. Not a market survey.
The shape of the distance curve
Line haul is weight multiplied by distance at a rate that steps down as mileage increases. Origin and destination service does not scale with distance at all — a crew loads the same house whether the truck then drives 400 miles or 2,800. That combination is what bends the curve.
The practical consequence: comparing two quotes on price per mile is only meaningful when the two moves are similar lengths. Across bands it is a misleading metric, which is why we publish the implied per-mile figure alongside the band it came from rather than as a headline rate.
What changes past 1,500 miles
Weight discipline pays more on long hauls because the weight term is multiplied by a much larger distance. A 500 lb reduction that is close to irrelevant on a 300-mile move is a meaningful line-item on a coast-to-coast one.
Delivery windows widen. Carriers move long-haul household goods on consolidated loads, so the order for service will state a spread of days rather than a single date. If your dates are rigid, exclusive-use service exists but changes the economics entirely.
Where the alternatives become competitive
Portable containers and rental trucks are priced on volume and mileage rather than weight and crew hours, so their cost curve is shaped differently. They tend to close the gap on long, light moves and lose ground on short, heavy ones — the opposite of the intuition most people start with.
Planning a long-distance move
- 01Locate your corridor in the distance table to see the band you are pricing in.
- 02Cut weight before comparing quotes — on a long haul it is the highest-leverage change available.
- 03Ask for the delivery window in writing, and ask what triggers the far end of it.
- 04Price a container option in parallel if your shipment is light for its size.
- 05Confirm the estimate type before signing; long hauls magnify the cost of an underestimated weight.
Regulatory and external sources
What the rules say
Carriers must state the agreed delivery date or period in the order for service and notify the shipper if it cannot be met.
49 CFR Part 375 — Transportation of Household GoodsLong-haul trucking moves the majority of domestic freight ton-miles, which is the structural reason consolidated line-haul rates decline with distance.
Bureau of Transportation Statistics — Freight Facts and Figures
Limits of this analysis
- Per-mile figures are derived from our model, not quoted rates. Carriers do not sell household-goods moves by the mile.
- The model uses road-network distance with a circuity adjustment, not straight-line mileage.
- Delivery-window behaviour is described from federal rules and carrier practice, not measured from our corridor data.
Put this into a number
Use the moving cost calculator to see how these mechanics change your own estimate, or read the pricing methodology for the exact inputs we apply.
Related, and deliberately separate
Questions
Is a longer move always more expensive?
In our model, more miles add cost, but a lighter shipment on a long lane can model below a heavy shipment on a short one. Weight and distance are separate levers.
How long does a cross-country delivery take?
Carriers quote a window rather than a date on long hauls because shipments are consolidated. The window belongs in the order for service, in writing.
Does the per-mile cost really fall with distance?
Yes, in our model — the distance table shows the implied figure declining across bands, because fixed crew service is spread over more miles.