Moving Company Revenue Benchmarks by Fleet Size and Region (2026)

The U.S. household goods moving industry generates approximately $25.7 billion in annual revenue across roughly 9,400 active businesses. This figure includes local, intrastate, and interstate residential and commercial moving services, as well as ancillary services like packing, storage, and specialty item handling.

The industry is heavily fragmented. The top 10 carriers (United Van Lines, Atlas Van Lines, Mayflower, North American Van Lines, Allied Van Lines, PODS, Two Men and a Truck, U-Pack, College Hunks, and Bellhop) account for approximately 18% of total revenue. The remaining 82% is distributed among thousands of small and mid-sized operators.

The average moving company generates $180,000 to $250,000 in annual revenue per truck. Companies with 20 or more trucks average $220,000 per truck, while operations with 1 to 5 trucks average $150,000 per truck. This gap reflects the operational efficiencies, brand recognition, and pricing power that come with scale.

For accountants, financial advisors, and lenders serving the moving industry, understanding these revenue benchmarks is essential for evaluating client performance, assessing loan applications, and identifying growth opportunities.

Fleet size is the most reliable predictor of revenue per truck. Larger fleets generate more revenue per truck because they can maintain higher utilization rates, command better pricing, secure van line agency agreements, and operate during more months of the year.

Companies with 1 to 5 trucks typically earn $120,000 to $180,000 per truck annually, with an average of $150,000. Their total annual revenue ranges from $120,000 to $900,000. Profit margins for this bracket are thin, averaging 5% to 10%, because fixed costs (insurance, licensing, equipment payments) consume a larger share of revenue.

The 6 to 20 truck bracket sees revenue per truck climb to $175,000 to $210,000, averaging $190,000. Total revenue ranges from $1.05 million to $4.2 million. Profit margins improve to 8% to 14% as overhead is distributed across more revenue-generating units.

Operators with 21 to 50 trucks hit the efficiency sweet spot: $200,000 to $240,000 per truck, averaging $220,000. These companies are large enough to negotiate favorable insurance rates, employ dedicated sales and dispatch staff, and maintain consistent year-round operations. Profit margins average 12% to 18%.

The largest operators (100+ trucks) average $230,000 per truck, but margins compress slightly to 10% to 15% due to the overhead of corporate infrastructure, multiple locations, and management layers.

Geography significantly impacts moving company revenue. Cost of living, population density, competition levels, and seasonal patterns all vary by region, creating distinct revenue profiles.

The Northeast (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania) commands the highest average revenue per truck at $235,000, driven by high population density, expensive housing markets, and a large volume of long-distance moves to the Southeast and Sun Belt. The average move price in the Northeast is $3,800 for a local move and $6,200 for a long-distance move.

The West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington) follows at $225,000 per truck. California alone accounts for roughly 12% of all U.S. household moves. The outbound migration trend from California has created a steady pipeline of long-distance moves commanding premium pricing.

The Southeast (Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee) averages $195,000 per truck. While average move prices are lower ($2,900 local, $5,100 long-distance), the region benefits from year-round moving activity and a continuous influx of inbound moves from the Northeast and Midwest.

The Midwest averages $170,000 per truck, reflecting lower pricing, shorter average distances, and a more compressed peak season. Mountain West states average $180,000 per truck, with strong seasonal peaks driven by resort and lifestyle relocations.

Labor is the moving industry's largest variable cost, typically consuming 45% to 55% of revenue. Understanding revenue per employee and cost per role is critical for financial benchmarking.

A crew member (mover/packer) costs $35,000 to $50,000 annually in wages and benefits and generates approximately $95,000 to $130,000 in revenue. A driver with a CDL costs $45,000 to $65,000 and generates $140,000 to $180,000. Sales and estimator roles cost $50,000 to $75,000 (including commissions) and are responsible for $400,000 to $800,000 in booked revenue. Dispatchers cost $40,000 to $55,000 and support $1.2 million to $2 million in coordinated revenue.

The most common staffing mistake among growing companies is hiring revenue-generating roles (crews, trucks) without proportional investment in sales and dispatch. This leads to trucks sitting idle, which destroys unit economics. The benchmark ratio is 1 sales/estimator per 5 to 8 trucks and 1 dispatcher per 8 to 12 trucks.

Companies with 1 to 5 trucks face a tightening margin squeeze that has accelerated since 2023. Three cost categories are rising faster than operators can raise prices.

Insurance costs have increased 22% to 35% since 2023 for small operators, driven by rising claim severity and insurers exiting the moving industry. A 1 to 3 truck operation now pays $18,000 to $30,000 annually for cargo and general liability coverage. For a company generating $300,000 in revenue, insurance alone consumes 6% to 10% of gross revenue.

Fuel costs, while more stable than their 2022 peak, remain 15% to 20% above pre-2020 levels. A single 26-foot truck consuming 6 to 8 miles per gallon and traveling 25,000 miles annually spends $12,000 to $16,000 on fuel.

Labor costs have risen 18% to 25% since 2021 as movers compete with warehouse, delivery, and construction jobs for the same worker pool. Entry-level mover pay has moved from $14 to $16 per hour to $17 to $20 per hour in most markets.

Meanwhile, consumer price sensitivity and lead aggregator competition keep average move prices relatively flat. The result: small operators are working more moves for the same or less profit. Companies that do not find a way to raise average ticket size (through packing, storage, specialty services) or reduce costs (through route optimization, crew efficiency) face a declining margin trajectory.

Lenders evaluating moving company loan applications need industry-specific benchmarks. Standard small business lending criteria often miss the nuances of the moving industry's seasonal cash flow, asset-light operations (many trucks are leased), and high failure rate.

The following metrics define a healthy moving company versus one showing warning signs. Revenue per truck should be $170,000 or higher; below $130,000 signals underutilization or pricing problems. Profit margin should be 10% or higher; below 5% indicates the company is one bad season from insolvency. The debt-to-revenue ratio should be below 0.4; above 0.6 suggests the company financed growth with debt it cannot service in the off-season.

Cash reserves are critical. A healthy operator maintains 2 to 3 months of operating expenses in reserve. Companies with less than 1 month of reserves are vulnerable to any disruption: a slow spring, a major claim, a truck breakdown.

Customer concentration matters too. If more than 30% of revenue comes from a single source (one van line, one corporate account, one lead aggregator), the company is exposed to relationship risk. Healthy operators diversify across multiple revenue channels.

The moving industry's revenue is heavily concentrated in the summer months. June, July, and August alone account for approximately 40% of annual revenue. Including May and September, the five-month peak season generates roughly 55% to 60% of total annual revenue.

January is typically the slowest month, generating just 4% to 5% of annual revenue. February is slightly better at 5% to 6%. Revenue ramps up through March (6%) and April (7%) before accelerating into the peak.

July is the single highest-revenue month, averaging 15% to 16% of annual revenue. June and August each contribute 12% to 14%. September begins the decline at 9% to 10%, with October at 7% to 8%, November at 5% to 6%, and December at 4% to 5%.

This distribution has profound implications for financial planning. Companies must generate enough surplus during the peak season to cover fixed costs during the 4 to 5 months when revenue falls below breakeven. For a company with $200,000 in monthly fixed costs, the winter cash burn can total $300,000 to $500,000.