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Illinois
Illinois Long-Distance Moving Company
Illinois is a state of two realities. The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro packs roughly 9.4 million people, about 74 percent of the state's 12,719,141 residents, into the nation's third-largest urban area, while a vast agricultural downstate of corn and soybean country stretches south to the Ohio River. Star Van Lines is a USDOT-licensed interstate carrier (USDOT #4176875, MC #1607491) that handles local and long-distance moves across all of Illinois. Because the work splits so sharply between a dense metro and open farm country, we have been running both since 2016, from the freight elevators of the Loop to gravel driveways outside Springfield.
Our Illinois moving services cover packing, loading, transport, delivery, and short-term storage at warehouse locations nationwide. From a high-rise on Chicago's Magnificent Mile to a farmhouse downstate, an Illinois move can mean two completely different jobs, and the same crew has to be ready for both. A move from Chicago to Naperville covers about 31 miles. A move from Chicago to Los Angeles runs about 2,018 miles. We handle both with the same coordinator and the same written estimate, from the first walk-through to delivery day.
Want an itemized price for your Illinois move? Call (855) 822-2722 or use our online quote calculator. You'll get an estimate that breaks down every line item, so there aren't any surprises on moving day. We're rated 4.0 on Trustpilot, 4.5 on Google, and 4.75 on Facebook across 240+ reviews.
Moving services in Illinois
Star Van Lines provides local, long-distance, and interstate moving services across Illinois. We handle packing, loading, transport, and delivery for residential and commercial moves. Illinois sets two very different jobs in front of a crew, because a downtown Chicago high-rise and a downstate farmhouse share almost nothing in how a move actually runs. Every move includes a single coordinator, a trained crew, and a written estimate.
Local moving in Illinois
Local moves in Illinois split between the Chicago metro and downstate. A two-person crew runs $100-$192 per hour; three movers run $150-$288. We serve Chicago and the collar counties, the Naperville and DuPage suburbs, and downstate cities like Peoria, Springfield, and Rockford. But the two markets work differently, because downtown high-rises need building certificates of insurance, a reserved freight elevator, and a street-parking permit for the truck, while downstate moves can mean long gravel driveways with nowhere close to stage. And winter changes the plan everywhere, since lake-effect snow and ice off Lake Michigan narrow the safe loading window from December into March.
Long-distance moving from Illinois
Long-distance demand out of Illinois is heavily Chicago-driven. The busiest lanes run west to Los Angeles (about 2,018 miles) and Seattle (about 2,071 miles), east to Boston (about 993 miles), and south to Dallas (about 967 miles), with a short regional hop north to Minneapolis (about 412 miles). We run these corridors on I-90, I-80, I-55, and I-57 as full interstate relocations. Because Illinois sits in both the lake-effect snow belt and Tornado Alley's northern edge, your coordinator watches the forecast and builds weather flexibility into any winter or spring schedule.
Packing and storage
We offer full-service packing, partial packing, and self-pack options. Full-service means our crew brings every box and material and packs each room; partial lets you choose which rooms we handle; self-pack is the lowest-cost option. We have 43 warehouse locations nationwide for short-term and long-term storage. But in Illinois, lake-effect humidity off Lake Michigan and a wide swing from humid summers to sub-freezing winters make climate-controlled storage the safer choice for wood furniture, electronics, artwork, and instruments held between a move and a later move-in date.
Auto transport and specialty items
We ship vehicles by open or enclosed carrier, and households relocating several cars on a long Chicago lane often ship them rather than drive each one. We also move pianos, antiques, gun safes, and fine art with specialty crating. Because Chicago winters bring heavy road salt, enclosed transport is popular for collector and luxury vehicles, and the high-rise jobs downtown often pair a car shipment with a tightly scheduled elevator window.
How much does moving in Illinois cost?
Moving costs in Illinois depend on whether you're moving across town or across the country. Local moves typically run $100-$192 per hour for a two-person crew with a truck. Long-distance moves start at $900 for a studio and reach $6,950 for a large four-plus-bedroom home, depending on distance, weight, and access at both ends.
Local moving rates
| Crew size | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| 2 movers + truck | $100-$192 / hour |
| 3 movers + truck | $150-$288 / hour |
| 4 movers + truck | $200-$384 / hour |
Long-distance rates from Illinois
| Move size | Estimated price range |
|---|---|
| Studio / 1 Bedroom | $900 - $1,750 |
| 2-3 Bedrooms | $1,650 - $3,850 |
| 4+ Bedrooms | $2,750 - $6,950 |
Popular routes and pricing from Illinois
| Route | Distance | Avg cost (2-3 BR) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago to Minneapolis | 412 mi | $1,650 - $2,000 |
| Chicago to Dallas | 967 mi | $2,450 - $3,000 |
| Chicago to Boston | 993 mi | $2,500 - $3,050 |
| Chicago to Los Angeles | 2,018 mi | $3,100 - $3,750 |
| Chicago to Seattle | 2,071 mi | $3,150 - $3,850 |
Pricing reflects market averages for moves in and from Illinois as of June 2026. Your final price depends on inventory weight, packing level, access at pickup and delivery, and scheduling flexibility. Call (855) 822-2722 or use our free quote calculator for an exact estimate.
What affects your moving price
- Shipment weight and volume are the biggest factors on any long-distance move from Illinois.
- Distance drives the base price. Chicago to Minneapolis is 412 miles; Chicago to Seattle is 2,071.
- Access at both ends matters. High-rise elevator windows and parking permits in Chicago, or long gravel driveways downstate, can all add time or call for a shuttle.
- How much packing you want us to do. Full-service runs more than partial, and self-pack is the lowest option.
- When you move. Summer is peak demand, while winter brings lake-effect snow and ice that slow loading.
- Add-on services like auto transport, climate-controlled storage, and specialty handling for pianos, gun safes, or artwork carry their own pricing.
Moving routes from Illinois
Moving to Illinois: what you should know
A move to Illinois involves more than logistics. The state runs on a sharp split between the Chicago metro, which holds about three-quarters of all Illinoisans, and a farm-country downstate where about a quarter of residents live across small towns from Springfield to the southern tip. Below is a quick guide covering cost of living, access and logistics, climate and timing, and the residency rules that affect your move.
What it costs to move to Illinois
Illinois's cost of living index is 99.958 (US average = 100, BEA RPP 2024), almost exactly the national figure, though taxes pull the real cost higher. Local moving labor runs $100-$192 per hour for a two-person crew, with Chicago at the lower end of the per-mover rate and the statewide average higher. Median home value is $263,300 (Census ACS 2020-2024) and median monthly rent is $1,274, while median household income is $83,390. But the bigger budget line for many homeowners is property tax, which at an effective 1.88 percent of home value is among the highest in the nation and makes up about a third of all state and local tax revenue.
Access and logistics
Illinois has one of the densest Interstate networks in the country. I-90 and I-94 run northwest and north through Chicago, I-80 crosses the northern third of the state east to west, I-55 traces the historic Route 66 corridor from Chicago southwest to St. Louis, and I-57 heads south toward Memphis. In Chicago, the hard part is the building, not the highway, because high-rise moves require a certificate of insurance, a reserved freight elevator, and a street-parking permit for the truck. Downstate, the challenge flips to distance and access, since farm and small-town moves can mean long gravel driveways and longer drives to a staging point.
Climate and timing
Illinois has warm, humid summers with July highs near 85 degrees in Chicago and cold winters with January lows around 17. The state gets about 41 inches of precipitation and 38 inches of snow a year, with roughly 189 days that see at least some sun. But the headline risks are winter and wind: lake-effect snow and polar-vortex cold off Lake Michigan in the cold months, and tornadoes and severe thunderstorms across central Illinois in spring and summer. The best window for a move is late April through May or September through October, when roads are clear and the weather is mild. Avoid deep winter, when snow and ice can close I-90, I-80, and I-55, and plan around peak summer demand.
Residency and regulations
Illinois handles driver licensing and vehicle registration through the Secretary of State, not a separate DMV. New residents have 90 days to get an Illinois driver license but only 30 days to title and register a vehicle, so it pays to register the car first. Apply through the Illinois Secretary of State (ilsos.gov) once you are settled. Illinois has no periodic safety inspection for ordinary passenger cars, and an emissions test is required only in the Chicago and Metro-East St. Louis areas, not downstate. Because online voter registration is available at ova.elections.il.gov, that step is simple once you have an Illinois license or ID.
What to know before moving to Illinois
Benefits of moving to Illinois
0,719,141
Population
$0,390
Median household income
0.958 (US = 100, BEA RPP 2024)
Cost of living index
0/year (approximate)
Days of sunshine
0.95% (flat)
State income tax
about 0% of the state
Chicago metro share
Illinois is home to about 12.7 million people, roughly three-quarters of them in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro and the rest spread across downstate cities and farm country. The economy is anchored by finance, insurance, and professional services in Chicago, the nation's second-largest market for Fortune 500 headquarters, alongside healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture. Median household income is $83,390. The migration story runs outbound: in 2024 about 282,796 residents left for other states while 200,326 moved in, a net loss of roughly 82,500 that ranked Illinois 48th among the states, with the top destinations Indiana, Florida, and Wisconsin and the top sources Texas, California, and Wisconsin. And the state's population edged down 0.8 percent between 2020 and 2025.
Is Illinois a good place to live?
Illinois offers a world-class city in Chicago, deep job markets in finance and healthcare, strong suburban school districts, and a cost of living near the national average. But the trade-offs are real: property and gas taxes rank among the highest in the country, winters bring lake-effect snow and polar-vortex cold, and the state has lost population for several years. Whether it's a good fit depends on how much you value Chicago's economy and amenities against a heavy tax load and hard winters.
Tax environment
Illinois has a flat individual income tax of 4.95 percent, so there are no graduated brackets (Tax Foundation 2026). The average combined state and local sales tax is 8.96 percent, one of the highest in the country, and the gas tax of 66.4 cents per gallon is near the top nationally. The heaviest burden is property tax, with an effective rate of about 1.88 percent of home value, among the highest anywhere, and Illinois also levies an estate tax with a $4 million exemption. For someone weighing a move out, that combined load is the single biggest driver toward no-income-tax states.
Housing market
Median home value in Illinois is $263,300 (Census ACS 2020-2024), below the national figure, and median monthly rent is $1,274. Prices vary widely by region, from premium North Shore suburbs to affordable downstate markets where the same budget buys far more house. An owner-occupancy rate of 67.1 percent reflects a strong suburban homeownership base in Naperville, DuPage County, and the collar counties. But the property-tax bill, not the purchase price, is what shapes the long-run cost of owning here.
Job market and economy
Illinois's economy is among the most diversified in the country, led by finance, insurance, and professional services centered on Chicago, the nation's second-largest hub for Fortune 500 headquarters. Healthcare anchors a large share of metro employment, while downstate the mix shifts to agriculture and heavy manufacturing, from corn and soybean country to Caterpillar's plants and John Deere in Moline. The workforce is well-educated, with 37.8 percent of Illinois adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher, feeding the professional and corporate roles clustered in the Chicago market.
Safety and natural risks
Illinois faces severe weather on two fronts. Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms can hit any county in spring and summer, while lake-effect snow and polar-vortex cold define the Chicago winter. River and flash flooding strike along the Mississippi, Illinois, and other rivers, and the southern tip of the state carries real earthquake risk along the New Madrid and Wabash Valley seismic zones. If you are buying near a river or in southern Illinois, flood and seismic awareness matters for both insurance and timing.
Who thrives in Illinois?
Chicago high-rise and condo movers
Residents in downtown Chicago, Lincoln Park, and the Loop move in and out of high-rise buildings that require certificates of insurance, reserved freight elevators, and timed loading docks. They need a crew that handles building paperwork and tight downtown parking, not just a truck and a ramp.
Naperville and DuPage suburban families
Families in Naperville, Aurora, and the DuPage County suburbs move for top-rated schools and larger single-family homes, often trading a Chicago apartment for the suburbs or upgrading within the collar counties. Illinois's 67.1 percent owner-occupancy rate reflects that strong suburban homeownership base.
Tax-driven relocators leaving for no-income-tax states
Homeowners facing Illinois's high property-tax load and its flat 4.95 percent income tax frequently relocate to no-income-tax states like Texas and Florida. The steady Chicago-to-Texas and Illinois-to-Florida demand on our routes reflects exactly this outbound pattern.
Downstate agricultural and small-town households
About a quarter of Illinois residents live outside the Chicago metro, across farm country and small towns from Springfield to the southern tip. These moves involve long rural driveways, gravel access roads, and longer drives to a staging point, so they need crews comfortable working far from a metro hub.
Corporate and university transferees
Chicago is a national corporate, finance, and university center, and 37.8 percent of Illinois adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Professionals and students relocating for jobs or campuses across the metro often need long-distance interstate moves on tight start-date deadlines.
First week after moving to Illinois: what to do
After your move to Illinois, several tasks need attention in the first weeks. Illinois gives new residents 90 days for a driver license but only 30 days to title and register a vehicle, so handle the car first. Here is a prioritized checklist.
- Register your vehicle.
You have 30 days to title and register a vehicle through the Illinois Secretary of State. Bring your title, proof of insurance, and proof of Illinois residency. If you live in the Chicago or Metro-East St. Louis area, plan for an emissions test on most 1996-and-newer gasoline passenger vehicles. (ilsos.gov)
- Update your driver license.
New residents have 90 days to get an Illinois license. Illinois has no safety inspection for ordinary passenger cars, so the license and registration are the main steps.
- Transfer your auto insurance.
Illinois has a mandatory auto-insurance law, so contact your insurer to re-rate your policy before you register. Premiums vary widely between Chicago and downstate.
- Register to vote.
Illinois offers online registration at ova.elections.il.gov once you have an Illinois license or ID, plus mail and in-person options at your local election authority.
- Update homeowner's or renter's insurance.
Because tornadoes, winter storms, and river flooding all affect Illinois, review your coverage. Standard policies don't cover flood damage, so a riverfront or low-lying home may need a separate flood policy.
- Forward your mail.
USPS Change of Address is free online at usps.com. Mail forwarding starts within 7-10 business days.
- Transfer medical records.
Contact your current providers before the move and find a new primary care physician. Northwestern Medicine and Advocate Health anchor care across the Chicago area.
- Update school records.
If you have children, request transcripts from the previous district and contact your new one about enrollment and deadlines. The Illinois school year usually starts in mid-to-late August.
Illinois at a glance: schools, jobs, and things to do
Schools and universities
Glenbrook High School District 225 in Glenview ranked the top district in Illinois and the country in Niche's 2026 rankings, with New Trier in Winnetka and the Highland Park district close behind among the best in America. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the state's public research flagship. Illinois is also home to two top private research universities, Northwestern in Evanston and the University of Chicago. Because school quality and property taxes both vary sharply by district, many families research specific suburbs closely before choosing where to land.
Major employers
Walmart is the largest single employer in Illinois with over 57,000 workers statewide. The big Chicago-area health systems, Northwestern Medicine and Advocate Health, each employ tens of thousands. Walgreens is headquartered in Deerfield, while Abbott Laboratories in Abbott Park and State Farm in Bloomington anchor medical devices and insurance, and Caterpillar's downstate plants and Deere in Moline anchor heavy manufacturing. Because Chicago is the nation's second-largest market for Fortune 500 headquarters, job seekers in finance, healthcare, and professional services find deep opportunities, while Caterpillar and Deere keep heavy manufacturing strong downstate.
Attractions and recreation
Millennium Park in Chicago, home of the Cloud Gate "Bean" sculpture, draws roughly five million visitors a year. Navy Pier on Lake Michigan is the most visited destination in the Midwest. The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country, and the Willis Tower Skydeck offers the city's signature skyline view. Beyond Chicago, Starved Rock State Park near Oglesby brings canyons and waterfalls within easy reach, part of a mix of big-city culture and outdoor escape that draws many people to the state.
FAQ
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Local moving in Illinois typically costs $100-$192 per hour for a two-person crew with a truck, or $150-$288 for the three-person crew a three-bedroom home usually needs. At 4-6 hours, that puts a typical three-bedroom local move around $600 to $1,750. High-rise elevator windows and long downstate driveways can add time. Call (855) 822-2722 for an itemized estimate.
Long-distance moves from Illinois start at $900 for a studio and reach about $6,950 for a large four-plus-bedroom home. The final price depends on shipment weight, distance, and access at both ends. A two-to-three-bedroom move from Chicago to Minneapolis runs about $1,650 to $2,000, while the cross-country lane to Los Angeles runs higher. Star Van Lines provides written estimates so your price won't change after booking.
Search our USDOT number 4176875 on the FMCSA SAFER website (safer.fmcsa.dot.gov). This federal database confirms our operating authority, MC number 1607491, insurance status, and safety record. Any legitimate interstate mover should be able to provide a verifiable USDOT number.
In Illinois the charges to ask about are long-carry and elevator fees for downtown Chicago high-rises, shuttle fees when a full-size truck can't reach a downstate gravel driveway, and stair fees for walk-up units. We disclose every potential charge in your written estimate before you book, so nothing is a surprise on moving day.
Federal law requires interstate movers to offer two levels: Released Value Protection (free, covering $0.60 per pound per item) and Full Value Protection (paid, covering repair, replacement, or cash settlement at current value). Star Van Lines is fully insured under USDOT #4176875 and can explain both options when you request a quote.
New Illinois residents have 90 days to get an Illinois driver license but only 30 days to title and register a vehicle, so register the car first. Licensing and registration go through the Illinois Secretary of State, not a DMV. There is no safety inspection for ordinary passenger cars, though an emissions test applies in the Chicago and Metro-East St. Louis areas for most 1996-and-newer gasoline passenger vehicles.
Illinois has a flat 4.95 percent income tax with no graduated brackets, but the bigger factor is property tax, which at an effective 1.88 percent of home value is among the highest in the nation and makes up about a third of state and local revenue. Combined sales tax averages 8.96 percent. Because the property-tax bill can dwarf the income-tax difference, it pays to research the local rate in any town you're considering.
Median home value statewide is $263,300, but the spread is wide. Premium North Shore and DuPage suburbs run well above that, while downstate cities and small towns can sit far below it, so the same budget buys very different homes. Median monthly rent is $1,274, and an owner-occupancy rate of 67.1 percent reflects a strong suburban ownership base. The property-tax rate often matters more than the sticker price.
Late April through May or September through October is the best window, with mild weather and clear roads. Avoid December through February, when lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan and polar-vortex cold can close I-90, I-80, and I-55 and slow loading. High summer brings peak demand plus heat and humidity, so if you move then, book early and protect moisture-sensitive items.
Yes. Because the lanes west to Los Angeles (about 2,018 miles) and south to Dallas (about 967 miles) are long, many households ship a vehicle rather than drive it, and we move cars by open or enclosed carrier. Chicago road salt makes enclosed transport popular for collector cars. Your coordinator gives you one written estimate covering the household goods and any vehicle on the same order.
Chicago high-rise moves take more planning than a house move. Most buildings require a certificate of insurance naming the building, a reserved freight-elevator window, and a street-parking permit for the truck, and many limit move hours to weekdays. We handle the building paperwork and schedule the elevator and dock in advance, so the crew is not left waiting for access on moving day.
Yes. About a quarter of Illinois lives outside the Chicago metro, and we plan downstate moves around that reality. Farm and small-town addresses often mean long gravel driveways, no nearby staging, and longer drives between pickup and delivery, so we route the move and size the crew accordingly. Whether you are in the Loop or the corn belt, we cover the whole state.
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USDOT #4176875 | MC #1607491 | Licensed & Insured