Moving From California to Texas (2024 Guide)
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Planning and booking an interstate move always involves some uncertainty and stress. Relocating between California and Texas is a lengthy ordeal—the drive between Los Angeles and Austin is nearly 1,400 miles. Given the size of each state, your move route may be even longer. We’ve broken down the best moving companies for moves from California to Texas, along with why more and more people are making the move to the Lone Star State.
Why Move From California to Texas?
The last decade has seen a significant uptick in the number of U.S. residents moving from California to Texas. According to census data, more than 300,000 people moved from California to Texas between 2010 and 2019. We’ve examined common reasons why residents are making the transition from the West Coast to the Lone Star State.
- Cost of living: According to BestPlaces.net, California’s overall cost of living is 49.9% higher than the national average. On the other hand, the overall cost of living in Texas is 5.8% below the national average. The cost of purchasing a new home and transportation costs primarily account for this difference.
- Housing costs: BestPlaces.net lists California’s median home costs at more than double the national average, while Texas falls much below the national average. Renting costs are also dramatically different. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,730 in California and $1,070 in Texas.
- Job market: California’s corporate tax rate is 8.84%. Texas has no corporate income tax, which is a major incentive for businesses. Many major corporations have relocated to the state, creating more job opportunities for residents. The state’s top employers include Amazon, Capital One, Boeing, and American Airlines.
- Taxes: Texas levies no state income tax, while California residents are taxed at among the highest rates in the country; state taxes range as high as 13.3%, depending on income, according to TaxFoundation.org.
Cost to Move From California to Texas
Interstate moves are expensive, and a lengthy move between California and Texas is no exception. We pulled different pricing figures for a move between Los Angeles and Austin to give you an approximate idea of the total costs. Allied Van Lines’ range of $8,016–$9,160 for a two-bedroom move is in line with our expectations for a full-service mover. We received a quote from U-Pack for a semi-self-service move that totaled $3,714. This price included 14 feet of space in one of its moving trailers and did not include labor.
When budgeting for your upcoming move, consider the following cost factors:
- Add-on service needs
- Ease of access to your old and new home
- Flights of stairs
- Home size
- Move distance
Is It Worth It to Move From California to Texas?
Over the last few years, moves between California and Texas have become increasingly common. Texas cities such as Dallas and Austin have become hotspots for young professionals, major tech companies, and employers looking to lay down roots. Though property taxes are higher in Texas than in California (1.6% versus 0.74%), the 0% income tax rate in the Lone Star State is a big incentive for new residents. The overall quality of life is high, with a low cost of living, lower costs for amenities, and a greater amount of open space in many of Texas’s suburban and rural locales.
Best Moving Companies to Move From California to Texas
The following companies are our picks for the best movers for a California-to-Texas relocation:
- Best Overall Mover: International Van Lines
- Best for High-Value Goods: American Van Lines
- Best for Condos and HOAs: Safeway Moving Inc.
- Best for Major Cities: Interstate Moving & Relocation Group
- Best for Coordinated Moves: Moving APT
- Best Mobile App: JK Moving Services
- Best Customer Experience: Allied Van Lines
Compare Companies to Move From California to Texas
We’ve assembled a side-by-side comparison of our top picks for movers.
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International Van Lines
Our Top Pick International Van Lines (IVL) is a moving broker and carrier that offers direct service for moves between California and Texas. Its locations near big cities in both states enable it to offer quality moving experiences without resorting to a third-party carrier.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits:
➕ Has locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Houston
➕ Provides moving service in all 50 states
➕ Offers an efficient quote process
Drawbacks:
➖ Operates primarily as a broker
➖ Provides varied service quality across different areas
Moving Services
IVL’s services vary depending on location. However, when you book this mover, you can expect quality basic and add-on services in most areas.
Services include the following:
- Custom crating
- Heavy-item moving for pianos and pool tables
- Loading and unloading
- Packing and unpacking
- Storage service
- Vehicle shipping
Quote Process
International Van Lines provided us with quick pricing when we called for a quote. The entire call, including the inventory logging process, lasted fewer than 20 minutes. The IVL company representative informed us that we could only expect fully accurate pricing after a virtual survey of our goods.
When you book a long-distance service with IVL, you’ll pay a 25% deposit. Half of the remaining balance is due when your goods are loaded, and the remainder is due upon delivery.
American Van Lines
Best for Antiques American Van Lines (AVL) is a moving carrier that offers among the most experienced moving labor in the industry. It advertises that its movers average a decade of experience on the job. This allows AVL to offer quality antique and fragile-item packing in addition to basic moving services. As a bonus, it charges flat rates for all services.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits:
➕ Operates a location in Texas
➕ Doesn’t broker out any moves to third-party carriers
➕ Offers flat-rate pricing
Drawbacks:
➖ Requires large deposits (up to 50%) to book
➖ Has reviews reporting poor communication after booking
Moving Services
American Van Lines provides specialized antique, heirloom, and fragile packing alongside its basic service offerings. Its experienced movers offer quality assistance to a wide range of moving clients.
AVL’s primary service offerings include:
- Antique handling
- Custom crating
- Loading and unloading
- Packing and unpacking
- Piano moving
- Storage
- Valuation coverage
- Vehicle shipping
Quote Process
American Van Lines’ representative was thorough in their assessment of our moving quote. AVL doesn’t assign flat-rate pricing without a detailed in-person or visual inspection of all goods to be moved. They asked for descriptions of each piece of furniture to be moved, along with approximate dimensions to make an informed guess on our total shipping weight.
Note that even a flat rate can change on moving day with any long-distance full-service mover. All rates are estimates that are finalized based on your shipment weight. This is determined when your moving truck is weighed after the goods have been loaded.
Safeway Moving Inc.
Best for Condos/HOAs Safeway Moving Inc. is a moving carrier and broker based in Florida. It specializes in long-distance moves, which makes it an excellent option for any California-to-Texas relocation. It operates with pledges of transparency and accountability in mind and prices its moves at flat rates.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits:
➕ Provides flat-rate pricing
➕ Requires all partners to carry $1,000,000 insurance policies
➕ Specializes in long-distance moving
Drawbacks:
➖ Offers varied quality across its service area
➖ Has a lengthy quote process
Moving Services
Safeway operates primarily as a broker, which means it doesn’t directly provide many of the moving services it advertises. However, its partners offer premium long-distance assistance.
Safeway’s service portfolio includes:
- 30 days of free storage at your destination
- Custom crating for antiques and fragile goods
- Loading and unloading
- Moving within HOAs and COAs
- Packing and unpacking
- Vehicle shipping
Quote Process
Of all the movers we’ve vetted, we found Safeway’s quote process to be the most thorough. Our representative spent nearly an hour on the phone with us outlining the particulars of a Safeway move and asking detailed questions about our inventory and service requirements. Deposits to Safeway are 100% refundable, which makes it easy to adjust on the fly if your plans change at the last minute.
Interstate Moving & Relocation Group
Best for Major Cities Interstate Moving & Relocation Group (IMRG) is a moving broker that partners with companies in all 50 states. Its moving network includes companies that offer everything from basic service to more customized specialty offerings. It provides fast quotes, so you can efficiently assess your budget for a move between California and Texas.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits:
➕ Offers service in all 50 states
➕ Provides moving guides for Dallas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles
➕ Has a speedy quote process
Drawbacks:
➖ Operates exclusively as a broker
➖ Has reviews that report spam calls from partner carriers after quotes
Moving Services
IMRG offers basic and luxury add-on services. While these offerings vary depending on your location, this broker can assist a wide range of moving clients.
IMRG’s service profile includes the following:
- Crating
- Packing and unpacking
- Price matching
- Self-service moving options
- Storage
Quote Process
IMRG’s representative spent a half hour on the phone with us to discuss the details of a move with one of its partner companies. As with any long-distance mover, detailed inventory logging is a must for accurate pricing. We went through our home room by room, and the representative drew up a customized moving plan.
To book any move of this scale with IMRG, a 33% deposit is due up-front. The remaining two-thirds are due upon loading and delivery.
Moving APT
Best for Coordinated Moves Moving APT is a Miami-based moving broker with more than 2,500 individual partner carriers. While it doesn’t offer moving assistance independently, its qualified partner network provides premium local and long-distance service.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits:
➕ Has partners in all 50 states
➕ Offers price matching
➕ Provides moving guides and resources online
Drawbacks:
➖ Operates exclusively as a broker
➖ Has negative reviews that report price switching by partner carriers
Moving Services
Moving APT’s broker status allows it to offer a wide range of services. Service availability depends on the partner companies near you but should be diverse in any location.
Moving services with this provider include the following:
- Crating
- Loading and unloading
- Packing and unpacking
- Self-service options
- Storage
Quote Process
Our quote process with Moving APT was spread out between two separate calls on the same day. First, we spoke with a Moving APT representative who took down our basic move details. Next, a partner company representative contacted us to provide a definitive estimate. Each call was short, and our partner company move coordinator quickly took down all relevant details. Deposits, which range up to 33% of your total move cost, are refundable until a week before your move.
JK Moving Services
Best Mobile App JK Moving Services has been in business since 1982. It operates as both a broker and carrier and can provide quality assistance for your upcoming California-to-Texas move. Its employees are continually trained at an on-site facility that includes a furnished house. This makes specialized tasks such as antique moving and crating easy for JK Moving crews.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits:
➕ Offers GPS tracking for long-distance moving shipments
➕ Requires a relatively low deposit ($250)
➕ Provides a mobile app for move tracking and virtual estimates
Drawbacks:
➖ Brokers some long-distance moves to third-party carriers
➖ Has no instant quote feature online
Moving Services
JK Moving’s qualified crews offer some of the best antique and special moving services in the industry. Its workers routinely receive training in a realistic environment to ensure quality.
This provider’s service offerings include the following:
- Antique moving
- Loading and unloading
- Packing and unpacking
- Piano moving
- Residential and commercial moving
- Storage
- Vehicle shipping
Quote Process
JK Moving’s quote process was quick. We could only get a ballpark estimate without a visual survey of our home, so a non-moving professional took our call. If we were to schedule a visual in-home or remote consultation, we would have spoken with a dedicated move coordinator. This provider has low budget requirements.
Allied Van Lines
Best Customer Experience Allied Van Lines has been in business since 1928 and now operates a network of more than 500 individual locations in all 50 states. It handles more than 100,000 individual moves each year and is one of the most recognized moving brands in the industry. It provides excellent vehicle shipping options and offers expedited small move assistance via its Allied Express program.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits:
➕ Provides in-house vehicle shipping services
➕ Has a shipment tracking tool online
➕ Offers expedited small long-distance move service via Allied Express
Drawbacks:
➖ Doesn’t have 24/7 service for claims
➖ Outsources some moving services
Moving Services
Allied Van Lines’ service offerings vary depending on your location. However, most of its carriers and local agents provide full suites of basic and add-on services.
Its standard service offerings include the following:
- Crating
- Moving containers for small moves
- Packing and unpacking
- Storage
- Valuation coverage plans
- Vehicle shipping for cars, boats, RVs, and more
Quote Process
Allied Van Lines offered us a straightforward ballpark estimate when we called for a quote. Our call lasted about 15 minutes. The company representative was quick to clarify that we would have to conduct a visual survey for binding estimates to be rendered. One of this mover’s main selling points, as noted during the call, is that it partners with North American Van Lines. This grants all clients greater access to specialized moving services when booking through Allied.
Our Recommendation
Moving 1,000 miles or more is a very involved and planning-intensive process, no matter how you do it. The moving companies we analyzed for a California-to-Texas relocation can expedite your move and provide you with a more stress-free, streamlined experience. We recommend getting quotes from at least three movers before moving forward with your relocation. Getting quotes will help you set budgetary expectations before booking with a mover and determine which services—if any—you may want to handle yourself.
Moving From California to Texas FAQ
Should I move between California and Texas in the summer?
Moving in the summer may be more difficult than doing so during the off-season. May through September is the peak season for moving companies. Your movers of choice may be unable to handle your relocation due to higher demand.
Do a lot of people move between California and Texas?
Yes, a lot of people move between California and Texas. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 107,546 people relocated to Texas from California in 2021 alone. This makes it one of the most popular moving routes in the country.
Why is the cost of living dramatically lower in Texas?
The cost of living is dramatically lower in Texas primarily because of home prices, while California home prices largely account for the high cost of living. BestPlaces.net cites that the median home price in California is $733,500, nearly 135% above the national average. Texas, by comparison, has a median home price of $297,600, which is 16.5% below the national average.
Do Texans pay less tax than Californians?
Texans pay less income tax than Californians because it has no state income tax. However, Texas’s property tax rates are more than double those in California. According to the Cato Institute, combined state and local taxes on consumer goods range from 7.25% to 10.75% in California and 6.25% to 8.25% in Texas.
How We Chose the Top Moving Companies
We researched and analyzed dozens of full- and self-service moving companies and formulated a rating system based on a number of factors, including package options, pricing, and reputation. We also identified customer pain points based on customer-review analysis, proprietary consumer surveys, and interviews with former and current moving professionals.
Speaking directly to a representative at each company, we determined the number of package options available, the coverage provided, the types of moves available (long-distance, local, and international), and any extra perks offered, such as mobile apps, moving checklists, and 24/7 customer service.
We also gathered pricing data from each company and determined whether they provide ballpark estimates or binding quotes. Finally, to determine reputation, we evaluated companies based on their rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and their overall score on Google Reviews.
