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Moving Services in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Seth Lee Seth Lee New York, United States Last Updated: December 2024 NAICS 48421

Revenue

$23.2bn

2024

$23.2bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

112k

Businesses

21,892

Wages

$X.Xbn

Moving Services in the US industry analysis

Revenue for moving companies in the United States has risen modestly during the current period. A recovering housing market is helping this industry expand, with consumers still conducting moves. The essential need for such services, particularly to help businesses relocate their operations, also boosts this industry. Such factors have kept their profit expanding in the period. 

Trends and Insights

  • Even with inflationary pressures, moving companies performed relatively well during the current period. A need for moving services to supplement robust corporate and consumer activity in downstream markets led to a surge in the housing and commercial markets, raising revenue.
  • Residential moving services are still the largest product segment, but they are expected to lag. High costs and elevated interest rates will keep demand for residential construction moving down.
  • Regions centered on manufacturing (e.g., The Great Lakes) rely heavily on moving services. Industries centered here consistently need to transport material to new plants and offices because of the changing nature of manufacturing.
  • Low barriers to entry mean that there are many entries and exits into the industry. This causes many small companies and owner-operators to become movers, boosting competition.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 2.4 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $23.2bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Changes in the residential market carries major impacts

  • Activity in the residential sector, which includes those moving to a new home or into an existing home, requires more furniture to be transported with this culling for more services from moving companies. Since residential consumers are the largest share of consumers in this industry, these factors influence where much of this industry goes in the period.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Moving Services in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Older homeowners will be staying in place for now

  • Demographic shifts will also fuel this industry in the period ahead. As elderly homeowners either pass away or choose to move into a retirement home or with their family to be their caretaker, moving services to help move out any furniture and material they had in their homes will be necessary and help this industry generate revenue in the period ahead.

Biggest companies in the Moving Services in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Arcbest Corporation
1,561.7
121.8
7.8
Unigroup, Inc.
961.4
73.7
7.7
Atlas World Group Inc.
118.7
40.7
34.3

To view the market share and analysis for all 8 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Moving Services in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Residential moving, Commercial moving and Warehousing services. Residential moving is the largest segment of the Moving Services in the US.

Trends and Insights

Residential moves remain a staple for the industry

  • Movers in this sector help families transport their furniture and household goods from one place to another. This segment includes loading, driving and unpacking services. Local, interstate and international options are available.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Businesses in this industry offer moving and relocation services for clients seeking to move their items to a new destination. Moving services cater to residential and commercial sectors and handle various types of items. Providers often offer incidental packing and storage services.

What's included in this industry?

Residential movingCommercial movingWarehousing services Packing services Handling servicesFreight transportation arrangement and customs brokering services

Companies

Arcbest CorporationUnigroup, Inc.Atlas World Group Inc.

Purchase this report to view all 8 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

TRACTORSCHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY PROTECTIONCROSS COUNTRY MOVING SERVICE

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 48421 - Moving Services in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Even with inflationary pressures, moving companies performed relatively well during the current period. A need for moving services to supplement robust corporate and consumer...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Residential moving services are still the largest product segment, but they are expected to lag. High costs and elevated interest rates will keep demand for residential const...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Regions centered on manufacturing (e.g., The Great Lakes) rely heavily on moving services. Industries centered here consistently need to transport material to new plants and ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Low barriers to entry mean that there are many entries and exits into the industry. This causes many small companies and owner-operators to become movers, boosting competitio...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

The largest players comprise a relatively small revenue share, indicating fragmentation among moving companies. Relatively low barriers to entry and the lack of differentiati...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Arcbest Corporation's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Unigroup, Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Atlas World Group Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 5 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Arcbest Corporation, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Unigroup, Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Atlas World Group Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 5 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Regulations regarding truckers on the road have made movers more diligent. They must ensure the truckers they employ have the correct eyesight to drive and sleep enough hours...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

High demand for residential construction has recently led to substantial revenue growth. This has kept wages' revenue share stable despite significant inflationary pressures.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
  • Income Statement (2017-2022)
  • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Moving Services in the US industry in United States in 2024?

The market size of the Moving Services in the US industry in United States is $23.2bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Moving Services in the US industry in 2024?

There are 21,892 businesses in the Moving Services in the US industry in United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 4.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Moving Services in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Moving Services in the US industry in United States has been growing at a CAGR of 2.4 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Moving Services in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Moving Services in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Moving Services in the US market in United States?

The biggest companies operating in the Moving Services market in United States are Arcbest Corporation, Unigroup, Inc. and Atlas World Group Inc.

What does the Moving Services in the US in United States include?

Residential moving and Commercial moving are part of the Moving Services in the US industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Moving Services in the US in United States?

The company holding the most market share in United States is Arcbest Corporation.

How competitive is the Moving Services in the US industry in United States?

The level of competition is low and decreasing in the Moving Services in the US industry in United States.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Local Freight Trucking in the US

Complementors

  • Rail Transportation in the US
  • Long-Distance Specialized Freight Trucking in the US
  • Waste Collection Services in the US

International industries

  • Removalists in Australia
  • Removal Services in the UK

View all industries in United States

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

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Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

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