Moving From Los Angeles to Dallas: Movers, Costs, and Benefits

Los Angeles may be a fine place to visit, but it’s quickly becoming unlivable. The traffic gets worse, the prices get higher, and the glamor of being able to say “I’m from LA” is starting to wear off. So where to, next? Texas, pardner.

The Lone Star State is seeing more and more new arrivals - folks searching for a lower cost of living, folks searching for less oppressive politics, and folks just searching for a change of scenery. And while you may shudder to think about leaving California behind, you may find yourself right at home in Deep Ellum or one of the other great neighborhoods.

You may also shudder to think about all the packing, boxing, loading, and hauling. Fortunately, iMoving makes it easier than ever. We’re the only online platform that lets you shop, compare prices, and book long distance movers from the comfort of your web browser.

If you’re ready to pack your bags and get on your way, just tell us more about your move and we’ll get you in touch with some of the best Los Angeles to Dallas moving companies in the industry.

But, if you want to take it slow and do some research first, good on you. Read on to learn more about your new hometown.

Long-distance moving usually takes between 1 and 21 days, but from LA to Dallas, you’re looking at a 4-day minimum. Under federal law, interstate movers can’t travel more than 400 highway miles per day.

Aside from legislation, your Los Angeles to Dallas movers may have another reason for a delay: Empty space.

Moving companies don’t like to send half-empty trucks all over the country. That wasted space is bad for business. Instead, they’ll wait until they can pack several moves on the same truck (while keeping everything securely separated, of course). It’s great for efficiency, but not so great if you’re in a hurry. There will be pickups and dropoffs along the way.

There’s a lot of different factors that go into the final price of your move. If you’re moving from Los Angeles to Dallas, be prepared to pay extra for some of the following:

1. Distance

When you’re planning a long-distance move, the distance is probably the biggest factor behind your price. Unfortunately, LA and Dallas are about 1,433 miles apart, and barring some serious seismic activity, they aren’t getting any closer. Prepare your wallet accordingly, because this one is gonna sting.

2. Weight/Volume

Next to the distance of your move, long-distance moving companies will charge you based on how much stuff you need to transport.

Fortunately, unlike the distance, you can actually do something about this one. We recommend downsizing and getting rid of all your unwanted/unused items before searching for a quote. It’s less to unpack, and less to pay for.

3. Access Fees

Think about the steps you have to take to get from your front door to your street. Do you have gates? What about elevators and flights of stairs? Is your driveway longer than 75 feet? These can all result in extra fees - commonly known as “access fees”. Make sure your movers know what they’re getting into ahead of time, and they’ll let you know how much it’ll cost.

4. Shuttles

Your movers will most likely use a semi-truck for interstate moving. Unfortunately, many major cities don’t like it when big rigs clog up their downtown traffic. If your point A or point B is in the middle of town, your movers will need to park the semi on the outskirts and use a smaller truck (a shuttle) to get your belongings to and from the main truck. Blame your city council.

5. Packing

This is an entirely optional expense, but we recommend it for two reasons.

1: It makes life a whole lot easier, and you won’t have to deal with all the boxing, taping, and wrapping yourself.

2: Aside from the convenience, company packing services are pretty much a prerequisite if you want full-value insurance…

6. Insurance

Under federal law, moving companies have to offer at least some insurance coverage, but the bare minimum is $0.60 per pound of damaged or destroyed items. This means if your 4-pound Macbook gets busted up, you’re only getting $2.40. If you want full-value coverage, you have to pay extra.

7. Storage

One of the challenges of long-distance moving is knowing how much space you’ll have at your point B. Since you can’t be in two places at once, it takes a lot of guessing and rough tape-measuring.

This inevitably leads to miscalculations, but storage can keep your excess stuff covered until you find a suitable place for it.

8. Gratuity

This one isn’t actually included in your quote, but it’s good to keep this one in mind. Sure, you’re coming from LA and you’re tired of the toxic tipping culture.

But don’t worry, there’s no “30%, 40%, 50%” bs to deal with, here. 15% - 20% of the total cost of your move is a good figure, to be divided up between your whole moving crew.

If you found this article, chances are you’ve already got your own reasons for getting out of LA. But in case your friends start asking you why you’re leaving them behind, here are some solid excuses:

• It’s cheaper: First things first. You live in LA. You know how expensive it is. And you know that you’re getting very diminishing returns for what you’re paying. Eventually, everyone in LA needs to consider whether LA is still worth it. It’s not.

• There’s more breathing room: LA is congested. Dallas is still a big city, but you’ve got plenty of room to stretch out once you get to the suburbs. Plus, the people aren’t complete a-holes like in LA.

• There’s less bums: Oh, man. This one’s a given. Cities in California are attracting more and more homeless people, and whether you want to chalk that up to ineffective incentives or better weather is entirely up to you. Dallas is a little more buttoned down.

• “I’m looking for a living wage”: Dallas also has a pretty hot job market. There’s IT, finance, manufacturing, you name it. And unlike Los Angeles, when you make money in Dallas, it’s not getting sucked up by your rent.

• The politics are different: This could be a pro or a con, depending on your own personal politics. Whatever you do, don’t move to Texas and try to transform it into California. The locals won’t take kindly to it, and everyone (including you) will have to move 5 years later.

Let’s be clear - Dallas isn’t LA. But in terms of activity, LA is a pretty high bar, and Dallas may still surprise you:

• Reunion Tower: Don’t wait around to do this one; it’ll actually help you plan out the rest of your adventures. The Reunion Tower offers great views of urban Dallas, and from the great vantage point, you can pinpoint other points of interest.

• Dallas Arboretum: Not only are you going to see tons of cool plants, but there are also special events. The Dallas Arboretum hosts concerts, classes, wine tastings, and more. Think of it like a park, with plenty of cool extras.

• Sixth Floor Museum: If you’re a history buff, you can’t miss the Sixth Floor Museum. It’s actually one of the most popular attractions in Dallas. The entire museum is dedicated to the Kennedy assassination, and it’s built where Oswald (allegedly) fired those fatal shots.

• Dallas World Aquarium: A big ol’ aquarium and zoo. Not only are there plenty of cool critters, but it’s a great break from the Dallas heat. If you don’t want to just sit at home with the A/C on, this is a great option.

• SPORTS: One time I was writing one of these articles on a train and a grown-ass lady called me a nerd for including so many museums and galleries. Well, this one’s for her. You got your Cowboys, your Rangers, your Mavericks… the list goes on. 

• Deep Ellum: Every city has its “expensive microbrew and murals” district. Deep Ellum is Dallas’. There’s a ton of great eating, live entertainment, and dorks with questionable tattoos. COULDN’T BE ME.

• Dallas Museum of Art: Coming from LA, you may have a prejudiced notion that everyone in Texas is a backward redneck. One trip to the Dallas Museum of Art will prove you wrong. It’s home to priceless works from 3,000 BCE to the present day.

You’ve made it to the end. Nice work. Hopefully, by now you have a better idea of what you can expect on a moving day, and what you can expect from your new hometown.

If Dallas sounds dandy, you’re just a few steps away from the easiest move of your life. Tell us a little more about your move, and let’s get you on the road!