Moving From New York to Stamford: Movers, Costs, and Benefits

New York is a big city, and there’s only so much big-city living you can handle before it starts driving you up the walls. Tons of people are moving out of New York in search of cheaper living, less chaos, and some fresh air.

Depending on traffic, it’s about an hour and a half from New York City to Stamford. It’s not a long haul, but it does cross a state line - and you’ll have to deal with all the ins and outs of New York moving, while you’re at it. Fortunately, iMoving can make this process easier than ever.

iMoving is a safe and secure online platform for shopping, comparing prices, and booking your state to state movers - entirely online, with no house calls or phone calls required. We’re a one-stop shop for all things moving, and we’ve got plenty of options for the New York to Stamford route.

Still on the fence about getting out of town? Read on to learn more about what you can expect on a moving day.

A long-distance move between New York and Stamford usually takes between 1 and 21 days. If a moving company travels over state lines, they can only clock 400 miles on interstate travel per day. Sure, your movers won’t be traveling across the country to get to Stamford, but there’s another reason your move will take more time.

Let’s talk deadheading. (There’s no Jerry Garcia involved.)

Deadheading is when a transport company has to haul an empty trailer back from a destination. It’s inefficient, costly, and bad for business.

To avoid deadheading, carriers will do two things: wait until they’ve got another haul that’ll fill up their truck, or bundle several smaller moves together in the same trailer.

Bundling moves is great for efficiency, but not so great if you’re in a hurry. If you’re only moving to a studio apartment, you may have to wait more time for pickups and dropoffs along the way.

Your move will cost you from $1,217 – $7,834, but that’s a pretty sizeable window. Here’s what goes into the final price of your New York to Stamford move:

1. Distance

When long-distance movers calculate the price of a move, distance is one of the most important factors. Fortunately, it’s like a 40-mile drive from New York to Stamford, but it’ll still make up the lion’s share of your final quote.

2. Weight/Volume

Aside from the distance, the physical size of your move also makes a big impact on your final price. Depending on who you’re working with, your movers will either assign a weight (in pounds) or a volume (in cubic feet) value to all your stuff. More pounds/cubic feet means a more expensive move, so downsize if you can.

3. Access Fees

New York moving can be challenging - not just because of those narrow streets, but because so many buildings have multiple flights of stairs, elevators, and long hallways.

These are all extra obstacles for your movers to deal with, so expect an additional fee for the trouble. 

4. Packing Services

Once your movers make it to your place, will they have to do the packing, or did you DIY it ahead of time? While doing it yourself can save you a lot of money, it’s also a really time-consuming process.

If you value your time and your sanity, paying for packing is a worthwhile expense - and it may be the only way to secure full-value insurance coverage.

5. Furniture Disassembly/Reassembly

Short of using a crane to get it out, some furniture just won’t go easy. Fortunately, your movers can disassemble those bulky pieces and pack them all up with care. They’ll put everything back together at your new place, too. It costs a bit extra, but sometimes it’s unavoidable.

6. Insurance

It’s rare, but accidents do happen. Long distance movers are federally required to offer a bare minimum amount of insurance coverage, but it’s only good for $0.60 per pound of items lost, damaged, or destroyed. If you want more than $2.40 for that broken computer monitor, you’ll have to pay for full-value coverage - and you may have to pay for packing services, too.

7. Time of Year

Take our advice, and avoid a summer move if at all possible. June through August have historically been the most popular months for moving, so they’re also the most expensive. Try to schedule a mid-week, mid-month move, far away from major holidays or vacation times.

8. Gratuity

Tips are always appreciated in the moving industry. Unless your carrier explicitly declines gratuities, you should budget out 15% - 20% of the total cost of your move, to be divided up between your whole moving team. Don’t forget the driver!

There’s plenty of reason to move out of New York. But why move to Stamford? You may have your own ideas about getting out of town, but here are some of the more common reasons people are making Stamford their new home:

• Price: New York City is New York City. Stamford is Stamford. Since New York is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States, we’ll let you guess which option is cheaper.

• Safety: “Gangs of New York” sure sounds a lot scarier than “Gangs of Connecticut”. What are they gonna do, try to white-collar crime you to death? Lmao

• Peace and Quiet: Since you’re coming from New York City, literally everything is going to be quieter and more peaceful. Connecticut has plenty of greenery - more than you’ve ever seen before in Central Park.

• Culture: Your average Stamfordian(?) Stamfordite(?) will probably welcome you to the neighborhood and introduce you to the folks at a field party. Your average New Yorker will probably push you in front of the 1 train for looking at him wrong.

• Still Close: Want to get away from New York, but still want to go back so you can complain about how awful the city’s getting? You’re in luck. Stamford is only an hour or two from NYC, depending on how traffic treats you.

We’re gonna be totally up front here: New York is hard to beat if you’re looking for some action. People don’t move from New York to Stamford because they want more nightlife and big-city living. Fortunately, you won’t be totally bored in your new digs, either:

• Downtown Stamford: It’s not Manhattan, but you didn’t move to Stamford to get more of New York, anyway. Downtown Stamford has plenty of restaurants, bars, stores, and more. It’s enough to keep you occupied, albeit with friendlier locals and a relaxed pace.

• Cove Island Park: When the weather’s nice, you can check out Cove Island Park for fresh air and fun activities. The park covers about 83 acres, with plenty of real estate for cycling, picnics, and more.

• Stamford Museum and Nature Center: You are not in the big city anymore. The Stamford Museum and Nature Center is a museum complex that covers art, history, and agricultural science. It even includes a working farm. It’s a totally different world.

• The Palace Theater: Stamford’s go-to event center for concerts, plays, and more. You may have plenty of experience with Broadway, but if you’re craving some live entertainment, the Palace Theater will be in your own backyard.

• Bartlett Arboretum: More greenery! More peace and quiet! More trees, plants, and trails to take you far away from the city! In case you haven’t picked up on this yet, Stamford is the place to be if you’re tired of the urban grind. The Arboretum is your antidote.

We’ve walked you through the best movers for the job, and we’ve introduced you to some of the sights to see in Stamford. Now, all you have to do is tell us a bit more about your move, and we’ll connect you with New York’s finest moving companies.

iMoving makes it easier than ever to shop, compare prices, and book your New York to Stamford movers. Share some of your moving details, and we’ll get you on the road!