The 2026 State of Moving Report

🤫 Shh, early access only. Don't share until March 2, 2026.

484 movers across the U.S. and Canada weighed in on our annual industry survey.

From owner-operators doing $250,000 a year to regional leaders topping $10M+, this report captures what’s actually happening inside moving companies right now.

Inside you’ll see:

• What changed
• What didn’t
• Where profit is improving
• What the best movers are doing differently

Because 2026 isn’t about chasing growth at any cost.

It’s about running tighter, smarter, more profitable businesses—no matter what the market does.

Brought to you by:

• Profit focus is rising
• KPIs are becoming standard practice
• Sales discipline is improving
• Reputation is a competitive advantage
• Technology adoption is accelerating
• Speed-to-lead remains a major gap

The headline?

Margins are improving.
Discipline is increasing.
Movers are running tighter operations.

Performance improvements

What it means

Movers aren’t just chasing top-line growth anymore.

They’re tightening operations. They’re replacing whiteboards and checklists with real systems—especially in:

• Sales
• Claims management
• Profit tracking

The result?

Fewer companies stuck in survival mode. More companies hitting meaningful profit targets.

That’s not luck.

That’s operational maturity.

And the gap between companies working hard and companies working smart is widening.

Some challenges haven’t changed.

The top challenges (still)

2025:

1. Lead generation
2. Operations
3. Staffing

2026:

1. Lead generation
2. Staffing
3. Operations

Biggest pain points

• Not enough leads
• Low-quality leads
• High marketing costs
• Hiring and retaining reliable crews
• Scheduling chaos and no-shows

The pressure hasn’t disappeared. But the response to it has shifted.

The big shift: profit is now a top goal

Top goals

Movers aren’t just trying to get bigger. They’re trying to get more profitable.

That’s a significant mindset shift.

For years, growth meant adding trucks, territory, and overhead.

In 2026, growth means protecting margin first. Because revenue without margin just creates a bigger version of the same problem.

Sales & follow up are back in focus

Top tactics

What it means

In 2025, growth meant doing more.

In 2026, growth means doing it better.

Movers are asking a harder question:

“If I doubled my volume tomorrow, would my systems survive it?”

This isn’t about slowing down.

It’s about fixing the foundation before stacking more weight on top.

Movers recognize:

• Growth without systems increases stress
• Revenue without margin increases risk
• Expansion without accountability multiplies problems

The new playbook:

Standardize.
Tighten.
Then scale.

KPIs movers want to improve

Closing rate making the list is significant.

The focus is shifting from “get more leads” to “convert what we already have.”

That means:

• Faster response times
• More disciplined follow up
• Tighter sales tracking
• Smarter quoting

Growth isn’t just about volume.

It’s about execution.

Movers are split:

• 44% expect improvement
• 36% expect things to stay the same
• 20% expect things to worsen

What it means

Optimism has leveled off—and that’s healthy.

Instead of betting on demand spikes, movers are building businesses that can handle:

• Slower months
• Pricing pressure
• Lead volatility
• Seasonal swings

The mindset shift:

“If the market cools down, we’ll still be profitable.”

That requires:

• Better cash flow management
• Clear job costing
• Faster follow up
• Strong crew utilization
• Predictable processes

Seasonality will always exist. Market cycles will always happen.

The difference in 2026?

More movers are choosing control over hope.

We defined a top company as one that:

• Hit revenue goals
• Booked 1,000+ moves
• Exceeded $2M in revenue

Here’s how they separate themselves.

Better sales performance

What it means

Speed wins.
Compensation drives accountability.
Conversion drives growth.

Top movers don’t just generate more leads.

They respond faster, monetize better, and hold reps accountable.

👉 Free Sales Performance Scorecard

More customer reviews

Reputation isn’t passive.

It’s intentional. Incentivized. Systematic.

Top movers build for reviews.

👉 Free Moving Crew Scorecard

Higher marketing spend

The difference isn’t just budget size.

It’s allocation.

Top movers invest in lead sources that convert—not just channels that generate activity.

👉 Free marketing budget calculator

Higher tech adoption

Top movers don’t adopt tech to look modern.

They use it for speed.
For accountability.
For control.

Technology isn’t a badge. It’s leverage.

👉 AI strategies that actually move the needle

Handling claims, not avoiding them

Claims rate:

• Top movers: 2.9%
• Industry average: 2.5%

A higher claims rate doesn’t automatically mean worse service.

It often reflects:

• Higher volume
• More complex jobs
• More long-distance moves

Top movers aren’t defined by having fewer claims.

They’re defined by how they manage them.

Fast resolution.
Clear communication.
Process improvements that prevent repeat issues.

Claims aren’t just a cost center.

They’re a feedback system.

👉 Here's what good claims management looks like

Industry averages

Only:

• 38% respond within 5 minutes
• 36% have 500+ reviews

What it means

For most movers, the opportunity isn’t radical change.

It’s disciplined execution.

The biggest gains are hiding in:

• Faster lead response
• Higher close rates
• Stronger review capture
• Consistent profit-per-job tracking

Small operational gaps compound.

So do small improvements.

The moving industry isn’t stuck at 7% margins anymore.

But it’s still easy to drift back there.

The companies pulling ahead aren’t necessarily bigger.

They’re:

• Faster to respond
• Smarter with pricing
• Disciplined about tracking
• Intentional about reviews
• Serious about profit

In 2026, growth alone isn’t the goal.

Profitable growth is.

2026 belongs to disciplined movers

If you’re serious about protecting profit, tightening operations, and scaling without chaos—let’s show you what that looks like.

SmartMoving connects sales, dispatch, crews, storage, and accounting in one profitability platform built specifically for movers.

Because tighter systems don’t just reduce chaos. They create margin.

See it live → smartmoving.com/demo