Every year, Boston residents submit to one of the cityโs most frenzied periods, college move-in week. While this time may not be as celebratory as the Celtics Championship Parade, the energy remains high, and college students on the move must stress over how to navigate narrow stone streets in large moving trucks. The move-in week lasts between late August and early September when college students return to their dorms and off-campus apartments.
Move-in week affects residents, as the large moving trucks take up most street space, making it difficult for locals to get around. RentHop analyzes which zip codes and dates have the most move-in truck permit expirations yearly. The following data can help you determine when navigating your area will be exceptionally tiresome.
Heat Maps Highlight Hectic Move-Ins
The City of Boston provides street occupancy permit data, which we analyze alongside the public Boston moving truck permits from their open data hub. This year, we collected data through September 30, 2024.
The map focuses exclusively on the expiration dates of the moving truck permits (which generally coincide with the actual moving dates) instead of the permit issuance dates. You can only apply online for a permit if your moving date is at least two weeks away and no more than eight weeks away. However, because we are looking at when these moving permits expire, additional permits may be registered between now and your move-in day, so long as potential movers fit the above criteria.
The above map describes the daily number of issued moving truck permits between August 1, 2024, and September 30, 2024. Looking more specifically at the individual dates, we see the following dates have higher spikes than others. This is due to permits ending on those dates. The top six dates for 2024, where permits will expire or have expired, are:
- September 1, 2024: 1,181 permits set to expire
- August 31, 2024: 748 permits set to expire
- August 30, 2024: 363 permits set to expire
- August 24, 2024: 229 permits set to expire
- August 17, 2024: 201 permits set to expire
- August 29, 2024: 195 permits set to expire
Boston Move-In Date Patterns
So far this year, fewer moving permits have been filed than in previous summers. Enrollment dipped at larger campuses in 2023, decreasing the total number of students who needed to move compared to 2021 and 2022.
Itโs important to remember that some renters will not file their moving permits until the last minute, meaning these numbers will likely increase in the coming two weeks.
Top 10 Months With Highest Number of Issued Permits
| Month | Number of Issued Permits | |
| 1 | August, 2021 | 6,224 |
| 2 | August, 2022 | 5,665 |
| 3 | August, 2023 | 4,455 |
| 4 | August, 2020 | 4,064 |
| 5 | July, 2024 | 3,746 |
| 6 | July, 2023 | 3,580 |
| 7 | July, 2021 | 3,421 |
| 8 | August, 2024 | 2,992 |
| 9 | July, 2022 | 2,748 |
| 10 | May, 2021 | 2,721 |
The above table reviews the months with the most expired permits for moving trucks over the past five years. August 2021 remains the highest, with 6,224 permits, followed by August 2022 with 5,665 permits. August is the most popular month for moving, as August 2023 and 2020 follow in third and fourth place. The next most popular month was July 2024, with 3,746 permits.
August and July are the most popular times to move, occupying nine spots in the top ten list. Most students move into their new homes during the hectic move-in week, but other renters around Boston will also move throughout the busy summer season.
Top 10 Zip Codes With Highest Number of Issued Permits
| Zip Code | Permit Count | |
| 1 | 02127 (South Boston) | 490 |
| 2 | 02135 (Brighton) | 343 |
| 3 | 02116 (Back Bay) | 303 |
| 4 | 02113 (North End) | 234 |
| 5 | 02114 (West End) | 224 |
| 6 | 02118 (South End) | 197 |
| 7 | 02134 (Allston) | 174 |
| 8 | 02130 (Jamaica Plain) | 169 |
| 9 | 02115 (Fenway โ East Fens โ Longwood) | 143 |
| 10 | 02129 (Charlestown) | 128 |
We continued to review the zip codes that have the highest number of expired permits this year so that you know which areas to avoid. Unless youโre walking or taking the T, we recommend postponing that North End dinner reservation until after Labor Day.
02127 (South Boston) remains the zip code with the highest number of issued permits between August and September this year. While South Boston does not directly house any major campuses, itโs a popular area for residents. 02135 (Brighton) ranked second this year with 343 permits and sits slightly north of Boston College. 02116 (Back Back) comes in third with 303 permits. This zip code is home to Emerson College, which enrolls around 1,000 new first-year students yearly. Other popular zip codes include 02113 (North End) and 02114 (West End).
Spare Yourself From the Boston Move-In Madness
Check Your Local Schedule
The easiest way to optimize your day-to-day is first to determine when the schools around you are open for move-in. These are the move-in dates for some of Bostonโs larger campuses:
- Boston University: Wednesday, August 28, 2024 to Monday, September 2, 2024
- Northeastern University: Sunday, August 25, 2024 to Monday, September 2, 2024
- Boston College: Thursday, August 22, 2024 to Sunday, August 25t, 2024
- Emerson College: Sunday, August 25, 2024, Tuesday, August 27; Friday, August 30, 2024, to Saturday, August 31, 2024
- Suffolk University: Sunday, September 1, 2024 to Monday, September 2, 2024
- Berklee College of Music: Saturday, August 24, 2024 to Sunday, August 25, 2024
Stay Home, If Possible
Employees who work from home have an added benefit: they do not need to leave during the move-in times. If your company offers a flexible hybrid model, see if you can stay home during your area’s peak move-in time. You may be able to avoid an in-office day by offering to come in more the next week.
If you still have to commute to work, follow our next steps to optimize your commute and inform your employer of any potential delays. Your employer and peers are likely also aware of and impacted by the delays.
Avoid Using Your Car
It will be impossible to drive down narrow streets if a moving truck is blocking your path. To avoid driving during this time of year, try walking, biking, or getting as close as possible to the nearest T stop.
The City of Boston provided an updated page with parking restrictions for the move-in period. This page provides more information about specific streets in your area.
Strategically Enjoy Allston Christmas
Renters in Allston can take part in the annual tradition of stooping furniture and disposed items off neighborhood curbs. Avoid taking mattresses, materials with fabric, and other soft goods that could house bed bugs and hard-to-remove stains. If youโre looking for a specific item, measure the space in your home and bring a tape measure to the holiday pickings!
To avoid the day of stooping altogether, browse Facebook Marketplace or join a local buy-nothing group for your area. Some renters may list their items the week before moving, and you can schedule a time to pick up something youโre eyeing.
