Updated 1/27/2021
This page contains statistics about the U.S. self-storage industry compiled by The SpareFoot Storage Beat. Statistics on this page will be updated as we receive new data. If you have data that you’d like to share or have a question about data on this page, please email editor@sparefoot.com.
Self-storage sector snapshot
| U.S. self-storage sector snapshot | Data |
|---|---|
| Annual industry revenue | $39.5 billion |
| Number of storage facilities (range) | 49,000+ |
| Total rentable self-storage space | 1.9 billion square feet |
| Self-storage space per person | 5.9 square feet |
| Percentage of households that rent a self-storage unit | 10.6 percent |
| Average monthly cost for a self-storage unit | $89.12 |
Average monthly construction spending on self-storage facilities
The chart below shows construction spending by month, according to the U.S. Census bureau. Figures are not adjusted for inflation.
Number of self-storage facilities in the U.S.
There are an estimated number of 49,233 self-storage facilities operating in the U.S. today. (Self-Storage Almanac, 2021)
Industry ownership is fragmented, with 31.2% of self-storage space (by rentable square footage) owned by six public companies, 16.5% owned by the next top 94 operators, and 52.3% owned by small operators. (Self-Storage Almanac, 2021)
Largest self-storage operators (publicly traded) in the U.S. (by annual revenue)
- Public Storage: $2.68 billion (2019)
- Extra Space Storage: $1.3 billion (2019)
- CubeSmart: $643.9 million (2019)
- Life Storage: $574.7 million (2018)
- National Storage Affiliates Trust: $387.9 million (2019)
- U-Haul: $367.3 million (fiscal 2019 – self-storage revenue only)
Data from most recently reviewed company earnings reports.
Largest self-storage operators in the U.S. (by number of facilities, owned or managed)
- Public Storage: 2,844
- Extra Space Storage: 1,878
- U-Haul: 1,778
- CubeSmart: 1,261
- National Storage Affiliates Trust: 948
- Life Storage: 905
Data from Self Storage Almanac 2021
Amount of rentable self-storage space in the U.S.
1.9 billion square feet of storage space is in operation in the U.S. today. (Self-Storage Almanac, 2021)
Amount of rentable self-storage space per person in the U.S.
5.9 square feet per person of self-storage space is available in the U.S. market. (Self-Storage Almanac, 2021)
Percentage of U.S. households that rent a self-storage unit
10.6% of households currently rent a self-storage facility. That is an estimated 13.5 million households. (SSA Self Storage Demand Study, 2020)
Average storage unit cost
The national average cost for all unit sizes is $89.12 per month, according to SpareFoot data. (full year 2020)
The national average cost per square foot is $0.91 per month. (full year 2020)
Below is the average national cost by storage unit size.
| Unit size | Avg. Self-Storage Prices Per Month (2020) | $/sq.ft. | Year-over-year change in cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5×5 | $44.23 | $1.77 | -2.2% |
| 10×10 | $94.28 | $0.94 | -0.8% |
| 5×10 | $61.92 | $1.18 | +1.8% |
| 10×20 | $137.14 | $0.68 | +1.8% |
| 10×15 | $124.24 | $0.82 | +1% |
| 10×30 | $183.73 | $0.61 | -8% |
Using our data we’ve identified the 10 most in-demand cities for self-storage units.
| Rank | City, State | Price Per Month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $92.74 |
| 2 | San Diego, CA | $115.45 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $108.12 |
| 4 | Houston, TX | $64.53 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $78.09 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $86.23 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | $75.95 |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $153.37 |
| 9 | Tucson, AZ | $76.67 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO | $76.21 |
Self-Storage Data by State:
Use the links below to find detailed storage data for the states with the most demand for self-storage.
Sources
Self Storage Association
IBISWorld
Seeking Alpha
Self-Storage Almanac
Inside Self-Storage
MJ Partners
Public Storage
Extra Space Storage
CubeSmart
Sovran Self Storage (Life Storage)
U-Haul (AMERCO)
