Florida, Texas Suburbs Lead Nation In Decade-Long Self Storage Boom

Once seen as a stopgap solution during life transitions, self storage has evolved into a long-term answer to America’s growing space crunch. With population growth accelerating, housing costs climbing, and a lack of space at home, more people than ever are turning to storage to make everyday life more manageable. What began as a temporary convenience has firmly established itself as essential infrastructure — and demand isn’t slowing down.

To see where development is keeping pace with demand, we analyzed nearly 2,000 cities across the U.S., focusing on those with at least 75,000 square feet of self storage inventory in 2014. We then ranked them from most to least active in terms of inventory expansion.

Our research shows that nowhere is this surge more evident than in the Sunbelt, where booming job markets and strong inbound migration are driving rapid residential growth. Florida, Texas, and North Carolina are leading the pack — with the Sunshine State emerging as a national hotspot, claiming three of the 10 fastest-growing self storage cities. As new residents pour into Florida and housing supply struggles to keep up, storage has become a vital resource, helping people adapt to tighter, more expensive living arrangements.

While the South dominates in terms of overall growth, other regions are gaining ground. Cities in the Midwest and Northeast are experiencing their own storage boom, as smaller metros adapt to shifting demographics and rising housing pressure. From the rise of remote work to ongoing downsizing trends, more communities are recognizing the value of self storage as a practical, long-term amenity.

Top 10 cities with the fastest-growing self storage markets

The 10 cities topping the list have all expanded their self storage capacity by more than fourfold over the past decade, with over 75% of their current inventory added since 2014. Here’s where the industry has scaled up the fastest.

1. Wesley Chapel, FL

• 10-year self storage inventory growth: 672%

Wesley Chapel ranks first for self storage growth over the past 10 years, having multiplied its inventory almost eight times. The population here increased by 53% from 2014 to 2023. With every new household comes a wave of belongings, and self storage has stepped in to help manage this overflow.

From 2014 to 2024, the self storage inventory in Wesley Chapel exploded by an impressive 672%, with 87% of the total inventory in the city being built during the past decade. Back in 2014, self storage space totaled just 76K square feet. A decade later, that number has reached 587K square feet.

Yet, despite this remarkable growth, the amount of self storage per person in Wesley Chapel is still playing catch-up. The area currently offers about 4.6 square feet of self storage per capita, which remains well below the national benchmark, suggesting there’s still plenty of room for further expansion as the community continues to thrive.

2. Wildwood, FL

• 10-year self storage inventory growth: 443%

Fueled by its unique position as the gateway to The Villages —the world’s largest retirement community — and often referred to as the “Disney for seniors,” Wildwood, FL, has seen self storage inventory constantly on the rise throughout the decade.

With retirees constantly moving in, downsizing or relocating within the area, the demand for storage space has never been higher. Climate-controlled units are also a driving factor, as Florida’s humid climate is not known for being kind to belongings.

Over the past decade, Wildwood’s self storage inventory has skyrocketed by an astonishing 443%, reaching 715K square feet by the end of 2024. Nearly 82% of all storage space in the city was built during this period.

3. Sachse, TX

• 10-year self storage inventory growth: 387%

They say everything is bigger in Texas — and the self storage boom in Sachse is no exception. Over the past decade, the city’s storage space has exploded, with 79% of its total inventory built between 2014 and 2024. In fact, the self storage inventory has increased fivefold in size over the past decade, from 75K square feet to an impressive 291K square feet in 2024.

Among the biggest drivers behind Sachse’s booming self storage market is its population growth. Since 2020, the city’s population has surged by 32%, with new families and individuals pouring in and quickly filling up homes. As such, the demand for extra storage has ballooned, with people searching for new places outside their homes to store their belongings.

With every new arrival, the storage inventory expands, making Sachse a standout market in the region. Right now, there are about 2.7 square feet of storage space per person, with units renting for an average of $100 a month.

4. Brunswick, ME

• 10-year self storage inventory growth: 348%

Brunswick, Maine, has seen its self storage inventory surge, with growth soaring by triple-digit percentages. During the pandemic, Maine ranked fifth among all U.S. states for the highest net migration per capita. Although the influx has moderated, it continues to outpace housing availability. As a result, residents are increasingly turning to self storage to compensate for limited living space and to manage the demands of a growing population.

Apartments in Brunswick average about $1,995 a month, which is around 16% higher than the national average, putting the city on the pricier end of the spectrum for renters.
The city’s self storage footprint surged by 348% from 2014 to 2024, with 78% of its total inventory built during this period. This nearly fourfold growth has cemented Brunswick’s position as a hotspot for storage expansion.

As a result, storage units have popped up across Brunswick at a steady pace. The city now offers residents and businesses nearly three times more storage per capita than the national average, with 18.5 square feet per person. On average, a storage unit here rents for $129 a month.

5. Morehead City, NC

• 10-year self storage inventory growth: 347%

Over the past decade, Morehead City’s self storage inventory has expanded by 347%, adding nearly 299K square feet between 2014 and 2024. Remarkably, this recent growth accounts for 78% of all the self storage space ever developed in the area.

What’s fueling this boom? As North Carolina faces a robust migration trend from other states and countries, residents are left struggling to find a place of their own. Around 91% of the state’s population growth came from people moving in. With options tight and affordability a growing concern, people have turned to self storage as a budget-friendly solution for their space needs.

In turn, self storage has flourished, popping up across the city and offering a lifeline for both residents and businesses looking for a little extra breathing room.

6. Saukville, WI

• 10-yearself storage inventory growth: 326%

In the Midwest, Saukville, WI, has transformed its self storage market by adding 274K square feet of new storage facilities over the past decade. Starting from just 84K square feet in 2014, the inventory has quadrupled, with 77% of the total footprint built during this period alone.

The pandemic pushed remote work into the spotlight, and Wisconsinites quickly adapted, making it a regular part of their daily routines. By 2023, about 12% of workers in the state were remote — three times the share from 2015 — showing how firmly this trend has taken hold.

Self storage has thrived alongside this shift. By 2024, Saukville’s total self storage space reached 358K square feet, reflecting the growing demand for extra room as people balance work and life under one roof.

7. Middleburg, FL

• 10-year self storage inventory growth: 319%

Florida makes a strong return to the top 10 list with Middleburg, located in the Jacksonville metro area. Known as one of the best places for remote work, Jacksonville saw a remarkable 40% year-over-year increase in remote workers, making it the only Florida city to crack the top 10 for annual growth in this category.

Rents here are 14% more expensive than the national average. These rising costs put pressure on residents chasing the remote work dream, as living spaces can quickly feel cramped. To ease this strain, self storage has stepped in, growing to offer 485K square feet by 2024 — a 319% increase since 2014.

In Middleburg, each person has access to roughly five square feet of storage space, with monthly rents averaging $128.

8. Taunton, MA

• 10-year self storage inventory growth: 318%

Taunton, MA, is feeling the squeeze of steady population growth, and the city’s appetite for space has transformed self storage into a blooming local industry. From 2013 to 2014, Taunton welcomed a 7% surge in residents.

The city responded to the call, and of the city’s total 415K square feet of self storage inventory as of 2024, an impressive 76% was built over the past decade alone.

At an average rate of $123 per unit, locals can reclaim breathing room, with each person enjoying access to roughly 6.3 square feet of extra space.

9. Melissa, TX

• 10-year self storage inventory growth: 316%

Texas has added a new hotspot city, as Melissa is rising in the self storage landscape. From 2014 to 2023, Melissa’s population tripled, catapulting it to the fifth-fastest-growing city in the entire country — a far cry from the national average increase of just 6%. This meteoric rise has transformed Melissa into a true boomtown, its rapid expansion evident in every corner.

With so many new faces arriving, housing demand has increased, sending prices climbing and prompting residents to seek out smarter storage solutions. Self storage has evolved right alongside the city, keeping pace with Melissa’s growth. Today, there are 15.6 square feet of self storage available for every resident.

Over the past decade, Melissa has added 348K square feet of self storage, a 316% jump since 2014. In turn, this has created a competitive market, giving residents plenty of options and keeping prices reasonable. The average storage unit in Melissa now rents for about $106.

10. Shafter, CA

• 10-year self storage inventory growth: 311%

Shafter, CA, has added 285K square feet of self storage over the past decade to accommodate its residents’ needs. Known for being one of the biggest logistics hubs on the West Coast, Shafter has become California’s growing hotspot for self storage.

Despite its sunny appeal and vibrant lifestyle, California’s housing market poses challenges with smaller-than-average apartments, averaging just 853 square feet, and steep monthly rents over $2,600. This squeeze on affordable living has pushed many residents to seek external solutions like self storage to manage space constraints.

In Shafter, residents currently enjoy about 6.2 square feet of self storage per capita, with units averaging $108 per month.

Even in storage-heavy cities, some markets are still booming

In cities boasting over 5M square feet of self storage space, growth patterns are naturally slower, with the average inventory change sitting at 37%.

However, some cities — especially migration hotspots with highly active moving markets — are still maintaining healthy expansions. Houston, TX, which holds the largest self storage inventory in the U.S. at roughly 27.5M square feet, is still keeping its foot in the game. Over the past decade, Houston’s inventory has grown by 24%, with more than 5M square feet added to the local market.

Other migration destinations, like Fort Worth and Orlando, have seen even more dramatic growth. Their inventories have noticeably increased — rising by 56% in Fort Worth and 63% in Orlando. A lower square footage per capita in these cities also plays a key role in driving this rapid expansion.

Similarly, New York City, which does boast an impressive 23.8M square feet of storage space but serves a much larger clientele base, has seen its inventory swell by 47% over the past decade — roughly 7.6M square feet. Currently, New York City’s inventory translates to about 2.4 square feet per person, with an average monthly price of $206. In Houston, by comparison, per capita inventory stands at 6.9 square feet per person, with an average price of $126.

Self Storage Inventory Trends in the 31 Largest U.S. Markets

Rank	City	Inventory Change	2024 Self Storage Inventory	2014 Self Storage Inventory	Self Storage Footage Per Capita	Avg. Self Storage Street Rate ($)
1	Houston, TX	24%	27,513,678	22,251,345	6.9	126
2	New York City, NY	47%	23,861,955	16,273,865	2.4	206
3	San Antonio, TX	42%	17,269,690	12,155,443	9.3	121
4	Las Vegas, NV	26%	14,160,282	11,201,257	7.6	130
5	Chicago, IL	28%	11,969,681	9,380,948	3.5	136
6	Phoenix, AZ	54%	10,856,732	7,051,684	5.5	124
7	Dallas, TX	32%	10,045,582	7,610,043	5.2	133
8	Austin, TX	49%	9,892,799	6,635,840	7.8	131
9	Jacksonville, FL	33%	9,720,376	7,303,945	9.7	134
10	Fort Worth, TX	56%	9,442,014	6,041,111	6.5	105
11	Orlando, FL	63%	9,093,560	5,589,962	7.0	127
12	Miami, FL	77%	8,956,920	5,069,377	3.9	178
13	Charlotte, NC	62%	7,717,571	4,754,750	7.2	121
14	Indianapolis, IN	32%	7,664,001	5,803,587	6.9	97
15	Oklahoma City, OK	24%	7,477,855	6,030,743	8.9	87
16	Tucson, AZ	24%	6,997,611	5,623,195	8.7	110
17	Philadelphia, PA	83%	6,910,019	3,780,959	3.4	145
18	Los Angeles, CA	19%	6,806,350	5,739,917	2.1	257
19	Colorado Springs, CO	42%	6,785,948	4,766,391	11.2	111
20	Tampa, FL	33%	6,703,944	5,050,832	6.9	136
21	San Diego, CA	23%	6,626,185	5,365,950	4.1	180
22	Memphis, TN	31%	6,211,478	4,749,581	8.2	88
23	Louisville, KY	66%	6,151,980	3,711,037	7.4	108
24	Sacramento, CA	20%	6,108,510	5,107,761	4.9	149
25	Virginia Beach, VA	14%	5,917,870	5,197,994	10.6	122
26	Atlanta, GA	66%	5,584,983	3,355,421	4.6	150
27	Columbus, OH	30%	5,351,534	4,120,315	4.4	103
28	Bakersfield, CA	10%	5,136,848	4,663,987	9.2	101
29	Albuquerque, NM	20%	5,120,489	4,250,987	7.5	120
30	Mesa, AZ	34%	5,090,779	3,809,385	6.0	111
31	Reno, NV	26%	5,015,458	3,983,422	14.3	132

RentCafe analysis of data from the Yardi Matrix (Data as of April 2025| Pub: May 2025)

Over the past decade, it’s become more and more common for people to turn to self storage — whether to handle a move, free up space at home, or simply keep up with life’s changes. What used to be a short-term fix is now a practical part of how many Americans manage limited space and rising housing costs.

In looking at nearly 2,000 cities, the Sunbelt stands out, with six of the top 10 fastest-growing self storage markets. In these cities, inventory has grown by over 300%, and most of the space available today was built within the last 10 years — a clear sign of just how quickly demand is rising.

So whether you’re relocating, working remotely, or just trying to stay organized, there’s a good chance your city’s storage scene is changing too. Scroll down to see where self storage is growing the fastest — and where it might be headed next.