Self storage update: Is the industry in “stable” mode?

10 / 06 / 25

1 min read

“Stabilization” is the prevalent theme of this U.S. self storage update, as asking rates and demand trends continued to recover in August 2025.

National advertised rates rose 0.3% year-over-year, the highest growth rate since September 2022. Twenty-two of Yardi Matrix’s top 30 markets posted stronger annual rate growth in August than in July.

One key driver is a 12.6% increase of household usage. This is driven, Yardi Matrix notes, “by space needs and long-term tenants that sustain occupancy despite weak home sales and migration.” Furthermore, some markets remain overbuilt from a 2023-24 supply surge.

On the transaction front, activity and pricing are rebounding as cap rates and rents stabilize. “Competition for acquisitions is intensifying amid strong capital flows and investor interest,” according to Yardi Matrix.

Advertised rates in some markets, such as San Diego, Denver and Austin, Texas, are underperforming despite low levels of new supply. But overall, “the industry is positioned for gradual recovery and long-term growth.”

See all that’s new in our latest self storage update: demand dynamics, capital market transactions, construction activity and more. It’s all in the Yardi Matrix National Self Storage Report for September 2025.

AUTHOR

Joel Nelson, senior marketing writer, joined Yardi in 2007. His byline has appeared in New York Real Estate Journal, Canadian Property Management and Los Angeles Lawyer, among others. He has won multiple awards from major professional organizations including the International Association of Business Communicators and Public Communicators of Los Angeles. Joel earned a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College.

Recent articles

Yardi Virtuoso Enterprise capabilities: native AI, data connectors, an assistant, AI agents, and a composer for building custom agents

AI in property management: how it works, where it’s used, what to expect

AI in property management is software that handles high-volume communication and administrative tasks, from lead qualification and tour scheduling to maintenance triage and renewal outreach, while your team stays in charge of the decisions and relationships that define a well-run community. Yardi groups these capabilities under an AI + Automation suite - Virtuoso, CRM IQ, Chat IQ and Maintenance IQ - connected tools built on a single governed data foundation.

08 / 14 / 26

Chat IQ

Maintenance IQ

Which Yardi data solution is right for you?

3 data management tools drive smarter decisions

How do you choose a data management solution? There isn’t just one choice. Yardi offers three complementary choices that govern all data management contingencies.

08 / 12 / 26

Virtuoso

Artificial intelligence

Woman looking at Fixed Assets Manager on a computer

Fixed asset data as a capital planning tool

Finance leaders are finding new value in fixed asset data — not just for depreciation, but for capital planning and long-term portfolio strategy. Here's how centralized data changes the picture.

08 / 11 / 26

Fixed Assets Manager

Commercial

Self storage update: Is the industry in “stable” mode?

Joel Nelson

Recent articles

AI in property management: how it works, where it’s used, what to expect

3 data management tools drive smarter decisions

Fixed asset data as a capital planning tool

We’re here to help