Self Storage Market Outlook – February 2026

Key takeaways

• The first month of 2026 registered a 0.2 percent decline year-over-year in rents, with an average asking rent per square foot of $16.27 for the combined mix of unit sizes and types.
• Same-store advertised asking rates for the combined non-climate-controlled units decreased 50 basis points year-over-year and increased 20 basis points for climate-controlled units.
• The national under-construction pipeline totaled 50.4 million net rentable square feet, accounting for 2.5 percent of existing inventory in January, down 0.1 percent from the previous month.
• Sarasota-Cape Coral ranked first for a fourth consecutive month in terms of under-construction supply, accounting for 7.9 percent of total stock.

Self storage rates decline as the new year starts

January saw the national average annualized same-story advertised asking rate per square foot clock in at $16.27 for the combined mix of units and sizes, contracting 0.2 percent month-over-month.

Rates for the combined non-climate-controlled units dropped 0.5 percent year-over-year, while the same metric for climate-controlled increased 0.2 percent.

On an annual basis, six of the top 30 metros registered increases for non-climate-controlled units. Meanwhile, 13 of the top 30 markets saw positive movement for climate-controlled units.

National pipeline registers momentary lag

As of January 2026, Yardi Matrix recorded a total of 2,759 self storage properties in various stages of development across the U.S. The pipeline comprised 681 projects under construction, 1,766 planned and 312 prospective properties. January’s under-construction pipeline accounted for 2.5 percent of total stock, down 0.1 percent from the previous month.

Nationwide, there were approximately 50.4 million net rentable square feet under construction during the same month. Half of Yardi’s top 30 metros had supply levels below the national average, with Denver, Colo. and Portland, Ore. closing the list at 0.6 and 0.3 percent, respectively.

On that same list, only two saw positive movement in under-construction supply month-over-month. Namely, Orlando, Fla. and San Antonio, Texas, with under-construction supplies accounting for 6.1 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively, of the total stock. However, Sarasota-Cape Coral ranked first for a fourth consecutive month in terms of under-construction supply, accounting for 7.9 percent of total stock, down 60 basis points compared to December 2025.

Read the full Yardi Matrix National Self Storage Market Outlook: February 2026.