The moving and storage industry spans pickup, packing, delivery, and both long- and short-term storage across the U.S., supported by jobs in transportation and warehousing. Demand and costs are shaped by drivers like 3.5% y/y growth in moving-service prices, higher rent (4.1% y/y), and fuel rates. You’ll also see how warehousing scale and logistics performance connect to industry growth—alongside wages, injury risk, and consumer protections.
Key Takeaways
- U.S. moving and storage employment was 1.09 million in 2023 (NAICS 488—Transportation and Warehousing)
- U.S. warehousing and storage (NAICS 493) establishments totaled 52,000 in 2022
- Median annual wage for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers was $33,280 in 2023 (BLS)
- BLS CPI category “Household furnishings and operations” for “Moving services” index change 2024: 3.5% y/y
- U.S. CPI for “Rent of primary residence” increased 4.1% y/y in April 2024 (context for move drivers)
- Average diesel fuel price in the U.S. was $4.29/gallon on May 14, 2024 (EIA)
- IBISWorld forecasts U.S. household moving services industry revenue growth of 2.2% in 2024.
- 1.6% year-over-year growth in the U.S. Moving and Storage producer price index (PPI) category “Moving and storage services” in 2024 (percent change reported in annual table).
- IBISWorld estimated the U.S. self-storage operators industry grew by 3.7% in 2023.
- As of 2024, there were about 1,100 mini-storage facilities operating in the U.S. (storage operator count estimate in an IBISWorld snapshot).
- IBISWorld estimated U.S. self-storage operators industry revenue at about $40 billion in 2023.
- The U.S. warehousing and storage services market was $1.4 trillion in 2023 (IBISWorld/other market sizing estimate cited in a report compilation).
- The Better Business Bureau reported that moving scams and fraudulent moving practices led to a median loss amount of $1,500 per complaint (BBB Scam Tracker summary figure).
- USPS reported 84.2% of packages delivered on time in 2023—parcel/logistics service performance that affects moving-related shipping and last-mile expectations
- In 2023, UPS reported 96.2% on-time delivery for ground shipments—another logistics reliability benchmark relevant to time-sensitive move schedules
Rising housing costs, wages, fuel prices, and logistics reliability are driving steady U.S. moving and storage demand.
Related reading
01 · Category
Cost Analysis10 stats
01
BLS CPI category “Household furnishings and operations” for “Moving services” index change 2024: 3.5% y/y
02
U.S. CPI for “Rent of primary residence” increased 4.1% y/y in April 2024 (context for move drivers)
03
Average diesel fuel price in the U.S. was $4.29/gallon on May 14, 2024 (EIA)
04
Average retail gasoline price in the U.S. was $3.59/gallon on May 14, 2024 (EIA)
05
U.S. PPI for ‘Trucking and warehousing’ increased 2.3% in 2024Q1 (BLS PPI)
06
U.S. average hourly wage growth for transportation and warehousing increased 4.0% in 2024Q1 (BLS Employment Cost Index)
07
The average U.S. moving cost for a long-distance move was about $4,800in 2023 (survey-based average).
08
JLL reported U.S. industrial rents averaged $7.60per sq. ft. (net asking rent) in Q4 2024.
09
U.S. producer prices for “Trucking and warehousing” rose 6.3% from 2021 to 2023 (cumulative change)—capturing multi-year cost escalation in the segment
10
Average asking rents for U.S. industrial space were $6.30per sq. ft. in Q1 2024 (net asking rent, weighted average)—guiding storage/warehouse lease cost expectations
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost pressures for the Moving and Storage industry appear to be rising, with moving services up 3.5% year over year in 2024 and trucking and warehousing producer prices climbing 2.3% in 2024 Q1, alongside higher energy costs like diesel at $4.29 per gallon and wage growth for transportation and warehousing at 4.0%.
02 · Category
Industry Trends6 stats
01
IBISWorld forecasts U.S. household moving services industry revenue growth of 2.2% in 2024.
02
1.6% year-over-year growth in the U.S. Moving and Storage producer price index (PPI) category “Moving and storage services” in 2024 (percent change reported in annual table).
03
IBISWorld estimated the U.S. self-storage operators industry grew by 3.7% in 2023.
04
Cushman & Wakefield reported U.S. industrial vacancy averaged 4.2% in Q4 2024 (U.S. industrial market snapshot).
05
Colliers reported net absorption of 290 million sq. ft. for U.S. industrial in 2024 (annual net absorption figure).
06
National private warehouse vacancy averaged 4.6% in Q1 2024—signaling tightness/availability that affects storage pricing
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends point to steady but meaningful momentum in movement and storage demand as U.S. household moving services revenue is forecast to grow 2.2% in 2024 alongside improving pricing power from a 2024 PPI rise of 1.6%, while storage remains relatively tight with private warehouse vacancy at 4.6% in Q1 2024 and self-storage operators expanding 3.7% in 2023.
03 · Category
Market Size4 stats
01
As of 2024, there were about 1,100 mini-storage facilities operating in the U.S. (storage operator count estimate in an IBISWorld snapshot).
02
IBISWorld estimated U.S. self-storage operators industry revenue at about $40 billion in 2023.
03
The U.S. warehousing and storage services market was $1.4 trillion in 2023 (IBISWorld/other market sizing estimate cited in a report compilation).
04
1,350 million square feet of U.S. warehouse space was estimated in 2023—indicating the scale of storage capacity tied to moving/storage demand
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In the moving and storage market, the self-storage segment alone is estimated at about $40 billion in 2023 alongside roughly 1,100 mini-storage facilities, while the broader warehousing and storage services market reaches $1.4 trillion and covers an estimated 1,350 million square feet of warehouse space in 2023, underscoring just how massive the overall Market Size footprint is.
More related reading
04 · Category
Employment3 stats
01
U.S. moving and storage employment was 1.09 million in 2023 (NAICS 488—Transportation and Warehousing)
02
U.S. warehousing and storage (NAICS 493) establishments totaled 52,000 in 2022
03
Median annual wage for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers was $33,280in 2023 (BLS)
Interpretation
Employment Interpretation
Employment in the moving and storage sector shows a sizable workforce with 1.09 million people employed in 2023 and a median annual wage of $33,280 for key roles, even as the industry’s warehousing footprint includes 52,000 establishments in 2022.
05 · Category
Performance Metrics3 stats
01
The Better Business Bureau reported that moving scams and fraudulent moving practices led to a median loss amount of $1,500per complaint (BBB Scam Tracker summary figure).
02
USPS reported 84.2% of packages delivered on time in 2023—parcel/logistics service performance that affects moving-related shipping and last-mile expectations
03
In 2023, UPS reported 96.2% on-time delivery for ground shipments—another logistics reliability benchmark relevant to time-sensitive move schedules
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance metrics show the moving industry’s success hinges on logistics reliability and scam prevention, with median complaint losses at $1,500 for fraud while on-time delivery rates remain high at 84.2% for USPS in 2023 and 96.2% for UPS ground shipments in 2023.
06 · Category
Industry Overview7 stats
01
1.2% of U.S. workers are employed in transportation and warehousing in 2023—providing context for the labor pool that includes moving and storage
02
$19.64per hour median hourly wage for transportation-related occupations in 2023 (including warehousing/related roles as categorized by OES)—a wage benchmark for the broader segment
03
1,097,000 employees worked in transportation and warehousing during 2023 (QCEW employment)—a macro employment reference for the broader NAICS 48/49 group
04
10.3% of U.S. all worker deaths in 2022 were in transportation and material moving occupations—risk context for the industry’s labor segment
05
2.6% of U.S. employers reported at least one injury or illness case in 2023 for transportation and warehousing—industry-level reporting rate
06
U.S. retail self-storage investment volume reached $7.9 billion in 2023—showing capital market interest in storage facilities
07
U.S. self-storage REITs had a weighted average dividend yield of 3.9% in 2024—reflecting shareholder return expectations for the storage segment
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
In the Industry Overview for moving and storage, the sector sits within transportation and warehousing where 1.2% of U.S. workers are employed in 2023 and wages average $19.64 per hour, while risk and safety remain relevant with 2.6% of employers reporting injuries or illnesses and capital investment is clearly active as retail self-storage reached $7.9 billion in 2023.
report visual · Comparison
Cost and price pressures affecting moving & storage
Moving services, trucking/warehousing, and moving-and-storage services show ongoing year-over-year price growth—key drivers of moving and storage costs.
U.S. average hourly wage growth for transportation and warehousing increased 4.0% in 2024Q1 (BLS Employment Cost Index)4%
BLS CPI category “Household furnishings and operations” for “Moving services” index change 2024: 3.5% y/y
3.5%
U.S. PPI for ‘Trucking and warehousing’ increased 2.3% in 2024Q1 (BLS PPI)
2.3%
1.6% year-over-year growth in the U.S. Moving and Storage producer price index (PPI) category “Moving and storage servic
1.6%
source-verifiedbls.gov · oecd-ilibrary.org2024
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Moving And Storage Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/moving-and-storage-industry-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "Moving And Storage Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/moving-and-storage-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Moving And Storage Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/moving-and-storage-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+18 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)