U.S. household moving services revenue is forecast to grow 2.2% in 2024, even as costs and logistics signals keep shifting in parallel. Employment in transportation and warehousing totals 1.09 million, while warehouse capacity and pricing pressure are reflected by a 4.6% private warehouse vacancy rate in early 2024. If you are planning a move, the tension between wage growth, fuel prices, and scam risk is exactly where the most telling statistics start to separate.
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
In 2023, the U.S. moving and storage sector employed 1.09 million people amid rising costs and demand.
Related reading
01 · 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
In the Employment category, the U.S. moving and storage sector employed 1.09 million people in 2023 while laborers and freight and stock movers earned a median annual wage of $33,280 in 2023, signaling a sizable workforce supported by steady, moderate pay levels.
02 · 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
For cost analysis, the moving and storage market is seeing sustained upward pressure with long distance moving averaging about $4,800 in 2023 and key inputs like trucking and warehousing PPI up 6.3% from 2021 to 2023 while industrial lease benchmarks remain high at $7.60 per sq. ft. in Q4 2024.
03 · 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 in moving and storage point to steady demand and pricing pressure, with IBISWorld projecting 2.2% revenue growth in U.S. household moving services for 2024 while tight storage conditions show vacancy at just 4.6% in Q1 2024.
04 · 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
With 2023 revenue of about $40 billion for U.S. self-storage and a $1.4 trillion warehousing and storage market tied to roughly 1,350 million square feet of warehouse space, the market size signal is that moving and storage demand is supported by both large operator scale and massive physical capacity.
More related reading
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 that logistics reliability is strong with USPS at 84.2% on time and UPS at 96.2% for ground shipments, yet moving complaints can still hit a median loss of $1,500 due to scams and fraudulent practices.
06 · Category
Labor & Wages3 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
Interpretation
Labor & Wages Interpretation
In 2023, moving and storage sits within a broader transportation and warehousing labor market where 1,097,000 workers are employed and the median hourly pay for transportation-related occupations is $19.64, reflecting a steady but relatively modest wage environment for the Labor and Wages category despite representing 1.2% of all U.S. workers.
07 · Category
Safety & Compliance2 stats
01
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
02
2.6% of U.S. employers reported at least one injury or illness case in 2023 for transportation and warehousing—industry-level reporting rate
Interpretation
Safety & Compliance Interpretation
Safety and compliance in the moving and storage industry remains a real concern because transportation and material moving occupations accounted for 10.3% of all U.S. worker deaths in 2022 and 2.6% of U.S. employers reported at least one injury or illness case in 2023 for transportation and warehousing.
08 · Category
Investment & Capital2 stats
01
U.S. retail self-storage investment volume reached $7.9 billion in 2023—showing capital market interest in storage facilities
02
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
Investment & Capital Interpretation
In 2023, U.S. retail self-storage attracted $7.9 billion in investment volume, and by 2024 its REITs offered a 3.9% weighted average dividend yield, underscoring sustained capital market interest and steady shareholder return expectations for the storage segment.
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)