Houston self-storage market data
Public-source numbers for underwriting a self-storage facility in Houston, TX (Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area). Every figure below is cited to its source and vintage; verify anything before relying on it. Updated 2026-07-08.
Market snapshot
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population (Harris County, Texas) | 4,758,579 | Census ACS 5-Year, 2023 |
| Median household income | $73,104 | Census ACS 5-Year, 2023 |
| Median gross rent | $1,349 | Census ACS 5-Year, 2023 |
| Median home value | $255,000 | Census ACS 5-Year, 2023 |
| Renter share of households | 45.2% | Census ACS 5-Year, 2023 |
| Housing vacancy (all units) | 8.3% | Census ACS 5-Year, 2023 |
| Metro unemployment rate | 4.6% (year ago: 4.2%) | BLS LAUS, May 2026 |
| House price index, year over year | +1.3% | FHFA all-transactions via FRED, 2026-01-01 |
| 30-year mortgage rate (national) | 6.4% | Freddie Mac via FRED, 2026-07-02 |
| Rental vacancy rate (national) | 7.2% | Census HVS via FRED, 2025-10-01 |
County-level Census figures describe Harris County, Texas; employment and price-index figures cover the metro area. Metro averages never substitute for submarket and property-level verification.
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NOI should be calculated from real income and expenses, never taken from a listing headline. A full underwriting case builds it line by line.
What to verify before underwriting self-storage in Houston
- Compare physical occupancy to economic occupancy. A facility can be nearly full and still collect far less than the rent roll implies.
- Pull street rates against in-place rates. Aggressive recent increases on existing customers can inflate the trailing twelve months.
- Map competing facilities and any announced new supply in the trade area before trusting rate assumptions.
- Verify unit-mix demand: which sizes stay full, which sit vacant, and whether climate-controlled units actually command their premium here.
- Confirm how the facility is staffed (onsite manager, kiosk, remote) and whether your model assumes a different operating setup than the seller's.
- Check ancillary income (tenant insurance, merchandise, fees) and whether it is durable or tied to the current owner's programs.
Questions to ask the broker or seller
- What was the rate-increase cadence on existing customers over the past two years?
- How many units are delinquent, and what does the auction schedule look like?
- What is the monthly move-in and move-out volume by season?
- Is there expansion capacity on the parcel, and is it entitled?
- What share of revenue comes from tenant insurance and fees versus rent?
- Who runs the facility day to day, and do they stay after closing?
Underwrite your Houston deal with your own numbers
Drop in the offering memo, rent roll, or trailing twelve months. CREscope structures the editable underwriting case so you can pressure-test the numbers yourself. Your first deal is free.
Analyze your first deal freeSources and disclaimer
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (May 2026). FHFA All-Transactions House Price Index, via FRED. Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, via FRED. Figures are reproduced as published by the cited sources and may be revised by those agencies. This page is general market information, not an appraisal, opinion of value, or investment, legal, or tax advice. Commercial property performance varies by submarket and asset; conduct independent due diligence.