Self-storage photo by Harpreet Singh Grewal on unsplash.com

Fresno has emerged as a key market for self storage, ranking sixth out of more than 500 metros nationwide.

With nearly eight square feet of storage per capita, Fresno is above the 7.27 national average, according to a recent study from self-storage website StorageCafe.

With the growing need for self-storage units, Abernathey Holdings is developing a 81,227-square-foot facility in Fresno that could break ground this year.

The new building under the Public Storage brand will be located at 7333 N. Cedar Ave. near Alluvial Avenue.

Chris Berg, who works in land acquisition for Abernathey Holdings, shared his gratitude for the City of Fresno for making the project possible. 

“Fresno has been fantastic to work with,” Berg said. “I enjoyed working with the city and everyone there. As far as the Planning Commission, it’s just been outstanding.”

Berg added some of the factors that come into play when people choose a self-storage unit. 

“Does it have great security? Does it feel safe? Is it a safe neighborhood? Does it have cameras,” Berg said.

Fresno ranks second among major metros for average household size, with about three people per home, according to the StorageCafe study. Businesses are another driving force, with Fresno ranking third nationally for small businesses per capita and seventh in online searches for business storage solutions. 

“The scope of this study was to identify the markets with the highest demand for self-storage,” the Storage Cafe study states. “To this end, we calculated the 6D score for each metro area based on these demand drivers associated with the “6 Ds” of self-storage: Downsizing, Distribution, Dislocation, Decluttering, Divorce, and Death.”

Tucson, Arizona was No. 1 on the list with the strongest self-storage demand potential, primarily due to its small average apartment size of 772 square feet.