How much do self-storage operators charge for a unit in Montana? The answer depends on where you look. As of midyear 2022, a 5×10 non-climate-controlled unit in Missoula runs at $61.91 per month. In Bozeman, that same-size unit is closer to $56 per month. But, no matter where you are, expect prices to continue rising.
Year over year, self-storage rents are up across Montana – that’s especially true to climate-controlled options in Helena and Billings. You can expect to pay nearly $100 for a climate-controlled 5×10 unit in Billings – similar to prices for that same unit in Helena, Four Corners, and Belgrade.
Who is Renting Self-Storage?
Real estate data giant Yardi surveyed renters using self-storage. Of the 4,000+ renters surveyed, 21% reported currently renting a storage unit – and another 12% said they plan to use storage in the future. A few key social trends in the data indicate that self-storage continues to be an appealing commercial investment in a rocky economy.
One of the key findings from the survey showed that Gen X renters (age 42 – 57) were the most common users of self-storage, with Boomers (age 58 – 67) coming in at a close second. It’s not surprising that more people are using storage, given that the average apartment footprint shrunk by 9.7% percent since 2015.
Moreover, people are simply moving less. Moving rates are now at their lowest since 1948. That’s due to aging, fewer marriages, and expensive housing reports Business Insider.
For places like Missoula and Bozeman, bottomed-out apartment vacancy forces renters to stay in one place, causing gridlock in the marketplace.
As living spaces get smaller, migration slows, and a new generation of storage users emerges, self-storage units across Montana continue to show high occupancy and rent growth.
View current self-storage listings here.