Research Reports

Explore data-driven research on real estate, housing, self storage, moving trends and economic forces shaping today’s markets.

Aerial view of highway to Miami, Florida. American highway junction.

Top Moving Destinations In Florida: Suburbs Emerge As Top Spots For Homeownership Dreams

After nearly a decade as the top migration destination in the U.S., Florida fell to second place in 2023, surpassed by Texas. Nonetheless, the state continues to attract and retain out-of-state residents at impressive levels, despite pandemic-related disruptions to mobility and ongoing economic challenges. According to our interstate migration study based on the latest data from the U.S. Census, approximately 1,755 people moved into Florida per day in 2023, while 1,380 left, resulting in a net gain of 375 new Florida residents daily — or 137,000 people over the year.

Aerial sunset view of the skyline of downtown Irvine, CA

The Fastest-Growing Cities Of The Decade: Population Booms In The South, With Texas Heading The Race

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Austin Texas skyline

Austin’s Self Storage Boom: One-Third Of City’s Inventory Built In Last Decade

Austin is expanding rapidly — and with it, so is the need for extra space. Over the past decade, the city’s self storage sector has been on a major growth spree, adding nearly a third of its total inventory in just 10 years. Today, Austin offers 10 million rentable square feet of self storage, or over seven square feet per person, aligning with the national benchmark.

Aerial-view-of-self-storage-facilities-with-town-in-the-background

The 6 Ds Of Self Storage Demand: Widespread Interest Puts The West In The Lead, While The South Comes In Second For Extra Space Needs

Life events continue to drive the U.S. self storage market, with moving, housing affordability, and economic shifts fueling sustained demand. Search interest in self storage has surged 88% since 2020, reaching a record 25 million annual searches in 2024.

Movers loading a moving truck

Cross-Country Moving Costs: Most Expensive To Cheapest Relocation Routes

An estimated 7.5 million people relocated across state lines in 2023, continuing a long-standing trend driven by housing affordability, job opportunities and lifestyle preferences. While local moves have slowed — from 11.9% of the population in 2014 to 9.1% in 2023 — long-distance relocations remain steady. In fact, interstate moves have consistently involved over 2.3% of the U.S. population each year for most of the past decade, peaking at 2.5% during the pandemic.

Highways near Austin, Texas

US Migration Trends: Texas Overtakes Florida, Becomes The Nation’s Top State For Net Migration

Today’s moving trends seem to be increasingly driven by necessity rather than lifestyle. According to the latest U.S. Census data, Americans are moving less frequently than they used to, with a staggering 87.9% of the population staying in the same home year after year — a notable rise from the 85.1% reported a decade ago. This slower pace of moving seems to be mostly driven by a big drop in local relocations.

White, modern open space with wooden furniture set in a spacious apartment

Storage Space Is The New Luxury: The Best Cities For Spacious Apartments, Walk-In Closets And Extra Storage

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Where Love Lasts Most In The U.S.: Happily Ever After Thrives In New England And The Midwest

Valentine’s Day comes and goes in a flurry of roses, heart-shaped chocolates, and candlelit dinners – all of which we indulge in wholeheartedly (pun intended). And we’re not just giving love, we’re spending it too – a record-breaking $27.5 billion is expected to be joyfully poured into Valentine’s Day celebrations this year, according to the National Retail Federation, all in honor of the people we hold dear.

Young person surrounded by moving boxes in new home

Where Gen Z Is Buying Homes: The Top 10 States for Young Homebuyers in 2025

For the first time ever, Gen Zers are matching Millennials in state-to-state migration numbers, with nearly 2.2 million Gen Zers relocating long-distance in 2023. This generational shift marks a major turning point as young professionals and early-career workers move in search of affordable housing, better job opportunities and a lifestyle that aligns with their values.

overview of downtown Cary, NC

As Apartments Boom And Middle Housing Lags, The South Emerges As The Fastest-Growing Housing Region

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small apartment interior

As Apartment Sizes Shrink, Western Cities Challenge The East Coast For The Title Of Tiny Living Capitals

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Happy women friends are shopping for presents at Christmas

StorageCafe’s Best Lifestyle Stories of 2024

The real estate market is often all about numbers and trends, but the way those big-picture stats affect our everyday lives is huge. It’s fascinating to see how we’ve adapted to major events—like the health crisis—and how those changes have influenced our lifestyle and housing choices.