MSM opens 2026 self-storage Top Operators survey

Modern Storage Media has launched its 2026 Top Operators Survey, opening participation to U.S. self-storage companies ahead of rankings that will appear in MSM's November 2027 Messenger magazine and the Self-Storage Almanac. The long-running survey is a key industry benchmark for growth, consolidation and market share.

Why it matters: - MSM's Top Operators list is one of the self-storage industry's longest-running measures of operator size and market change. - The 2026 survey will help determine which companies earn a place in the Top 100 rankings published in 2027. - The survey arrives as the industry weighs signs of slowdown, recovery and consolidation.

What happened: - Modern Storage Media launched its 2026 Top Operators Survey for self-storage companies across the United States. - The annual rankings have been conducted since 1996. - MSM will publish the results in the print and digital versions of Messenger magazine's November issue and in the 2027 Self-Storage Almanac. - Operators with U.S.-based properties are encouraged to respond by the Sept. 25 deadline. - Participants will receive a $100 registration discount code for MSM's THE Show, a self-storage conference and tradeshow scheduled for Atlanta on Nov. 4-6.

The details: - MSM ranks companies by total net rentable square feet. - Facilities owned and managed by the same company are counted as owned. - International facilities count in overall totals but appear separately in MSM's Top Operators Kit companion piece. - Last year, 27 companies made the list that were not ranked in 2024. - Consolidation often affects the rankings as portfolios trade hands or are acquired by other industry players. - Poppy Behrens, MSM's publisher, said the rankings often shift dramatically from year to year. - MSM asked operators to complete the survey through its online form, with a link provided in the announcement: Complete the 2026 Top Operators Survey. - MSM's social channels listed in the announcement include LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, X, and RSS feed.

Between the lines: - The survey functions as both an industry scorecard and a snapshot of how ownership changes are reshaping the market. - MSM is using the survey to drive participation in its first self-storage conference and tradeshow, signaling a broader push to connect data, publishing and events. - The repeated mention of movement in the rankings suggests this year's list could shift materially if consolidation continues.

What's next: - MSM will close survey participation on Sept. 25. - The company will compile submissions and release the rankings in 2027. - Operators that complete the survey will get the discount code for THE Show ahead of the Nov. 4-6 event in Atlanta. - MSM will also publish related coverage in Messenger magazine and the Self-Storage Almanac.