Exploring America's Leading 25 Industrial Hubs

the U.S.industrial real estate landscape is beginning to stabilize after a period of rapid expansion, as highlighted in a recent report by Colliers titled “Markets That Move America.” This analysis focuses on the 25 largest industrial markets across the nation based on inventory.

The findings indicate that construction activity is slowing down, vacancy rates are gradually increasing, and net absorption rates are stabilizing. Over the past year, quarterly net absorption has only risen by about 200,000 square feet on average—suggesting that demand is returning to more enduring levels.

Here’s a snapshot of the top 25 U.S. industrial markets ranked by their inventory size along with essential metrics like vacancy rates and rental prices:

| rank | Market | Inventory (SF) | Vacancy Rate | Rent | Net Absorption YTD | under Construction |
|——|—————————|—————–|————–|——–|———————|——————–|
| 1 | Greater Los Angeles | 1.74B | 4.9% | $15.75 | 5.0M SF | 17.8M SF |
| 2 | Chicago | 1.55B | 4.8% | $8.03 | 872K SF | 10.4M SF |
| … (data continues) |

Colliers anticipates that vacancy rates will peak later this year due to ongoing slowdowns in new construction while demand remains consistent across these key markets.

Interestingly, while rent growth has moderated following a phase of significant increases, these major industrial hubs will continue to play vital roles in U.S logistics well into the future—especially as e-commerce evolves and reshoring trends gain momentum.

it seems we’re entering a new chapter for industrial real estate where balance may be restored after years of volatility—a shift worth keeping an eye on for investors and businesses alike!