diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/small_vector.h b/cpp/src/arrow/util/small_vector.h
index f371e647152f..b6bb45389bc0 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/small_vector.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/small_vector.h
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ struct StaticVectorStorage : public StaticVectorStorageBase<T, N, D> {
   using Base::size_;
   using Base::static_data_;
 
+  static constexpr bool can_overflow = false;
+
   StaticVectorStorage() noexcept = default;
 
   constexpr storage_type* storage_ptr() { return static_data_; }
@@ -117,6 +119,8 @@ struct SmallVectorStorage {
   storage_type* data_ = static_data_;
   size_t dynamic_capacity_ = 0;
 
+  static constexpr bool can_overflow = true;
+
   SmallVectorStorage() noexcept = default;
 
   ~SmallVectorStorage() { destroy(); }
@@ -163,9 +167,13 @@ struct SmallVectorStorage {
       other.data_ = other.static_data_;
       other.dynamic_capacity_ = 0;
       other.size_ = 0;
-    } else if (size_ != 0) {
-      // Use a compile-time memcpy size (N) for trivial types
-      storage_type::move_construct_several(other.static_data_, static_data_, size_, N);
+    } else {
+      // Reset to static storage (in case we had dynamic storage before destroy())
+      data_ = static_data_;
+      if (size_ != 0) {
+        // Use a compile-time memcpy size (N) for trivial types
+        storage_type::move_construct_several(other.static_data_, static_data_, size_, N);
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -238,9 +246,23 @@ class StaticVectorImpl {
 
   StaticVectorImpl& operator=(StaticVectorImpl&& other) noexcept {
     if (ARROW_PREDICT_TRUE(&other != this)) {
-      // TODO move_assign?
-      storage_.destroy();
-      storage_.move_construct(std::move(other.storage_));
+      // Determine whether to use fast path (destroy + move_construct):
+      // - For trivial types: always use fast path (memcpy is fast)
+      // - For dynamic storage: always use fast path (pointer swap is O(1))
+      // - For static storage + non-trivial types: use assign_by_moving (may reuse
+      // objects)
+      bool use_fast_path = std::is_trivial<T>::value;
+      if constexpr (Storage::can_overflow) {
+        use_fast_path = use_fast_path || storage_.dynamic_capacity_ ||
+                        other.storage_.dynamic_capacity_;
+      }
+
+      if (use_fast_path) {
+        storage_.destroy();
+        storage_.move_construct(std::move(other.storage_));
+      } else {
+        assign_by_moving(other.storage_.size_, other.data());
+      }
     }
     return *this;
   }
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/small_vector_test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/util/small_vector_test.cc
index f9ec5fedfeaf..31e6d313bfb8 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/small_vector_test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/small_vector_test.cc
@@ -782,5 +782,51 @@ TEST(SmallVector, Traits) {
   ASSERT_FALSE((std::is_trivially_destructible<SmallVector<int, 4>>::value));
 }
 
+TEST(SmallVector, MoveAssignDynamicToStatic) {
+  SmallVector<std::string, 8> src;
+  SmallVector<std::string, 8> dst;
+
+  // src: 3 elements (static storage)
+  src.push_back("a");
+  src.push_back("b");
+  src.push_back("c");
+
+  // dst: 12 elements (dynamic storage, uses heap)
+  for (int i = 0; i < 12; ++i) {
+    dst.push_back("item" + std::to_string(i));
+  }
+
+  // Move from dynamic to static storage
+  dst = std::move(src);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(dst.size(), 3);
+  EXPECT_EQ(dst[0], "a");
+  EXPECT_EQ(dst[1], "b");
+  EXPECT_EQ(dst[2], "c");
+}
+
+TEST(SmallVector, MoveAssignStaticToDynamic) {
+  SmallVector<std::string, 8> src;
+  SmallVector<std::string, 8> dst;
+
+  // src: 12 elements (dynamic storage, uses heap)
+  for (int i = 0; i < 12; ++i) {
+    src.push_back("item" + std::to_string(i));
+  }
+
+  // dst: 3 elements (static storage)
+  dst.push_back("x");
+  dst.push_back("y");
+  dst.push_back("z");
+
+  // Move from static to dynamic storage
+  dst = std::move(src);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(dst.size(), 12);
+  for (int i = 0; i < 12; ++i) {
+    EXPECT_EQ(dst[i], "item" + std::to_string(i));
+  }
+}
+
 }  // namespace internal
 }  // namespace arrow