How Many Retail Stores Are in the U.S.?

The U.S. had 1,081,474 retail establishments by the third quarter of 2024, highlighting consistent growth in physical retail over the past decade. Despite the rise of e-commerce, in-person shopping remains a core part of how Americans browse and buy.

Retail storefronts still play a key role across categories like grocery, apparel, and general merchandise. In this article, we explore the number of stores across the US, which sectors are expanding, and how shifting consumer behavior and digital trends are shaping the future of retail.

Retail Stores Market Overview

Retail remains one of the largest and most visible sectors in the U.S. economy, accounting for millions of storefronts, jobs, and daily consumer interactions. While e-commerce has reshaped many parts of the industry, the vast majority of retail establishments still operate as physical, customer-facing locations.

Here’s a look at the current U.S. retail landscape:

• Retail businesses account for about 11% of all U.S. business establishments, making the sector one of the most widespread in the country.
• Over 1 million retail establishments are active in the U.S. as of the mid-2020s. This includes brick-and-mortar locations with payroll employees, ranging from local shops to national chains.
• When including non-employer and sole proprietorship businesses, the footprint expands to nearly 4.6 million total retail establishments.
• More than 90% of retail establishments have a physical presence such as a storefront or service counter. Only around 8–9% operate without a customer-facing location.
• Many traditional brick-and-mortar retailers now operate as omnichannel businesses, offering both in-person and online retail shopping. Large chains increasingly integrate e-commerce into their core store operations.
• Despite rapid digital growth, 81.6% of total U.S. retail revenue still comes from in-person sales, reinforcing the continued importance of physical retail in consumer behavior.

To keep up with changing shopper expectations and operational complexity, retailers are investing heavily in technology. In 2025, 44% of IT budgets in the retail sector will go toward IT services, followed by 28% on software, 16% on hardware, and 12% on communications infrastructure. These investments include retail POS systems, inventory software, mobile checkout, and unified commerce tools that help stores stay connected and competitive.

Breakdown by Retail Sector and State

The U.S. retail landscape includes a broad mix of store types, covering everyday essentials like groceries and fuel, as well as specialty categories such as clothing, electronics, and home décor.

Store Count by Sector

Recent data shows the food and beverage sector leads all retail segments by store count, followed closely by automotive, apparel, and health-related categories. Here’s how U.S. retail store counts break down by segment:

• Food & Beverage: 159,248 stores
  This includes grocery stores, specialty food markets, and beverage retailers. High store counts reflect daily consumer needs and widespread local access, especially in urban and suburban neighborhoods.
• Motor Vehicle & Parts: 123,844 stores
  Covers everything from auto dealerships to tire and parts shops. The high number reflects car ownership rates and demand for repair and maintenance services across the country.
• Clothing & Accessories: 112,860 stores
  Apparel remains a core retail category, despite e-commerce pressure. Many chains operate multiple locations, and independent boutiques are widespread in malls and downtown areas.
• Health & Personal Care: 112,734 stores
  Includes pharmacies, cosmetic retailers, and vitamin shops. This sector remains essential and highly localized.
• Gasoline Stations: 108,679 stores
  This reflects the dominance of convenience-based fueling locations, many of which also operate as small retail outlets.
• Nonstore Retailers: 68,365 businesses
  These are online-only, mail-order, or direct sales operations with no physical storefront. They account for a small but growing share of total retail establishments.
• General Merchandise: 67,001 stores
  Includes big-box retailers, department stores, and dollar stores offering a broad range of goods.
• Electronics & Appliance: 42,654 stores
  This category has shrunk in recent years due to e-commerce growth and major chain consolidations.

Retail Store Count by State

Retail presence across the U.S. closely tracks population size, economic activity, and tourism. According to recent research, the states with the most retail establishments are:

• California: 514,941 retail establishments
  With roughly one store per 75 residents, California accounts for more than 11% of the nation’s total, reflecting its massive population and consumer base.
• Texas: 444,985 stores
  The store-to-resident ratio is higher than California’s, with about one store for every 67 people, due to rapid population growth and a strong business environment.
• Florida: 387,304 stores
  Has one of the highest per-capita store counts among large states, with one store per 57 residents. This is supported by tourism, retirement communities, and seasonal demand.
• New York: 268,679 stores
  Despite its large population, New York’s store density is slightly lower due to urban constraints, especially in dense areas like New York City.
• Georgia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, and Michigan:
  Each of these states has between 128,000 and 169,000 retail establishments, with store-to-resident ratios ranging from 1 per 63 to 1 per 78 people.

Top Retailers by U.S. Retail Sales

According to the latest ranking, the top ten U.S. retailers generated over $1.8 trillion in combined domestic sales last year. This list spans mass merchants, e-commerce leaders, supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and home improvement chains.

Walmart tops the list with $533.96 billion in U.S. sales, representing 84% of its global revenue. Amazon followed with $250.11 billion, showing a sales growth of 7.6% year-over-year. Costco came in third at $175.39 billion, with the U.S. market making up 75% of its global sales.

Among supermarkets, Kroger led with $149.61 billion in entirely domestic revenue. Home Depot recorded $141.45 billion, with 94% of sales from U.S. stores. CVS Health posted $113.92 billion, followed by Target with $105.84 billion, though it saw a slight dip of –1.6%. Walgreens Boots Alliance closed the list at $105.10 billion, with U.S. operations accounting for 89% of its retail revenue.

Economic and Employment Impact of Retail Stores

Retail plays a foundational role in the U.S. economy, not just through sales, but through jobs, tax revenue, and community impact.

• 32 million Americans work in retail, including food services, making it the largest private-sector employer.
• Retail accounts for 15.2% of all U.S. payroll employment.
• Including indirect and supporting roles, the sector supports over 50 million jobs.
• 15.6 million people work in the core retail trade sector (excluding restaurants).
• 1 in 10 U.S. workers is employed directly by a retail business.
• Retail contributes about $2.2 trillion to U.S. GDP, or 8.6% of the national total.

Retail also powers state and local budgets through sales and property taxes. Store openings bring jobs and attract foot traffic, while closures can lead to lost revenue, lower property values, and reduced economic activity.

Store count shifts affect other industries too. More openings boost construction, logistics, and supply and demand. Closures, on the other hand, can slow orders across the chain. Retail’s reach extends well beyond the sales floor.

Future Outlook for U.S. Retail Stores

U.S. retail store sales are projected to grow from $7.3 trillion in 2024 to $8.3 trillion by 2030. This steady increase supports a stable to slightly growing store footprint.

By 2028 or 2030, the total number of retail stores may rise from 1.08 million to around 1.1 million, or remain flat. Physical retail is still expected to account for about 75% of total sales by the end of the decade, despite ongoing e-commerce growth at a 12% global CAGR.

While some institutions project a –0.4% decline in the number of retail firms through 2025, that reflects consolidation, not closures.

Chains like Dollar General continue to open 900 stores annually, and off-price retailers plan hundreds of new locations, helping offset shrinkage in other categories.

Bottom Line

Retail remains one of the most visible and economically significant sectors in the U.S., with over a million active storefronts supporting millions of jobs and contributing more than 8% to national GDP. While e-commerce continues to grow, physical retail still accounts for the majority of sales and plays a vital role in local economies.

Store counts are holding steady, with slight growth expected through 2030, driven by population trends and expansion from discount and value-focused chains. As the industry adapts through technology, consolidation, and new formats, retail’s in-store footprint will continue to grow.

Fair Use Statement

You may share this information for noncommercial use, but make sure to include a link back to this page when citing or referencing it.