Market rankings · Alabama
Bakeries and dessert shops in Alabama
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Alabama, ranked by the Groundwork market score for bakeries and dessert shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,346
- 514 chain locations (38%)
- Official establishments
- 881
- All snack bars and retail bakeries · +60.2% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $7B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 6.7
- 32% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $5.2M
- 26% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #4 of 51
- Market score 70 · Upper middle
A site report maps the bakeries and dessert shops on map listings around any address in Alabama by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
There are 1,346 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings in Alabama as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 38% of them, against 35% across the U.S. That is 6.7 per 10,000 households, 32% below the U.S. rate of 9.8.
At $3,519 per household (14% below the U.S. average), households in Alabama spend about $7B a year on food away from home. That is about $5.2M of household spending for each shop on map listings, 26% above the U.S. figure of $4.1M. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only bakeries and dessert shops.
Official counts show 881 businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in Alabama in 2023, up 60.2% from 2019. That is one for every 2,267 households, against one for every 1,369 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 24.6% over the same years. That count covers all snack bars and retail bakeries (coffee shops and cafes included), not only bakeries and dessert shops. Since fiscal 2022, 40 SBA-backed loans worth $18.7M have gone to businesses classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in Alabama.
Among the 50 states and DC, Alabama ranks #4 for bakeries and dessert shops, with a Groundwork market score of 70 (upper middle). Of the 13 scored metro areas in or partly in Alabama, the Huntsville metro area scores highest (83). Of the 11 scored small-town markets in or partly in Alabama, the Scottsboro area scores highest (78).
Every market in Alabama for bakeries and dessert shops
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Alabama, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Huntsville, AL | 83 | 147 | 7.1 | $5.8M | +12.5% | #4 of 387 |
| 2Tuscaloosa, AL | 70 | 52 | 4.9 | $7M | +2.9% | #35 of 387 |
| 3Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 69 | 35 | 5.5 | $6.2M | +3.5% | #42 of 387 |
| 4Montgomery, AL | 64 | 87 | 5.7 | $6.1M | +0.9% | #79 of 387 |
| 5Auburn-Opelika, AL | 62 | 49 | 6.4 | $5.5M | +7.1% | #96 of 387 |
| 6Birmingham, AL | 62 | 353 | 7.6 | $4.9M | +1.4% | #98 of 387 |
| 7Decatur, AL | 60 | 48 | 7.7 | $4.7M | +2.5% | #118 of 387 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 57 | 74 | 5.8 | $5.8M | −1.3% | #136 of 387 |
| 8Mobile, AL | 55 | 105 | 6.5 | $5.2M | −0.7% | #153 of 387 |
| 9Anniston-Oxford, AL | 52 | 28 | 6.2 | $5.1M | −0.3% | #180 of 387 |
| 10Dothan, AL | 50 | 40 | 6.6 | $5M | +3.4% | #194 of 387 |
| 11Gadsden, AL | 48 | 27 | 6.9 | $4.6M | +0.4% | #211 of 387 |
| 12Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | 39 | 131 | 13.3 | $2.9M | +14.8% | #290 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Scottsboro, AL | 78 | 5 | 2.3 | $13.6M | +3.3% | #17 of 507 |
| LaGrange, GA-AL | 74 | 19 | 4.7 | $6.9M | +3.0% | #34 of 507 |
| 2Talladega-Sylacauga, AL | 70 | 10 | 2.6 | $12M | 0.0% | #56 of 507 |
| 3Ozark, AL | 66 | 5 | 2.5 | $12.5M | +1.3% | #77 of 507 |
| 4Cullman, AL | 65 | 28 | 7.9 | $4.3M | +6.7% | #102 of 507 |
| 5Russellville, AL | 61 | 5 | 4.2 | $7.3M | +1.1% | #127 of 507 |
| 6Fort Payne, AL | 60 | 18 | 6.9 | $4.4M | +3.4% | #148 of 507 |
| 7Albertville, AL | 60 | 32 | 8.8 | $3.9M | +6.0% | #151 of 507 |
| 8Enterprise, AL | 59 | 15 | 7.1 | $5M | +6.3% | #157 of 507 |
| 9Alexander City, AL | 51 | 12 | 7.0 | $4.6M | −0.8% | #245 of 507 |
| 10Troy, AL | 25 | 17 | 13.6 | $2.3M | +2.4% | #482 of 507 |
| Selma, AL | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $13.9M | −7.9% | |
| Eufaula, AL-GA | Not scored | 4 | 3.9 | $7.4M | −1.2% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Limestone County, AL | 93 | 15 | 3.7 | $11M | +18.0% | #8 of 1,889 |
| 2St. Clair County, AL | 86 | 16 | 4.6 | $8.1M | +7.1% | #37 of 1,889 |
| 3Chilton County, AL | 77 | 8 | 4.5 | $7.5M | +5.9% | #125 of 1,889 |
| 4Elmore County, AL | 77 | 21 | 6.4 | $5.9M | +4.2% | #130 of 1,889 |
| 5Autauga County, AL | 76 | 11 | 4.8 | $7.8M | +5.1% | #140 of 1,889 |
| 6Jackson County, AL | 75 | 5 | 2.3 | $13.6M | +3.3% | #154 of 1,889 |
| 7Madison County, AL | 72 | 132 | 8.0 | $5.2M | +11.0% | #222 of 1,889 |
| 8Tuscaloosa County, AL | 71 | 48 | 5.3 | $6.6M | +3.8% | #237 of 1,889 |
| 9Colbert County, AL | 70 | 13 | 5.3 | $6.2M | +3.8% | #260 of 1,889 |
| 10Shelby County, AL | 70 | 73 | 8.4 | $5.3M | +6.5% | #271 of 1,889 |
| 11Talladega County, AL | 68 | 9 | 2.7 | $11.9M | +0.3% | #305 of 1,889 |
| 12Blount County, AL | 68 | 13 | 5.9 | $5.8M | +1.8% | #312 of 1,889 |
| 13Cherokee County, AL | 67 | 5 | 4.9 | $6.6M | +5.8% | #328 of 1,889 |
| 14Dale County, AL | 64 | 5 | 2.5 | $12.5M | +1.3% | #406 of 1,889 |
| 15Lauderdale County, AL | 63 | 22 | 5.6 | $6.1M | +3.3% | #443 of 1,889 |
| 16Cullman County, AL | 61 | 28 | 7.9 | $4.3M | +6.7% | #523 of 1,889 |
| 17Morgan County, AL | 60 | 39 | 8.0 | $4.5M | +2.6% | #549 of 1,889 |
| 18Chambers County, AL | 59 | 6 | 4.5 | $6.8M | −0.9% | #563 of 1,889 |
| 19Lee County, AL | 59 | 49 | 7.1 | $5.1M | +8.6% | #581 of 1,889 |
| 20Geneva County, AL | 57 | 5 | 4.7 | $6.5M | +3.2% | #640 of 1,889 |
| 21DeKalb County, AL | 57 | 18 | 6.9 | $4.4M | +3.4% | #660 of 1,889 |
| 22Franklin County, AL | 56 | 5 | 4.2 | $7.3M | +1.1% | #679 of 1,889 |
| 23Lawrence County, AL | 55 | 9 | 6.6 | $5.2M | +2.3% | #730 of 1,889 |
| 24Coffee County, AL | 55 | 15 | 7.1 | $5M | +6.3% | #731 of 1,889 |
| 25Marshall County, AL | 55 | 32 | 8.8 | $3.9M | +6.0% | #751 of 1,889 |
Show all 67 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Montgomery County, AL | 54 | 54 | 5.9 | $5.7M | −1.1% | #766 of 1,889 |
| 27Walker County, AL | 54 | 17 | 6.7 | $4.7M | 0.0% | #781 of 1,889 |
| 28Mobile County, AL | 53 | 105 | 6.5 | $5.2M | −0.7% | #808 of 1,889 |
| 29Calhoun County, AL | 50 | 28 | 6.2 | $5.1M | −0.3% | #919 of 1,889 |
| 30Tallapoosa County, AL | 49 | 12 | 7.0 | $4.6M | −0.8% | #955 of 1,889 |
| 31Etowah County, AL | 49 | 27 | 6.9 | $4.6M | +0.4% | #956 of 1,889 |
| 32Jefferson County, AL | 48 | 224 | 8.3 | $4.4M | −1.3% | #989 of 1,889 |
| 33Houston County, AL | 44 | 33 | 7.6 | $4.4M | +2.8% | #1,139 of 1,889 |
| 34Marion County, AL | 43 | 6 | 5.7 | $5.3M | −0.3% | #1,168 of 1,889 |
| 35Baldwin County, AL | 43 | 131 | 13.3 | $2.9M | +14.8% | #1,203 of 1,889 |
| 36Covington County, AL | 36 | 17 | 11.6 | $2.7M | +1.2% | #1,450 of 1,889 |
| 37Pike County, AL | 24 | 17 | 13.6 | $2.3M | +2.4% | #1,760 of 1,889 |
| 38Escambia County, AL | 15 | 18 | 14.1 | $2.1M | 0.0% | #1,859 of 1,889 |
| Russell County, AL | Not scored | 4 | 1.7 | $18.1M | −0.6% | |
| Dallas County, AL | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $13.9M | −7.9% | |
| Barbour County, AL | Not scored | 4 | 4.4 | $6.7M | −1.4% | |
| Winston County, AL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.4% | |
| Clarke County, AL | Not scored | 4 | 4.7 | $6.5M | −4.2% | |
| Randolph County, AL | Not scored | 3 | 3.2 | $9.7M | +4.8% | |
| Bibb County, AL | Not scored | 2 | 2.6 | $11.8M | +0.4% | |
| Monroe County, AL | Not scored | 3 | 4.1 | $7M | −3.8% | |
| Marengo County, AL | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $24.6M | −5.0% | |
| Pickens County, AL | Not scored | 2 | 3.0 | $10.4M | −3.9% | |
| Macon County, AL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −6.8% | |
| Butler County, AL | Not scored | 2 | 2.6 | $11.1M | −4.8% | |
| Henry County, AL | Not scored | 2 | 2.8 | $11.8M | +7.1% | |
| Fayette County, AL | Not scored | 2 | 3.2 | $9.6M | −2.8% | |
| Cleburne County, AL | Not scored | 3 | 5.0 | $6.3M | +6.0% | |
| Washington County, AL | Not scored | 3 | 5.0 | $7.1M | −3.3% | |
| Hale County, AL | Not scored | 2 | 3.5 | $8M | +2.9% | |
| Clay County, AL | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $18.3M | −0.1% | |
| Lamar County, AL | Not scored | 2 | 3.9 | $7.5M | −2.6% | |
| Crenshaw County, AL | Not scored | 2 | 3.8 | $7.9M | 0.0% | |
| Choctaw County, AL | Not scored | 1 | 1.9 | $15.7M | −5.7% | |
| Sumter County, AL | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $12.7M | −5.0% | |
| Conecuh County, AL | Not scored | 1 | 2.3 | $12.4M | −5.7% | |
| Coosa County, AL | Not scored | 1 | 2.3 | $13.7M | −1.7% | |
| Wilcox County, AL | Not scored | 1 | 2.6 | $10.8M | −8.3% | |
| Bullock County, AL | Not scored | 3 | 8.1 | $3M | −4.5% | |
| Lowndes County, AL | Not scored | 1 | 2.3 | $11.8M | −9.0% | |
| Perry County, AL | Not scored | 1 | 2.9 | $8.3M | −12.2% | |
| Greene County, AL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −8.2% |
Markets with fewer than 5 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many bakeries and dessert shops are in Alabama?
As of September 2026, map listings count 1,346 bakeries and dessert shops in Alabama. 514 of them (38%) are chain locations. The listings count bakeries, ice cream, donut and dessert shops, candy stores. Official counts show 881 businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in 2023, up 60.2% from 2019. The official count takes in all snack bars and retail bakeries, not only bakeries and dessert shops: coffee shops and cafes are counted too. Another 320 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Alabama spend on food away from home?
About $7B a year, or $3,519 per household. That is 14% below the U.S. average (an index of 86, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,346 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings, it comes to $5.2M per shop. That spending covers all food away from home, which bakeries and dessert shops share with other businesses in the trade. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,997,247 households in Alabama and national spending patterns by income.
How does Alabama compare with the U.S. for bakeries and dessert shops?
Alabama has 6.7 bakeries and dessert shops per 10,000 households, 32% below the U.S. rate of 9.8. Spending per shop is $5.2M, 26% above the U.S. figure of $4.1M. At the U.S. ratio of bakeries and dessert shops to household spending, Alabama would have about 1,696, against 1,346 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 2,267 households, against one for every 1,369 across the U.S. The official count rose 60.2% from 2019 to 2023, against +24.6% for the U.S.
Which market in Alabama has the highest market score for bakeries and dessert shops?
Among 13 scored metro areas in or partly in Alabama, the Huntsville metro area scores highest, at 83 (high). Among 11 scored small-town markets in or partly in Alabama, the Scottsboro area scores highest, at 78 (high). Among 38 scored counties in Alabama, Limestone County scores highest, at 93 (very high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Alabama scores 70 for bakeries and dessert shops (upper middle), #4 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Alabama. It maps the bakeries and dessert shops on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
Bakeries and dessert shops in other states
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Top markets for bakeries and dessert shops across the U.S. · All business types in Alabama
Related business types in Alabama
- Restaurants and cafes18,378 listings
- Sit-down restaurants10,602 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops3,007 listings
- Pizza1,143 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes1,537 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Alabama?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.