Market rankings · Arkansas
Bakeries and dessert shops in Arkansas
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Arkansas, ranked by the Groundwork market score for bakeries and dessert shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,083
- 398 chain locations (37%)
- Official establishments
- 640
- All snack bars and retail bakeries · +47.1% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $4.1B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 9.0
- 8% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $3.8M
- 9% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #38 of 51
- Market score 42 · Lower middle
A site report maps the bakeries and dessert shops on map listings around any address in Arkansas 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 1,083 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings in Arkansas as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 37% of them, against 35% across the U.S. That comes to 9.0 for every 10,000 households, 8% below the U.S. rate of 9.8.
At $3,400 per household (16% below the U.S. average), households in Arkansas spend about $4.1B a year on food away from home. Spread across 1,083 bakeries and dessert shops, that is $3.8M per shop, 9% below the U.S. figure of $4.1M. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only bakeries and dessert shops.
In 2023, official counts showed 640 businesses with payroll in Arkansas classed as snack bars and retail bakeries, up 47.1% from 2019. That is one for every 1,884 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, 27 SBA-backed loans worth $10.4M have gone to businesses classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in Arkansas.
Among the 50 states and DC, Arkansas ranks #38 for bakeries and dessert shops, with a Groundwork market score of 42 (lower middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arkansas, the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area scores highest (51). Of the 13 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arkansas, the Paragould area scores highest (67).
Every market in Arkansas for bakeries and dessert shops
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Arkansas, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 51 | 244 | 11.3 | $3.5M | +13.1% | #192 of 387 |
| 2Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 49 | 271 | 8.7 | $4.1M | +3.8% | #201 of 387 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 46 | 434 | 8.3 | $4.4M | −0.3% | #235 of 387 |
| 3Jonesboro, AR | 43 | 47 | 8.8 | $3.8M | +3.6% | #260 of 387 |
| 4Fort Smith, AR-OK | 33 | 100 | 11.0 | $3M | +3.1% | #321 of 387 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 28 | 80 | 14.2 | $2.3M | −0.4% | #358 of 387 |
| 5Hot Springs, AR | 17 | 53 | 12.1 | $2.7M | −0.6% | #385 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Paragould, AR | 67 | 11 | 6.1 | $5.3M | +3.4% | #75 of 507 |
| 2Mountain Home, AR | 55 | 10 | 5.2 | $5.9M | +3.1% | #201 of 507 |
| 3Harrison, AR | 53 | 12 | 6.5 | $4.8M | +2.4% | #221 of 507 |
| 4Pine Bluff, AR | 49 | 16 | 5.9 | $5.1M | −5.6% | #268 of 507 |
| 5Camden, AR | 45 | 7 | 6.8 | $4.5M | −3.6% | #299 of 507 |
| 6Russellville, AR | 40 | 29 | 8.9 | $3.7M | +1.6% | #357 of 507 |
| 7Batesville, AR | 38 | 13 | 8.9 | $3.6M | +2.2% | #379 of 507 |
| 8Searcy, AR | 37 | 26 | 8.8 | $3.6M | +4.2% | #389 of 507 |
| 9El Dorado, AR | 33 | 12 | 8.0 | $4M | −5.2% | #424 of 507 |
| 10Blytheville, AR | 30 | 11 | 7.1 | $4.5M | −6.7% | #444 of 507 |
| 11Forrest City, AR | 25 | 5 | 6.4 | $4.3M | −5.3% | #476 of 507 |
| 12Magnolia, AR | 16 | 8 | 9.5 | $3.3M | −3.7% | #502 of 507 |
| 13Arkadelphia, AR | 10 | 11 | 13.5 | $2.3M | −2.2% | #506 of 507 |
| Malvern, AR | Not scored | 4 | 3.2 | $9.7M | +1.1% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Lonoke County, AR | 72 | 18 | 6.3 | $5.8M | +3.5% | #219 of 1,889 |
| 2Saline County, AR | 72 | 37 | 7.4 | $5.1M | +7.6% | #224 of 1,889 |
| 3Greene County, AR | 64 | 11 | 6.1 | $5.3M | +3.4% | #422 of 1,889 |
| 4Crawford County, AR | 64 | 16 | 6.9 | $4.9M | +4.1% | #426 of 1,889 |
| 5Benton County, AR | 57 | 131 | 11.7 | $3.7M | +16.0% | #673 of 1,889 |
| 6Crittenden County, AR | 56 | 8 | 4.4 | $7.1M | −3.9% | #681 of 1,889 |
| 7Johnson County, AR | 56 | 6 | 5.8 | $4.9M | +2.0% | #692 of 1,889 |
| 8Baxter County, AR | 54 | 10 | 5.2 | $5.9M | +3.1% | #764 of 1,889 |
| 9Randolph County, AR | 47 | 5 | 6.8 | $4.4M | +1.5% | #1,030 of 1,889 |
| 10Faulkner County, AR | 46 | 43 | 8.7 | $4.1M | +8.2% | #1,076 of 1,889 |
| 11Cleburne County, AR | 46 | 9 | 8.6 | $3.7M | +3.9% | #1,088 of 1,889 |
| 12Jefferson County, AR | 45 | 16 | 6.7 | $4.5M | −5.7% | #1,108 of 1,889 |
| 13Boone County, AR | 45 | 11 | 7.2 | $4.4M | +3.3% | #1,111 of 1,889 |
| 14Grant County, AR | 44 | 7 | 10.0 | $3.5M | +4.1% | #1,157 of 1,889 |
| 15Washington County, AR | 43 | 111 | 11.4 | $3.2M | +9.9% | #1,200 of 1,889 |
| 16Pulaski County, AR | 41 | 166 | 9.6 | $3.7M | +1.3% | #1,260 of 1,889 |
| 17Craighead County, AR | 41 | 46 | 10.4 | $3.3M | +4.8% | #1,268 of 1,889 |
| 18Conway County, AR | 40 | 7 | 8.5 | $3.6M | +3.2% | #1,302 of 1,889 |
| 19Pope County, AR | 36 | 22 | 9.0 | $3.6M | +2.5% | #1,435 of 1,889 |
| 20White County, AR | 36 | 26 | 8.8 | $3.6M | +4.2% | #1,437 of 1,889 |
| 21Miller County, AR | 36 | 15 | 9.2 | $3.3M | −0.5% | #1,444 of 1,889 |
| 22Independence County, AR | 35 | 13 | 8.9 | $3.6M | +2.2% | #1,473 of 1,889 |
| 23Polk County, AR | 34 | 5 | 6.3 | $4.8M | +1.6% | #1,495 of 1,889 |
| 24Union County, AR | 34 | 12 | 8.0 | $4M | −5.2% | #1,497 of 1,889 |
| 25Ouachita County, AR | 34 | 7 | 8.1 | $3.7M | −3.9% | #1,505 of 1,889 |
Show all 75 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Sharp County, AR | 32 | 6 | 8.8 | $3.3M | +4.7% | #1,566 of 1,889 |
| 27Lawrence County, AR | 32 | 6 | 9.1 | $3.3M | +0.3% | #1,567 of 1,889 |
| 28Mississippi County, AR | 30 | 11 | 7.1 | $4.5M | −6.7% | #1,606 of 1,889 |
| 29Carroll County, AR | 30 | 24 | 21.2 | $1.5M | +3.6% | #1,630 of 1,889 |
| 30St. Francis County, AR | 25 | 5 | 6.4 | $4.3M | −5.3% | #1,729 of 1,889 |
| 31Sebastian County, AR | 25 | 72 | 13.8 | $2.4M | +2.2% | #1,745 of 1,889 |
| 32Arkansas County, AR | 23 | 5 | 7.5 | $4.1M | −7.4% | #1,764 of 1,889 |
| 33Yell County, AR | 22 | 7 | 8.4 | $3.7M | −1.3% | #1,784 of 1,889 |
| 34Garland County, AR | 21 | 53 | 12.1 | $2.7M | −0.6% | #1,801 of 1,889 |
| 35Hempstead County, AR | 21 | 9 | 12.0 | $2.4M | −4.6% | #1,804 of 1,889 |
| 36Columbia County, AR | 15 | 8 | 9.5 | $3.3M | −3.7% | #1,853 of 1,889 |
| 37Sevier County, AR | 12 | 7 | 12.5 | $2.4M | −0.1% | #1,875 of 1,889 |
| 38Little River County, AR | 11 | 6 | 12.4 | $2.6M | −1.8% | #1,876 of 1,889 |
| 39Clark County, AR | 8 | 11 | 13.5 | $2.3M | −2.2% | #1,883 of 1,889 |
| 40Ashley County, AR | 6 | 7 | 9.5 | $2.9M | −5.9% | #1,885 of 1,889 |
| 41Pike County, AR | 6 | 7 | 17.1 | $1.8M | −1.9% | #1,887 of 1,889 |
| Hot Spring County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 3.2 | $9.7M | +1.1% | |
| Poinsett County, AR | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $25.2M | −2.0% | |
| Logan County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 4.7 | $7M | +2.5% | |
| Madison County, AR | Not scored | 2 | 3.1 | $10.4M | +11.2% | |
| Franklin County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 5.7 | $5.4M | +3.5% | |
| Marion County, AR | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $22.5M | +4.3% | |
| Drew County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 4.2 | $7M | −1.5% | |
| Jackson County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 4.9 | $5.9M | 0.0% | |
| Cross County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 4.6 | $6.8M | −3.6% | |
| Van Buren County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 4.0 | $7.2M | +2.8% | |
| Phillips County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 6.6 | $4.1M | −13.0% | |
| Clay County, AR | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $17.9M | −3.3% | |
| Izard County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 5.7 | $4.9M | +5.9% | |
| Lincoln County, AR | Not scored | 2 | 5.6 | $5.5M | −1.0% | |
| Howard County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 5.9 | $4.9M | −3.6% | |
| Stone County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 7.6 | $3.6M | +2.9% | |
| Fulton County, AR | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.7% | |
| Desha County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 6.5 | $4.2M | −11.8% | |
| Bradley County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 10.7 | $2.7M | −6.4% | |
| Perry County, AR | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.1% | |
| Scott County, AR | Not scored | 1 | 2.5 | $10.9M | +1.4% | |
| Chicot County, AR | Not scored | 5 | 12.6 | $2.2M | −10.3% | |
| Montgomery County, AR | Not scored | 2 | 5.4 | $5.6M | +1.1% | |
| Lee County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 11.2 | $2.5M | −6.4% | |
| Nevada County, AR | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.1% | |
| Prairie County, AR | Not scored | 5 | 15.4 | $2M | −3.9% | |
| Searcy County, AR | Not scored | 5 | 15.6 | $1.8M | 0.0% | |
| Cleveland County, AR | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.3% | |
| Newton County, AR | Not scored | 1 | 3.1 | $9.6M | −2.3% | |
| Monroe County, AR | Not scored | 1 | 3.6 | $7.8M | −7.8% | |
| Dallas County, AR | Not scored | 2 | 7.8 | $3.7M | −6.7% | |
| Lafayette County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 11.4 | $2.4M | −6.4% | |
| Woodruff County, AR | Not scored | 1 | 3.7 | $7.9M | −8.2% | |
| Calhoun County, AR | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.2% |
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 Arkansas?
As of September 2026, map listings count 1,083 bakeries and dessert shops in Arkansas. 398 of them (37%) are chain locations. The listings count bakeries, ice cream, donut and dessert shops, candy stores. Official counts show 640 businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in 2023, up 47.1% 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. Official counts also show 201 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Arkansas spend on food away from home?
About $4.1B a year, or $3,400 per household. That is 16% below the U.S. average (an index of 84, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,083 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings, it comes to $3.8M 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 1,205,987 households in Arkansas and national spending patterns by income.
How does Arkansas compare with the U.S. for bakeries and dessert shops?
Arkansas has 9.0 bakeries and dessert shops per 10,000 households, 8% below the U.S. rate of 9.8. Spending per shop is $3.8M, 9% below the U.S. figure of $4.1M. At the U.S. ratio of bakeries and dessert shops to household spending, Arkansas would have about 990, against 1,083 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,884 households, against one for every 1,369 across the U.S. The official count rose 47.1% from 2019 to 2023, against +24.6% for the U.S.
Which market in Arkansas has the highest market score for bakeries and dessert shops?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arkansas, the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area scores highest, at 51 (upper middle). Among 13 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arkansas, the Paragould area scores highest, at 67 (upper middle). Among 41 scored counties in Arkansas, Lonoke County scores highest, at 72 (upper middle). 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. Arkansas scores 42 for bakeries and dessert shops (lower middle), #38 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 Arkansas. 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 Arkansas
Related business types in Arkansas
- Restaurants and cafes11,878 listings
- Sit-down restaurants6,834 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops1,717 listings
- Pizza974 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes1,108 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Arkansas?
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.