Market rankings · Massachusetts
Bakeries and dessert shops in Massachusetts
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Massachusetts, ranked by the Groundwork market score for bakeries and dessert shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 3,355
- 1,294 chain locations (39%)
- Official establishments
- 2,990
- All snack bars and retail bakeries · +14.8% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $13B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 12.0
- 22% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $3.9M
- 6% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #37 of 51
- Market score 42 · Lower middle
A site report maps the bakeries and dessert shops on map listings around any address in Massachusetts 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
Massachusetts has 3,355 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings as of September 2026. Of those, 1,294 are chain locations, or 39%, against 35% across the U.S. That is 12.0 per 10,000 households, 22% above the U.S. rate of 9.8.
At $4,685 per household (15% above the U.S. average), households in Massachusetts spend about $13B a year on food away from home. That works out to $3.9M per shop, 6% below the U.S. figure of $4.1M. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only bakeries and dessert shops.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in Massachusetts was 2,990 in 2023, up 14.8% from 2019. That is one for every 931 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, 92 SBA-backed loans worth $22.2M have gone to businesses classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in Massachusetts.
Among the 50 states and DC, Massachusetts ranks #37 for bakeries and dessert shops, with a Groundwork market score of 42 (lower middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Worcester metro area scores highest (49). Of the 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Nantucket area scores highest (37).
Every market in Massachusetts for bakeries and dessert shops
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Massachusetts, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Worcester, MA | 49 | 367 | 10.9 | $4.1M | +3.7% | #204 of 387 |
| 2Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 49 | 65 | 10.5 | $4M | +10.4% | #205 of 387 |
| 3Springfield, MA | 45 | 150 | 8.1 | $4.6M | +0.2% | #240 of 387 |
| 4Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 45 | 2,342 | 12.1 | $4.1M | +2.3% | #245 of 387 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 31 | 889 | 13.2 | $3.2M | +2.1% | #335 of 387 |
| 5Barnstable Town, MA | 29 | 219 | 20.7 | $2.2M | +2.4% | #354 of 387 |
| 6Pittsfield, MA | 25 | 73 | 12.7 | $3.1M | −1.2% | #369 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Nantucket, MA | 37 | 17 | 32.4 | $1.7M | +3.6% | #397 of 507 |
| 2Vineyard Haven, MA | 36 | 31 | 40.9 | $1.2M | +3.1% | #407 of 507 |
| 3Greenfield, MA | 33 | 39 | 12.4 | $3.1M | −0.3% | #427 of 507 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Middlesex County, MA | 57 | 675 | 10.6 | $4.9M | +2.8% | #651 of 1,889 |
| 2Norfolk County, MA | 52 | 333 | 11.8 | $4.5M | +2.2% | #852 of 1,889 |
| 3Hampshire County, MA | 52 | 65 | 10.5 | $4M | +10.4% | #862 of 1,889 |
| 4Worcester County, MA | 51 | 367 | 10.9 | $4.1M | +3.7% | #902 of 1,889 |
| 5Hampden County, MA | 47 | 150 | 8.1 | $4.6M | +0.2% | #1,025 of 1,889 |
| 6Plymouth County, MA | 45 | 270 | 13.3 | $3.7M | +3.5% | #1,126 of 1,889 |
| 7Essex County, MA | 43 | 396 | 12.6 | $3.7M | +2.3% | #1,192 of 1,889 |
| 8Suffolk County, MA | 37 | 407 | 12.4 | $3.6M | +0.1% | #1,401 of 1,889 |
| 9Bristol County, MA | 37 | 313 | 13.4 | $3.1M | +2.9% | #1,414 of 1,889 |
| 10Nantucket County, MA | 34 | 17 | 32.4 | $1.7M | +3.6% | #1,522 of 1,889 |
| 11Dukes County, MA | 32 | 31 | 40.9 | $1.2M | +3.1% | #1,578 of 1,889 |
| 12Barnstable County, MA | 31 | 219 | 20.7 | $2.2M | +2.4% | #1,604 of 1,889 |
| 13Berkshire County, MA | 29 | 73 | 12.7 | $3.1M | −1.2% | #1,652 of 1,889 |
| 14Franklin County, MA | 28 | 39 | 12.4 | $3.1M | −0.3% | #1,677 of 1,889 |
Questions
How many bakeries and dessert shops are in Massachusetts?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 3,355 bakeries and dessert shops in Massachusetts. 1,294 of them (39%) are chain locations. The listings count bakeries, ice cream, donut and dessert shops, candy stores. Official counts show 2,990 businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in 2023, up 14.8% 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 240 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Massachusetts spend on food away from home?
About $13B a year, or $4,685 per household. That is 15% above the U.S. average (an index of 115, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 3,355 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings, it comes to $3.9M 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 2,785,042 households in Massachusetts and national spending patterns by income.
How does Massachusetts compare with the U.S. for bakeries and dessert shops?
Massachusetts has 12.0 bakeries and dessert shops per 10,000 households, 22% above the U.S. rate of 9.8. Spending per shop is $3.9M, 6% below the U.S. figure of $4.1M. At the U.S. ratio of bakeries and dessert shops to household spending, Massachusetts would have about 3,149, against 3,355 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 931 households, against one for every 1,369 across the U.S. The official count rose 14.8% from 2019 to 2023, against +24.6% for the U.S.
Which market in Massachusetts has the highest market score for bakeries and dessert shops?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Worcester metro area scores highest, at 49 (lower middle). Among 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Nantucket area scores highest, at 37 (lower middle). Among 14 scored counties in Massachusetts, Middlesex County scores highest, at 57 (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. Massachusetts scores 42 for bakeries and dessert shops (lower middle), #37 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 Massachusetts. 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
All 51 states
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Top markets for bakeries and dessert shops across the U.S. · All business types in Massachusetts
Related business types in Massachusetts
- Restaurants and cafes29,600 listings
- Sit-down restaurants16,727 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops2,459 listings
- Pizza2,883 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes3,436 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Massachusetts?
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.