Market rankings · West Virginia
Bakeries and dessert shops in West Virginia
Every metro area, small-town market and county in West Virginia, ranked by the Groundwork market score for bakeries and dessert shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 520
- 185 chain locations (36%)
- Official establishments
- 269
- All snack bars and retail bakeries · +34.5% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $2.4B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 7.1
- 28% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $4.7M
- 13% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #27 of 51
- Market score 49 · Lower middle
A site report maps the bakeries and dessert shops on map listings around any address in West Virginia 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
West Virginia has 520 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 36% of them, against 35% across the U.S. That comes to 7.1 for every 10,000 households, 28% below the U.S. rate of 9.8.
At $3,343 per household (18% below the U.S. average), households in West Virginia spend about $2.4B a year on food away from home. That is about $4.7M of household spending for each shop on map listings, 13% 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 269 businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in West Virginia in 2023, up 34.5% from 2019. That is one for every 2,709 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, 11 SBA-backed loans worth $2.6M have gone to businesses classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in West Virginia.
Among the 50 states and DC, West Virginia ranks #27 for bakeries and dessert shops, with a Groundwork market score of 49 (lower middle). Of the 10 scored metro areas in or partly in West Virginia, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area scores highest (75). Of the 5 scored small-town markets in or partly in West Virginia, the Fairmont area scores highest (66).
Every market in West Virginia for bakeries and dessert shops
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in West Virginia, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 75 | 2,192 | 9.2 | $5.6M | +3.3% | #17 of 387 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 60 | 123 | 10.4 | $3.7M | +7.1% | #123 of 387 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 60 | 64 | 11.5 | $3.5M | +6.5% | #124 of 387 |
| 1Beckley, WV | 52 | 27 | 6.0 | $5.1M | −4.3% | #179 of 387 |
| 2Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 52 | 102 | 6.7 | $5M | −2.6% | #181 of 387 |
| 3Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 51 | 33 | 6.6 | $5M | −3.6% | #188 of 387 |
| 4Charleston, WV | 45 | 63 | 7.2 | $4.6M | −4.7% | #241 of 387 |
| 5Morgantown, WV | 41 | 51 | 8.9 | $4.1M | +1.3% | #270 of 387 |
| 6Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 36 | 27 | 7.1 | $4.6M | −2.3% | #299 of 387 |
| 7Wheeling, WV-OH | 29 | 55 | 9.5 | $3.5M | −3.6% | #346 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Fairmont, WV | 66 | 13 | 5.6 | $6.2M | −1.2% | #82 of 507 |
| 2Elkins, WV | 58 | 5 | 4.7 | $6.8M | −3.6% | #168 of 507 |
| 3Bluefield, WV-VA | 50 | 26 | 6.4 | $4.8M | −3.8% | #255 of 507 |
| Cumberland, MD-WV | 43 | 35 | 9.1 | $3.6M | −1.3% | #328 of 507 |
| 4Clarksburg, WV | 33 | 34 | 9.6 | $3.6M | −2.4% | #426 of 507 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Berkeley County, WV | 81 | 37 | 7.3 | $5.3M | +13.7% | #80 of 1,889 |
| 2Putnam County, WV | 73 | 15 | 6.5 | $6.1M | −1.0% | #205 of 1,889 |
| 3Marion County, WV | 62 | 13 | 5.6 | $6.2M | −1.2% | #464 of 1,889 |
| 4Mineral County, WV | 62 | 7 | 6.3 | $5.5M | −0.4% | #466 of 1,889 |
| 5Jefferson County, WV | 61 | 25 | 11.0 | $4M | +9.2% | #528 of 1,889 |
| 6Marshall County, WV | 59 | 6 | 4.8 | $6.7M | −4.4% | #564 of 1,889 |
| 7Randolph County, WV | 58 | 5 | 4.7 | $6.8M | −3.6% | #599 of 1,889 |
| 8Preston County, WV | 58 | 7 | 5.5 | $6.1M | −0.6% | #601 of 1,889 |
| 9Hampshire County, WV | 57 | 7 | 8.1 | $4.2M | +4.4% | #666 of 1,889 |
| 10Hancock County, WV | 54 | 8 | 6.2 | $5.3M | −4.5% | #772 of 1,889 |
| 11Logan County, WV | 47 | 8 | 6.3 | $4.8M | −6.6% | #1,022 of 1,889 |
| 12Mercer County, WV | 47 | 17 | 7.0 | $4.4M | −3.4% | #1,029 of 1,889 |
| 13Fayette County, WV | 45 | 7 | 4.4 | $7M | −5.6% | #1,103 of 1,889 |
| 14Raleigh County, WV | 45 | 20 | 6.9 | $4.5M | −3.5% | #1,110 of 1,889 |
| 15Kanawha County, WV | 44 | 59 | 7.7 | $4.4M | −4.3% | #1,141 of 1,889 |
| 16Monongalia County, WV | 43 | 44 | 9.9 | $3.7M | +2.0% | #1,190 of 1,889 |
| 17Mason County, WV | 41 | 7 | 6.9 | $4.5M | −2.7% | #1,237 of 1,889 |
| 18Morgan County, WV | 41 | 8 | 10.9 | $3.2M | +5.5% | #1,270 of 1,889 |
| 19Brooke County, WV | 38 | 6 | 6.2 | $5.2M | −6.0% | #1,346 of 1,889 |
| 20Nicholas County, WV | 35 | 6 | 6.3 | $4.9M | −2.9% | #1,458 of 1,889 |
| 21Taylor County, WV | 35 | 5 | 7.6 | $4.4M | −2.4% | #1,462 of 1,889 |
| 22Wood County, WV | 35 | 27 | 7.5 | $4.4M | −2.1% | #1,463 of 1,889 |
| 23Wyoming County, WV | 28 | 5 | 6.2 | $4.6M | −7.1% | #1,666 of 1,889 |
| 24Cabell County, WV | 26 | 36 | 9.2 | $3.6M | −3.2% | #1,707 of 1,889 |
| 25Ohio County, WV | 26 | 21 | 11.4 | $3M | −4.4% | #1,719 of 1,889 |
Show all 55 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Harrison County, WV | 24 | 28 | 10.6 | $3.2M | −2.5% | #1,751 of 1,889 |
| 27Greenbrier County, WV | 21 | 16 | 10.8 | $2.7M | −4.0% | #1,800 of 1,889 |
| 28Lewis County, WV | 14 | 8 | 11.5 | $2.9M | −3.7% | #1,863 of 1,889 |
| 29Upshur County, WV | 14 | 13 | 13.6 | $2.3M | −0.3% | #1,866 of 1,889 |
| 30Braxton County, WV | 4 | 6 | 12.5 | $2.3M | −4.1% | #1,889 of 1,889 |
| Wayne County, WV | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $17M | −4.0% | |
| Jackson County, WV | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $12.6M | −1.0% | |
| Mingo County, WV | Not scored | 4 | 4.3 | $6.3M | −8.7% | |
| Boone County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 2.5 | $12.5M | −6.9% | |
| Lincoln County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.8% | |
| McDowell County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −10.9% | |
| Barbour County, WV | Not scored | 4 | 6.5 | $4.6M | −0.3% | |
| Hardy County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $18.2M | +0.7% | |
| Wetzel County, WV | Not scored | 3 | 4.9 | $6.5M | −4.6% | |
| Roane County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 3.5 | $8.2M | −4.8% | |
| Monroe County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 2.2 | $14.1M | +0.8% | |
| Summers County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −3.3% | |
| Grant County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 4.6 | $7M | +0.4% | |
| Ritchie County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 5.9 | $5.1M | −4.6% | |
| Webster County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −7.1% | |
| Tyler County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.0% | |
| Clay County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 6.7 | $4.2M | −5.9% | |
| Pocahontas County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 6.3 | $4.4M | −3.3% | |
| Doddridge County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 3.9 | $8.9M | −1.9% | |
| Pleasants County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 7.2 | $4.7M | −4.1% | |
| Gilmer County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.2% | |
| Tucker County, WV | Not scored | 8 | 28.2 | $1.1M | −3.1% | |
| Calhoun County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 4.0 | $7.2M | −3.6% | |
| Pendleton County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.9% | |
| Wirt County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.9% |
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 West Virginia?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 520 bakeries and dessert shops in West Virginia. 185 of them (36%) are chain locations. The listings count bakeries, ice cream, donut and dessert shops, candy stores. Official counts show 269 businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in 2023, up 34.5% 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 list 25 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in West Virginia spend on food away from home?
About $2.4B a year, or $3,343 per household. That is 18% below the U.S. average (an index of 82, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 520 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings, it comes to $4.7M 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 728,655 households in West Virginia and national spending patterns by income.
How does West Virginia compare with the U.S. for bakeries and dessert shops?
West Virginia has 7.1 bakeries and dessert shops per 10,000 households, 28% below the U.S. rate of 9.8. Spending per shop is $4.7M, 13% above the U.S. figure of $4.1M. At the U.S. ratio of bakeries and dessert shops to household spending, West Virginia would have about 588, against 520 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 2,709 households, against one for every 1,369 across the U.S. The official count rose 34.5% from 2019 to 2023, against +24.6% for the U.S.
Which market in West Virginia has the highest market score for bakeries and dessert shops?
Among 10 scored metro areas in or partly in West Virginia, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area scores highest, at 75 (high). Among 5 scored small-town markets in or partly in West Virginia, the Fairmont area scores highest, at 66 (upper middle). Among 30 scored counties in West Virginia, Berkeley County scores highest, at 81 (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. West Virginia scores 49 for bakeries and dessert shops (lower middle), #27 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 West Virginia. 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 West Virginia
Related business types in West Virginia
- Restaurants and cafes6,336 listings
- Sit-down restaurants3,335 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops1,030 listings
- Pizza791 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes529 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in West Virginia?
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.