Groundwork

Market rankings · Rhode Island

Clothing, shoe and laundry businesses in Rhode Island

Markets across Rhode Island ranked by the Groundwork market score for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
1,167
381 chain locations (33%)
Official establishments
510
−6.8% since 2019
Household spending a year
$1.1B
On clothing, shoes and related services
Listings per 10k households
26.4
13% above the U.S.
Spending per listing
$902K
2% above the U.S.
Rank among states
#38 of 51
Market score 42 · Lower middle

A site report maps the clothing, shoe and laundry businesses on map listings around any address in Rhode Island by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,167 clothing, shoe and laundry businesses in Rhode Island. Of those, 381 are chain locations, or 33%, against 37% across the U.S. That is 26.4 per 10,000 households, 13% above the U.S. rate of 23.3.

Household spending on clothing, shoes and related services in Rhode Island comes to about $1.1B a year: $2,383 per household, 16% above the U.S. average. That works out to $902K per business, 2% above the U.S. figure of $880K.

In 2023, official counts showed 510 businesses with payroll in Rhode Island classed as clothing and shoe stores, laundromats and dry cleaners, down 6.8% from 2019. That is one for every 866 households, against one for every 1,008 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count fell 12.0% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 12 SBA-backed loans worth $3.6M have gone to businesses classed as clothing and shoe stores, laundromats and dry cleaners in Rhode Island.

Among the 50 states and DC, Rhode Island ranks #38 for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 42 (lower middle). The one scored metro area in or partly in Rhode Island, the Providence-Warwick metro area, scores 55. Among 5 scored counties, Bristol County scores highest (57).

Every market in Rhode Island for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Rhode Island, 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

Metro areas reaching Rhode Island, ranked for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Providence-Warwick, RI-MA551,68124.9$956K+2.1%#166 of 387

Counties

Counties in Rhode Island, ranked for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Bristol County, RI574120.4$1.4M−1.5%#808 of 2,210
2Washington County, RI5411521.9$1.2M0.0%#944 of 2,210
3Kent County, RI5218024.7$993K+1.8%#1,061 of 2,210
4Providence County, RI4865825.4$884K+2.8%#1,205 of 2,210
5Newport County, RI2517346.9$555K−2.9%#1,983 of 2,210

Questions

How many clothing, shoe and laundry businesses are in Rhode Island?

There are 1,167 clothing, shoe and laundry businesses on map listings in Rhode Island as of September 2026. 381 of them (33%) are chain locations. The listings count clothing, shoe and jewelry stores, laundromats and dry cleaners. Official counts show 510 businesses with payroll classed as clothing and shoe stores, laundromats and dry cleaners in 2023, down 6.8% from 2019. Another 604 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.

How much do households in Rhode Island spend on clothing, shoes and related services?

About $1.1B a year, or $2,383 per household. That is 16% above the U.S. average (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,167 clothing, shoe and laundry businesses on map listings, it comes to $902K per business. It is estimated from the incomes of the 441,570 households in Rhode Island and national spending patterns by income.

How does Rhode Island compare with the U.S. for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses?

Rhode Island has 26.4 clothing, shoe and laundry businesses per 10,000 households, 13% above the U.S. rate of 23.3. Spending per business is $902K, 2% above the U.S. figure of $880K. At the national ratio of clothing, shoe and laundry businesses to household spending, Rhode Island would have about 1,195, against 1,167 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 866 households, against one for every 1,008 across the U.S. The official count fell 6.8% from 2019 to 2023, against −12.0% for the U.S.

Which market in Rhode Island has the highest market score for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses?

The one scored metro area in or partly in Rhode Island is the Providence-Warwick metro area, at 55 (upper middle). Among 5 scored counties in Rhode Island, Bristol 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. Rhode Island scores 42 for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (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 Rhode Island. It maps the clothing, shoe and laundry businesses 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.

Clothing, shoes and laundry in other states

All 51 states

Top markets for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses across the U.S. · All business types in Rhode Island

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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.