Groundwork

Market rankings · Connecticut

Clothing and shoe stores in Connecticut

Markets across Connecticut ranked by the Groundwork market score for clothing and shoe stores, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
2,287
1,228 chain locations (54%)
Official establishments
1,100
−15.3% since 2019
Household spending a year
$3.7B
On clothing, shoes and related services
Listings per 10k households
15.9
2% below the U.S.
Spending per listing
$1.6M
27% above the U.S.
Rank among states
#4 of 51
Market score 73 · Upper middle

A site report maps the clothing and shoe stores on map listings around any address in Connecticut by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

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

What this means

As of September 2026, map listings count 2,287 clothing and shoe stores in Connecticut. Of those, 1,228 are chain locations, or 54%, against 44% across the U.S. That is 15.9 per 10,000 households, 2% below the U.S. rate of 16.2.

Households in Connecticut spend about $3.7B a year on clothing, shoes and related services, or $2,564 per household, 25% above the U.S. average. Spread across 2,287 clothing and shoe stores, that is $1.6M per store, 27% above the U.S. figure of $1.3M. That spending covers all clothing, shoes and related services, which clothing and shoe stores share with other businesses in the trade.

In 2023, official counts showed 1,100 businesses with payroll in Connecticut classed as clothing and shoe stores, down 15.3% from 2019. That is one for every 1,304 households, against one for every 1,273 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count fell 12.2% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 33 SBA-backed loans worth $6.5M have gone to businesses classed as clothing and shoe stores in Connecticut.

Among the 50 states and DC, Connecticut ranks #4 for clothing and shoe stores, with a Groundwork market score of 73 (upper middle). Of the 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the Waterbury-Shelton metro area scores highest (89). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Putnam area scores highest (95).

Every market in Connecticut for clothing and shoe stores

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Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Connecticut, 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 Connecticut, ranked for clothing and shoe stores by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Waterbury-Shelton, CT891598.8$2.7M+3.2%#4 of 387
2Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT7171115.3$1.7M+3.0%#53 of 387
3Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT6517715.3$1.5M+2.0%#90 of 387
4New Haven, CT6039817.3$1.4M+2.5%#129 of 387
5Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT5379322.3$1.3M+3.7%#188 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Connecticut, ranked for clothing and shoe stores by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Putnam, CT95164.1$5.9M+3.0%#3 of 536
2Torrington, CT90336.9$3.6M+2.2%#5 of 536

Counties

Counties in Connecticut, ranked for clothing and shoe stores by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT91164.1$5.9M+3.0%#17 of 2,087
2Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT86336.9$3.6M+2.2%#62 of 2,087
3Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT821598.8$2.7M+3.2%#128 of 2,087
4Capitol Planning Region, CT6556714.5$1.7M+3.1%#530 of 2,087
5Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT6320417.1$1.5M+4.1%#588 of 2,087
6Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT5817715.3$1.5M+2.0%#748 of 2,087
7South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT5639817.3$1.4M+2.5%#829 of 2,087
8Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT5114419.4$1.4M+2.3%#1,021 of 2,087
9Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT4958925.0$1.2M+3.5%#1,102 of 2,087

Questions

How many clothing and shoe stores are in Connecticut?

Connecticut has 2,287 clothing and shoe stores on map listings as of September 2026. 1,228 of them (54%) are chain locations. The listings count clothing, shoe and accessory stores and boutiques. Official counts show 1,100 businesses with payroll classed as clothing and shoe stores in 2023, down 15.3% from 2019. Official counts list 2,026 one-person businesses without payroll.

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

About $3.7B a year, or $2,564 per household. That is 25% above the U.S. average (an index of 125, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 2,287 clothing and shoe stores on map listings, it comes to $1.6M per store. The spending figure covers all clothing, shoes and related services, not only clothing and shoe stores. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,434,007 households in Connecticut and national spending patterns by income.

How does Connecticut compare with the U.S. for clothing and shoe stores?

Connecticut has 15.9 clothing and shoe stores per 10,000 households, 2% below the U.S. rate of 16.2. Spending per store is $1.6M, 27% above the U.S. figure of $1.3M. At the national ratio of clothing and shoe stores to household spending, Connecticut would have about 2,894, against 2,287 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,304 households, against one for every 1,273 across the U.S. The official count fell 15.3% from 2019 to 2023, against −12.2% for the U.S.

Which market in Connecticut has the highest market score for clothing and shoe stores?

Among 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the Waterbury-Shelton metro area scores highest, at 89 (high). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Putnam area scores highest, at 95 (very high). Among 9 scored counties in Connecticut, the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region scores highest, at 91 (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. Connecticut scores 73 for clothing and shoe stores (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 Connecticut. It maps the clothing and shoe stores 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 and shoe stores in other states

All 51 states

Top markets for clothing and shoe stores across the U.S. · All business types in Connecticut

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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.