Market rankings · Massachusetts
Clothing and shoe stores in Massachusetts
Markets across Massachusetts ranked by the Groundwork market score for clothing and shoe stores, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 4,503
- 2,186 chain locations (49%)
- Official establishments
- 2,259
- −12.9% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $7.4B
- On clothing, shoes and related services
- Listings per 10k households
- 16.2
- In line with the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $1.7M
- 30% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #9 of 51
- Market score 69 · Upper middle
A site report maps the clothing and shoe stores 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
Map listings as of September 2026 show 4,503 clothing and shoe stores in Massachusetts. Chain locations make up 49% of them, against 44% across the U.S. That comes to 16.2 for every 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 16.2.
Household spending on clothing, shoes and related services in Massachusetts comes to about $7.4B a year: $2,675 per household, 30% above the U.S. average. Spread across 4,503 clothing and shoe stores, that is $1.7M per store, 30% 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.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as clothing and shoe stores in Massachusetts was 2,259 in 2023, down 12.9% from 2019. That is one for every 1,233 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, 58 SBA-backed loans worth $7.6M have gone to businesses classed as clothing and shoe stores in Massachusetts.
Among the 50 states and DC, Massachusetts ranks #9 for clothing and shoe stores, with a Groundwork market score of 69 (upper middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Amherst Town-Northampton metro area scores highest (93). Of the 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest (85).
Every market in Massachusetts for clothing and shoe stores
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 93 | 52 | 8.4 | $2.9M | +10.4% | #1 of 387 |
| 2Worcester, MA | 90 | 314 | 9.4 | $2.7M | +3.7% | #2 of 387 |
| 3Springfield, MA | 69 | 230 | 12.5 | $1.7M | +0.2% | #64 of 387 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 68 | 1,015 | 15.0 | $1.6M | +2.1% | #71 of 387 |
| 4Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 66 | 3,281 | 16.9 | $1.7M | +2.3% | #82 of 387 |
| 5Barnstable Town, MA | 34 | 313 | 29.6 | $863K | +2.4% | #299 of 387 |
| 6Pittsfield, MA | 30 | 138 | 24.0 | $940K | −1.2% | #314 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Greenfield, MA | 85 | 14 | 4.4 | $4.9M | −0.3% | #11 of 536 |
| 2Vineyard Haven, MA | 36 | 80 | 105.5 | $270K | +3.1% | #399 of 536 |
| 3Nantucket, MA | 36 | 85 | 161.8 | $197K | +3.6% | #400 of 536 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hampshire County, MA | 84 | 52 | 8.4 | $2.9M | +10.4% | #90 of 2,087 |
| 2Franklin County, MA | 82 | 14 | 4.4 | $4.9M | −0.3% | #115 of 2,087 |
| 3Worcester County, MA | 82 | 314 | 9.4 | $2.7M | +3.7% | #129 of 2,087 |
| 4Plymouth County, MA | 71 | 274 | 13.5 | $2.1M | +3.5% | #351 of 2,087 |
| 5Middlesex County, MA | 68 | 914 | 14.4 | $2.1M | +2.8% | #436 of 2,087 |
| 6Bristol County, MA | 67 | 313 | 13.4 | $1.8M | +2.9% | #472 of 2,087 |
| 7Hampden County, MA | 59 | 230 | 12.5 | $1.7M | +0.2% | #709 of 2,087 |
| 8Essex County, MA | 57 | 557 | 17.8 | $1.5M | +2.3% | #790 of 2,087 |
| 9Norfolk County, MA | 53 | 562 | 19.8 | $1.5M | +2.2% | #935 of 2,087 |
| 10Suffolk County, MA | 46 | 657 | 20.1 | $1.3M | +0.1% | #1,195 of 2,087 |
| 11Barnstable County, MA | 37 | 313 | 29.6 | $863K | +2.4% | #1,517 of 2,087 |
| 12Nantucket County, MA | 34 | 85 | 161.8 | $197K | +3.6% | #1,612 of 2,087 |
| 13Berkshire County, MA | 33 | 138 | 24.0 | $940K | −1.2% | #1,628 of 2,087 |
| 14Dukes County, MA | 33 | 80 | 105.5 | $270K | +3.1% | #1,639 of 2,087 |
Questions
How many clothing and shoe stores are in Massachusetts?
There are 4,503 clothing and shoe stores on map listings in Massachusetts as of September 2026. 2,186 of them (49%) are chain locations. The listings count clothing, shoe and accessory stores and boutiques. Official counts show 2,259 businesses with payroll classed as clothing and shoe stores in 2023, down 12.9% from 2019. Official counts also show 4,672 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Massachusetts spend on clothing, shoes and related services?
About $7.4B a year, or $2,675 per household. That is 30% above the U.S. average (an index of 130, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 4,503 clothing and shoe stores on map listings, it comes to $1.7M 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 2,785,042 households in Massachusetts and national spending patterns by income.
How does Massachusetts compare with the U.S. for clothing and shoe stores?
Massachusetts has 16.2 clothing and shoe stores per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 16.2. Spending per store is $1.7M, 30% above the U.S. figure of $1.3M. At the national ratio of clothing and shoe stores to household spending, Massachusetts would have about 5,863, against 4,503 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,233 households, against one for every 1,273 across the U.S. The official count fell 12.9% from 2019 to 2023, against −12.2% for the U.S.
Which market in Massachusetts has the highest market score for clothing and shoe stores?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Amherst Town-Northampton metro area scores highest, at 93 (very high). Among 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest, at 85 (high). Among 14 scored counties in Massachusetts, Hampshire County scores highest, at 84 (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. Massachusetts scores 69 for clothing and shoe stores (upper middle), #9 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 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
- Alabama
- Alaska
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- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
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- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
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- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
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- Montana
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- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for clothing and shoe stores across the U.S. · All business types in Massachusetts
Related business types in Massachusetts
- Clothing, shoes and laundry6,989 listings
- Laundromats554 listings
- Dry cleaners550 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.