Groundwork

Market rankings · Connecticut

Coffee shops and cafes in Connecticut

Markets across Connecticut ranked by the Groundwork market score for coffee shops and cafes, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
1,573
695 chain locations (44%)
Official establishments
1,158
All snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars · +8.1% since 2019
Household spending a year
$6.5B
On food away from home
Listings per 10k households
11.0
In line with the U.S.
Spending per listing
$4.1M
11% above the U.S.
Rank among states
#15 of 51
Market score 61 · Upper middle

A site report maps the coffee shops and cafes 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 1,573 coffee shops and cafes in Connecticut. Of those, 695 are chain locations, or 44%, against 39% across the U.S. That comes to 11.0 for every 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 11.0.

At $4,498 per household (11% above the U.S. average), households in Connecticut spend about $6.5B a year on food away from home. Spread across 1,573 coffee shops and cafes, that is $4.1M per cafe, 11% above the U.S. figure of $3.7M. That spending covers all food away from home, which coffee shops and cafes share with other businesses in the trade.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars in Connecticut was 1,158 in 2023, up 8.1% from 2019. That is one for every 1,238 households, against one for every 1,518 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 24.3% over the same years. The official count takes in all snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars, not only coffee shops and cafes: bakeries and dessert shops are counted too. Since fiscal 2022, 29 SBA-backed loans worth $9.9M have gone to businesses classed as snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars in Connecticut.

Among the 50 states and DC, Connecticut ranks #15 for coffee shops and cafes, with a Groundwork market score of 61 (upper middle). Of the 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the Waterbury-Shelton metro area scores highest (69). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Putnam area scores highest (68).

Every market in Connecticut for coffee shops and cafes

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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 coffee shops and cafes by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Waterbury-Shelton, CT691598.8$4.8M+3.2%#48 of 387
2Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT5747610.2$4.3M+3.0%#136 of 387
3Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT5444012.4$4M+3.7%#164 of 387
4New Haven, CT4527612.0$3.6M+2.5%#232 of 387
5Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT4413611.7$3.5M+2.0%#241 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Connecticut, ranked for coffee shops and cafes by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Putnam, CT68307.6$5.6M+3.0%#69 of 529
2Torrington, CT635611.7$3.8M+2.2%#124 of 529

Counties

Counties in Connecticut, ranked for coffee shops and cafes by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT661598.8$4.8M+3.2%#406 of 2,063
2Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT62307.6$5.6M+3.0%#527 of 2,063
3Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT597610.3$4.6M+2.3%#650 of 2,063
4Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT585611.7$3.8M+2.2%#703 of 2,063
5Capitol Planning Region, CT5640010.2$4.3M+3.1%#770 of 2,063
6Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT5612810.7$4.2M+4.1%#775 of 2,063
7Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT5431213.3$4M+3.5%#855 of 2,063
8South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT4827612.0$3.6M+2.5%#1,098 of 2,063
9Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT4813611.7$3.5M+2.0%#1,099 of 2,063

Questions

How many coffee shops and cafes are in Connecticut?

Connecticut has 1,573 coffee shops and cafes on map listings as of September 2026. 695 of them (44%) are chain locations. The listings count coffee, tea, juice and bubble tea shops, and cafes. Official counts show 1,158 businesses with payroll classed as snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars in 2023, up 8.1% from 2019. That count covers all snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars (bakeries and dessert shops included), not only coffee shops and cafes. Official counts also show 154 one-person businesses without payroll.

How much do households in Connecticut spend on food away from home?

About $6.5B a year, or $4,498 per household. That is 11% above the U.S. average (an index of 111, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,573 coffee shops and cafes on map listings, it comes to $4.1M per cafe. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only coffee shops and cafes. 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 coffee shops and cafes?

Connecticut has 11.0 coffee shops and cafes per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 11.0. Spending per cafe is $4.1M, 11% above the U.S. figure of $3.7M. At the national ratio of coffee shops and cafes to household spending, Connecticut would have about 1,742, against 1,573 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,238 households, against one for every 1,518 across the U.S. The official count rose 8.1% from 2019 to 2023, against +24.3% for the U.S.

Which market in Connecticut has the highest market score for coffee shops and cafes?

Among 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the Waterbury-Shelton metro area scores highest, at 69 (upper middle). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Putnam area scores highest, at 68 (upper middle). Among 9 scored counties in Connecticut, the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region scores highest, at 66 (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. Connecticut scores 61 for coffee shops and cafes (upper middle), #15 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 coffee shops and cafes 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.

Coffee shops and cafes in other states

All 51 states

Top markets for coffee shops and cafes 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.