Market rankings · Iowa
Convenience stores in Iowa
Markets across Iowa ranked by the Groundwork market score for convenience stores, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,101
- 707 chain locations (64%)
- Official establishments
- 112
- +67.2% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $7.9B
- On groceries
- Listings per 10k households
- 8.4
- 5% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $7.2M
- 8% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #27 of 51
- Market score 51 · Upper middle
A site report maps the convenience stores on map listings around any address in Iowa 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 1,101 convenience stores in Iowa. Chain locations make up 64% of them, against 60% across the U.S. That comes to 8.4 for every 10,000 households, 5% above the U.S. rate of 8.0.
At $6,036 per household (4% below the U.S. average), households in Iowa spend about $7.9B a year on groceries. That works out to $7.2M per store, 8% below the U.S. figure of $7.9M. That spending covers all groceries, which convenience stores share with other businesses in the trade.
Official counts show 112 businesses with payroll classed as convenience stores in Iowa in 2023, up 67.2% from 2019. That is one for every 11,747 households, against one for every 3,493 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 22.0% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 3 SBA-backed loans worth $241K have gone to businesses classed as convenience stores in Iowa.
Among the 50 states and DC, Iowa ranks #27 for convenience stores, with a Groundwork market score of 51 (upper middle). Of the 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Iowa, the Omaha metro area scores highest (81). Of the 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Iowa, the Pella area scores highest (81).
Every market in Iowa for convenience stores
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Iowa, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | 81 | 239 | 6.1 | $10.3M | +4.2% | #15 of 387 |
| 1Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 80 | 219 | 7.4 | $8.6M | +6.7% | #17 of 387 |
| 2Iowa City, IA | 79 | 34 | 4.7 | $13M | +4.1% | #21 of 387 |
| 3Ames, IA | 77 | 24 | 4.8 | $12.5M | +2.2% | #29 of 387 |
| 4Cedar Rapids, IA | 65 | 82 | 7.2 | $8.5M | +1.0% | #95 of 387 |
| 5Dubuque, IA | 51 | 38 | 9.3 | $6.6M | +0.1% | #197 of 387 |
| 6Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 49 | 55 | 9.9 | $6M | +1.0% | #211 of 387 |
| 7Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 46 | 137 | 8.5 | $7.1M | −0.9% | #226 of 387 |
| 8Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 38 | 64 | 9.2 | $6.4M | +0.5% | #275 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Pella, IA | 81 | 10 | 7.5 | $8.1M | +2.3% | #20 of 529 |
| 2Spirit Lake, IA | 78 | 7 | 7.9 | $7.8M | +1.7% | #35 of 529 |
| 3Le Mars, IA | 73 | 8 | 7.8 | $8M | 0.0% | #61 of 529 |
| 4Muscatine, IA | 62 | 13 | 7.5 | $7.8M | −3.0% | #156 of 529 |
| 5Burlington, IA-IL | 60 | 12 | 6.0 | $9.4M | −2.5% | #172 of 529 |
| 6Carroll, IA | 60 | 7 | 8.0 | $7.5M | −2.0% | #174 of 529 |
| 7Ottumwa, IA | 57 | 11 | 7.9 | $7.2M | −0.3% | #209 of 529 |
| 8Clinton, IA | 51 | 18 | 9.2 | $6.3M | −0.9% | #274 of 529 |
| 9Oskaloosa, IA | 50 | 9 | 10.3 | $5.7M | −1.2% | #283 of 529 |
| 10Mason City, IA | 47 | 25 | 11.0 | $5.3M | −1.5% | #311 of 529 |
| 11Marshalltown, IA | 47 | 18 | 11.6 | $5.1M | −0.5% | #314 of 529 |
| 12Fort Madison, IA | 45 | 12 | 8.4 | $6.7M | −3.6% | #325 of 529 |
| 13Fort Dodge, IA | 45 | 17 | 11.1 | $5.2M | −0.4% | #330 of 529 |
| 14Storm Lake, IA | 38 | 11 | 14.6 | $4.1M | −1.7% | #385 of 529 |
| 15Spencer, IA | 37 | 10 | 13.7 | $4.2M | −0.8% | #399 of 529 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Dallas County, IA | 94 | 27 | 6.4 | $10.7M | +17.8% | #12 of 2,261 |
| 2Johnson County, IA | 84 | 29 | 4.6 | $13.4M | +4.6% | #97 of 2,261 |
| 3Polk County, IA | 84 | 152 | 7.4 | $8.5M | +4.8% | #108 of 2,261 |
| 4Warren County, IA | 84 | 16 | 7.7 | $8.3M | +9.0% | #109 of 2,261 |
| 5Story County, IA | 83 | 16 | 4.1 | $14.5M | +2.7% | #114 of 2,261 |
| 6Linn County, IA | 76 | 66 | 6.9 | $8.9M | +0.7% | #279 of 2,261 |
| 7Pottawattamie County, IA | 71 | 25 | 6.6 | $9M | −0.7% | #404 of 2,261 |
| 8Madison County, IA | 71 | 6 | 9.0 | $7M | +3.8% | #413 of 2,261 |
| 9Washington County, IA | 70 | 5 | 5.6 | $10.8M | +0.6% | #421 of 2,261 |
| 10Marion County, IA | 70 | 10 | 7.5 | $8.1M | +2.3% | #434 of 2,261 |
| 11Dickinson County, IA | 68 | 7 | 7.9 | $7.8M | +1.7% | #486 of 2,261 |
| 12Woodbury County, IA | 68 | 33 | 8.1 | $7.3M | +0.7% | #488 of 2,261 |
| 13Boone County, IA | 67 | 8 | 7.3 | $8.4M | +0.4% | #521 of 2,261 |
| 14Plymouth County, IA | 65 | 8 | 7.8 | $8M | 0.0% | #583 of 2,261 |
| 15Dubuque County, IA | 65 | 38 | 9.3 | $6.6M | +0.1% | #598 of 2,261 |
| 16Scott County, IA | 62 | 73 | 10.0 | $6.2M | +0.4% | #693 of 2,261 |
| 17Poweshiek County, IA | 60 | 5 | 6.4 | $9.2M | −1.4% | #747 of 2,261 |
| 18Lyon County, IA | 58 | 5 | 11.2 | $5.4M | +3.6% | #841 of 2,261 |
| 19Jasper County, IA | 57 | 13 | 8.7 | $6.9M | +0.9% | #867 of 2,261 |
| 20Muscatine County, IA | 56 | 13 | 7.5 | $7.8M | −3.0% | #891 of 2,261 |
| 21Guthrie County, IA | 55 | 5 | 10.9 | $5.6M | +1.6% | #949 of 2,261 |
| 22Sioux County, IA | 55 | 16 | 12.6 | $5M | +2.5% | #955 of 2,261 |
| 23Harrison County, IA | 54 | 6 | 9.9 | $6.2M | +0.4% | #985 of 2,261 |
| 24Bremer County, IA | 54 | 11 | 11.3 | $5.5M | +1.1% | #992 of 2,261 |
| 25Benton County, IA | 54 | 12 | 11.8 | $5.3M | +1.8% | #994 of 2,261 |
Show all 99 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Carroll County, IA | 53 | 7 | 8.0 | $7.5M | −2.0% | #1,006 of 2,261 |
| 27Des Moines County, IA | 52 | 11 | 6.4 | $8.8M | −2.0% | #1,044 of 2,261 |
| 28Buchanan County, IA | 51 | 9 | 10.9 | $5.5M | +1.3% | #1,092 of 2,261 |
| 29Mills County, IA | 51 | 8 | 14.8 | $4.3M | +2.6% | #1,106 of 2,261 |
| 30Wapello County, IA | 50 | 11 | 7.9 | $7.2M | −0.3% | #1,116 of 2,261 |
| 31Black Hawk County, IA | 49 | 51 | 9.3 | $6.2M | +0.4% | #1,155 of 2,261 |
| 32Floyd County, IA | 48 | 5 | 7.7 | $7.5M | −4.4% | #1,185 of 2,261 |
| 33Wright County, IA | 48 | 5 | 9.3 | $6.3M | −0.9% | #1,193 of 2,261 |
| 34Tama County, IA | 46 | 6 | 8.9 | $6.5M | −1.5% | #1,259 of 2,261 |
| 35Clinton County, IA | 46 | 18 | 9.2 | $6.3M | −0.9% | #1,260 of 2,261 |
| 36Winneshiek County, IA | 45 | 9 | 11.1 | $5.5M | −1.6% | #1,303 of 2,261 |
| 37Hamilton County, IA | 45 | 7 | 10.9 | $5.5M | −0.5% | #1,304 of 2,261 |
| 38Cherokee County, IA | 44 | 5 | 9.9 | $6M | −2.4% | #1,326 of 2,261 |
| 39Mahaska County, IA | 43 | 9 | 10.3 | $5.7M | −1.2% | #1,366 of 2,261 |
| 40Delaware County, IA | 43 | 10 | 13.6 | $4.4M | +1.3% | #1,379 of 2,261 |
| 41Iowa County, IA | 42 | 8 | 11.6 | $5.1M | −1.0% | #1,408 of 2,261 |
| 42O’Brien County, IA | 42 | 7 | 12.1 | $4.9M | +0.5% | #1,414 of 2,261 |
| 43Cedar County, IA | 42 | 10 | 13.1 | $4.6M | −0.7% | #1,419 of 2,261 |
| 44Cerro Gordo County, IA | 41 | 21 | 10.7 | $5.4M | −1.5% | #1,441 of 2,261 |
| 45Marshall County, IA | 41 | 18 | 11.6 | $5.1M | −0.5% | #1,447 of 2,261 |
| 46Lee County, IA | 40 | 12 | 8.4 | $6.7M | −3.6% | #1,469 of 2,261 |
| 47Butler County, IA | 40 | 7 | 11.9 | $5M | −2.0% | #1,478 of 2,261 |
| 48Webster County, IA | 39 | 17 | 11.1 | $5.2M | −0.4% | #1,517 of 2,261 |
| 49Hardin County, IA | 37 | 7 | 9.9 | $5.7M | −2.2% | #1,581 of 2,261 |
| 50Kossuth County, IA | 37 | 7 | 10.7 | $5.4M | −3.2% | #1,582 of 2,261 |
| 51Jackson County, IA | 37 | 11 | 13.3 | $4.5M | −0.8% | #1,593 of 2,261 |
| 52Jefferson County, IA | 34 | 7 | 10.1 | $5.6M | −2.5% | #1,670 of 2,261 |
| 53Buena Vista County, IA | 34 | 11 | 14.6 | $4.1M | −1.7% | #1,683 of 2,261 |
| 54Allamakee County, IA | 34 | 10 | 16.8 | $3.5M | +1.2% | #1,687 of 2,261 |
| 55Fayette County, IA | 33 | 9 | 10.8 | $5.2M | −2.1% | #1,705 of 2,261 |
| 56Crawford County, IA | 33 | 8 | 12.6 | $4.6M | −1.5% | #1,712 of 2,261 |
| 57Clayton County, IA | 32 | 10 | 13.3 | $4.3M | −1.1% | #1,748 of 2,261 |
| 58Clay County, IA | 32 | 10 | 13.7 | $4.2M | −0.8% | #1,749 of 2,261 |
| 59Chickasaw County, IA | 28 | 8 | 16.0 | $3.7M | −2.8% | #1,859 of 2,261 |
| 60Appanoose County, IA | 20 | 7 | 13.5 | $4M | −1.7% | #2,025 of 2,261 |
| Jones County, IA | Not scored | 4 | 4.9 | $12.2M | +2.9% | |
| Henry County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 2.6 | $22.1M | −5.4% | |
| Page County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 3.2 | $17.3M | −2.3% | |
| Cass County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 5.1 | $11.1M | −1.2% | |
| Grundy County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 3.9 | $15.9M | +0.2% | |
| Union County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 5.9 | $9.3M | −2.5% | |
| Shelby County, IA | Not scored | 4 | 8.2 | $7.4M | −0.2% | |
| Louisa County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 7.1 | $8.5M | −3.7% | |
| Hancock County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 4.3 | $13.5M | −2.2% | |
| Winnebago County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 6.5 | $8.9M | −3.8% | |
| Mitchell County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 6.5 | $9.1M | +0.6% | |
| Montgomery County, IA | Not scored | 1 | 2.2 | $25.8M | −3.2% | |
| Franklin County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 4.8 | $11.6M | −1.2% | |
| Keokuk County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 4.9 | $11.6M | −2.0% | |
| Calhoun County, IA | Not scored | 8 | 20.0 | $2.9M | −3.4% | |
| Sac County, IA | Not scored | 9 | 20.9 | $2.8M | −2.7% | |
| Clarke County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 4.9 | $12M | −1.6% | |
| Humboldt County, IA | Not scored | 7 | 16.6 | $3.5M | −2.0% | |
| Howard County, IA | Not scored | 4 | 10.6 | $5.4M | −0.8% | |
| Emmet County, IA | Not scored | 1 | 2.5 | $22.7M | −2.5% | |
| Davis County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 9.4 | $6.4M | +1.3% | |
| Palo Alto County, IA | Not scored | 6 | 15.9 | $3.7M | −1.0% | |
| Lucas County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 8.1 | $6.8M | +2.6% | |
| Greene County, IA | Not scored | 5 | 12.7 | $4.5M | −1.0% | |
| Monona County, IA | Not scored | 4 | 10.3 | $5.6M | −2.4% | |
| Decatur County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 6.5 | $8.4M | −0.9% | |
| Monroe County, IA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.5% | |
| Adair County, IA | Not scored | 1 | 3.1 | $19M | −1.3% | |
| Worth County, IA | Not scored | 4 | 12.6 | $4.8M | −1.3% | |
| Van Buren County, IA | Not scored | 5 | 17.3 | $3.2M | −1.2% | |
| Pocahontas County, IA | Not scored | 4 | 13.3 | $4.2M | −3.5% | |
| Ida County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 9.8 | $5.8M | −3.4% | |
| Wayne County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 11.7 | $4.9M | +3.6% | |
| Fremont County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 7.1 | $8.4M | −0.8% | |
| Osceola County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 11.4 | $5.1M | −3.6% | |
| Taylor County, IA | Not scored | 1 | 4.0 | $14.2M | −0.5% | |
| Audubon County, IA | Not scored | 1 | 3.9 | $14.7M | −3.0% | |
| Ringgold County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 15.8 | $3.7M | 0.0% | |
| Adams County, IA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.5% |
Markets with fewer than 5 convenience stores on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many convenience stores are in Iowa?
There are 1,101 convenience stores on map listings in Iowa as of September 2026. 707 of them (64%) are chain locations. The listings count convenience stores without fuel. Official counts show 112 businesses with payroll classed as convenience stores in 2023, up 67.2% from 2019.
How much do households in Iowa spend on groceries?
About $7.9B a year, or $6,036 per household. That is 4% below the U.S. average (an index of 96, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,101 convenience stores on map listings, it comes to $7.2M per store. The spending figure covers all groceries, not only convenience stores. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,315,707 households in Iowa and national spending patterns by income.
How does Iowa compare with the U.S. for convenience stores?
Iowa has 8.4 convenience stores per 10,000 households, 5% above the U.S. rate of 8.0. Spending per store is $7.2M, 8% below the U.S. figure of $7.9M. At the national ratio of convenience stores to household spending, Iowa would have about 1,008, against 1,101 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 11,747 households, against one for every 3,493 across the U.S. The official count rose 67.2% from 2019 to 2023, against +22.0% for the U.S.
Which market in Iowa has the highest market score for convenience stores?
Among 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Iowa, the Omaha metro area scores highest, at 81 (high). Among 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Iowa, the Pella area scores highest, at 81 (high). Among 60 scored counties in Iowa, Dallas County scores highest, at 94 (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. Iowa scores 51 for convenience stores (upper 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 Iowa. It maps the convenience 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.
Convenience stores in other states
All 51 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- 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 convenience stores across the U.S. · All business types in Iowa
Related business types in Iowa
- Grocery and convenience stores2,463 listings
- Grocery stores899 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Iowa?
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.