Market rankings · Iowa
Grocery and convenience stores in Iowa
Markets across Iowa ranked by the Groundwork market score for grocery and convenience stores, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 2,463
- 1,119 chain locations (45%)
- Official establishments
- 727
- +5.2% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $7.9B
- On groceries
- Listings per 10k households
- 18.7
- In line with the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $3.2M
- 5% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #27 of 51
- Market score 50 · Upper middle
A site report maps the grocery and 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
As of September 2026, map listings count 2,463 grocery and convenience stores in Iowa. 1,119 of them (45%) are chain locations, against 42% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 18.7, in line with the U.S. rate of 18.7.
At $6,036 per household (4% below the U.S. average), households in Iowa spend about $7.9B a year on groceries. That is about $3.2M of household spending for each store on map listings, 5% below the U.S. figure of $3.4M.
Official counts show 727 businesses with payroll classed as grocery and convenience stores in Iowa in 2023, up 5.2% from 2019. That is one for every 1,810 households, against one for every 1,293 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 7.2% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 31 SBA-backed loans worth $8.7M have gone to businesses classed as grocery and convenience stores in Iowa.
Among the 50 states and DC, Iowa ranks #27 for grocery and convenience stores, with a Groundwork market score of 50 (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 (79).
Every market in Iowa for grocery and 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 | 578 | 14.8 | $4.3M | +4.2% | #18 of 387 |
| 1Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 76 | 493 | 16.7 | $3.8M | +6.7% | #29 of 387 |
| 2Ames, IA | 73 | 68 | 13.6 | $4.4M | +2.2% | #41 of 387 |
| 3Iowa City, IA | 73 | 110 | 15.2 | $4M | +4.1% | #43 of 387 |
| 4Cedar Rapids, IA | 68 | 181 | 15.9 | $3.9M | +1.0% | #70 of 387 |
| 5Dubuque, IA | 58 | 68 | 16.6 | $3.7M | +0.1% | #140 of 387 |
| 6Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 49 | 274 | 16.9 | $3.5M | −0.9% | #207 of 387 |
| 7Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 38 | 115 | 20.7 | $2.9M | +1.0% | #281 of 387 |
| 8Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 35 | 130 | 18.7 | $3.2M | +0.5% | #295 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Pella, IA | 79 | 26 | 19.5 | $3.1M | +2.3% | #22 of 538 |
| 2Le Mars, IA | 78 | 20 | 19.4 | $3.2M | 0.0% | #27 of 538 |
| 3Ottumwa, IA | 68 | 23 | 16.4 | $3.5M | −0.3% | #98 of 538 |
| 4Spirit Lake, IA | 67 | 20 | 22.6 | $2.7M | +1.7% | #111 of 538 |
| 5Fort Madison, IA | 62 | 23 | 16.1 | $3.5M | −3.6% | #155 of 538 |
| 6Muscatine, IA | 61 | 32 | 18.4 | $3.2M | −3.0% | #165 of 538 |
| 7Fort Dodge, IA | 61 | 31 | 20.2 | $2.8M | −0.4% | #169 of 538 |
| 8Clinton, IA | 59 | 33 | 16.9 | $3.5M | −0.9% | #184 of 538 |
| 9Burlington, IA-IL | 58 | 25 | 12.6 | $4.5M | −2.5% | #193 of 538 |
| 10Oskaloosa, IA | 57 | 20 | 22.9 | $2.5M | −1.2% | #219 of 538 |
| 11Marshalltown, IA | 52 | 34 | 21.9 | $2.7M | −0.5% | #267 of 538 |
| 12Mason City, IA | 52 | 52 | 22.9 | $2.6M | −1.5% | #269 of 538 |
| 13Carroll, IA | 49 | 22 | 25.0 | $2.4M | −2.0% | #293 of 538 |
| 14Spencer, IA | 46 | 17 | 23.3 | $2.5M | −0.8% | #320 of 538 |
| 15Storm Lake, IA | 40 | 22 | 29.2 | $2.1M | −1.7% | #383 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Dallas County, IA | 95 | 54 | 12.7 | $5.3M | +17.8% | #13 of 2,402 |
| 2Warren County, IA | 93 | 29 | 14.0 | $4.6M | +9.0% | #26 of 2,402 |
| 3Johnson County, IA | 82 | 91 | 14.4 | $4.3M | +4.6% | #147 of 2,402 |
| 4Boone County, IA | 78 | 15 | 13.7 | $4.5M | +0.4% | #219 of 2,402 |
| 5Story County, IA | 77 | 53 | 13.6 | $4.4M | +2.7% | #240 of 2,402 |
| 6Polk County, IA | 77 | 354 | 17.2 | $3.6M | +4.8% | #252 of 2,402 |
| 7Linn County, IA | 76 | 144 | 15.1 | $4.1M | +0.7% | #266 of 2,402 |
| 8Bremer County, IA | 73 | 17 | 17.5 | $3.5M | +1.1% | #363 of 2,402 |
| 9Pottawattamie County, IA | 72 | 49 | 13.0 | $4.6M | −0.7% | #380 of 2,402 |
| 10Madison County, IA | 72 | 14 | 20.9 | $3M | +3.8% | #397 of 2,402 |
| 11Plymouth County, IA | 69 | 20 | 19.4 | $3.2M | 0.0% | #478 of 2,402 |
| 12Marion County, IA | 69 | 26 | 19.5 | $3.1M | +2.3% | #480 of 2,402 |
| 13Dubuque County, IA | 68 | 68 | 16.6 | $3.7M | +0.1% | #497 of 2,402 |
| 14Scott County, IA | 67 | 127 | 17.4 | $3.5M | +0.4% | #529 of 2,402 |
| 15Grundy County, IA | 65 | 9 | 17.6 | $3.5M | +0.2% | #589 of 2,402 |
| 16Jones County, IA | 65 | 16 | 19.5 | $3M | +2.9% | #602 of 2,402 |
| 17Benton County, IA | 63 | 21 | 20.6 | $3M | +1.8% | #679 of 2,402 |
| 18Jasper County, IA | 62 | 29 | 19.3 | $3.1M | +0.9% | #721 of 2,402 |
| 19Wapello County, IA | 60 | 23 | 16.4 | $3.5M | −0.3% | #793 of 2,402 |
| 20Buchanan County, IA | 60 | 18 | 21.8 | $2.7M | +1.3% | #810 of 2,402 |
| 21Delaware County, IA | 60 | 17 | 23.1 | $2.6M | +1.3% | #814 of 2,402 |
| 22Mills County, IA | 60 | 14 | 26.0 | $2.5M | +2.6% | #817 of 2,402 |
| 23Dickinson County, IA | 59 | 20 | 22.6 | $2.7M | +1.7% | #842 of 2,402 |
| 24Des Moines County, IA | 56 | 22 | 12.8 | $4.4M | −2.0% | #916 of 2,402 |
| 25Poweshiek County, IA | 56 | 11 | 14.1 | $4.2M | −1.4% | #918 of 2,402 |
Show all 99 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Floyd County, IA | 56 | 9 | 13.8 | $4.2M | −4.4% | #919 of 2,402 |
| 27Montgomery County, IA | 55 | 6 | 13.1 | $4.3M | −3.2% | #965 of 2,402 |
| 28Lee County, IA | 55 | 23 | 16.1 | $3.5M | −3.6% | #971 of 2,402 |
| 29Woodbury County, IA | 55 | 80 | 19.7 | $3M | +0.7% | #983 of 2,402 |
| 30Muscatine County, IA | 54 | 32 | 18.4 | $3.2M | −3.0% | #1,021 of 2,402 |
| 31Webster County, IA | 54 | 31 | 20.2 | $2.8M | −0.4% | #1,029 of 2,402 |
| 32Page County, IA | 53 | 10 | 16.0 | $3.5M | −2.3% | #1,058 of 2,402 |
| 33Clinton County, IA | 52 | 33 | 16.9 | $3.5M | −0.9% | #1,106 of 2,402 |
| 34Washington County, IA | 52 | 19 | 21.2 | $2.8M | +0.6% | #1,118 of 2,402 |
| 35Mitchell County, IA | 52 | 10 | 21.8 | $2.7M | +0.6% | #1,122 of 2,402 |
| 36Butler County, IA | 52 | 13 | 22.2 | $2.7M | −2.0% | #1,125 of 2,402 |
| 37Shelby County, IA | 51 | 9 | 18.4 | $3.3M | −0.2% | #1,155 of 2,402 |
| 38Harrison County, IA | 51 | 12 | 19.7 | $3.1M | +0.4% | #1,160 of 2,402 |
| 39Mahaska County, IA | 51 | 20 | 22.9 | $2.5M | −1.2% | #1,175 of 2,402 |
| 40Cedar County, IA | 50 | 23 | 30.2 | $2M | −0.7% | #1,224 of 2,402 |
| 41Winneshiek County, IA | 49 | 16 | 19.7 | $3.1M | −1.6% | #1,237 of 2,402 |
| 42Union County, IA | 48 | 8 | 15.6 | $3.5M | −2.5% | #1,274 of 2,402 |
| 43Cass County, IA | 48 | 10 | 17.1 | $3.3M | −1.2% | #1,276 of 2,402 |
| 44Guthrie County, IA | 48 | 13 | 28.3 | $2.2M | +1.6% | #1,302 of 2,402 |
| 45Hancock County, IA | 47 | 9 | 19.3 | $3M | −2.2% | #1,315 of 2,402 |
| 46Cherokee County, IA | 47 | 11 | 21.8 | $2.7M | −2.4% | #1,321 of 2,402 |
| 47Marshall County, IA | 47 | 34 | 21.9 | $2.7M | −0.5% | #1,323 of 2,402 |
| 48Black Hawk County, IA | 46 | 104 | 19.1 | $3.1M | +0.4% | #1,352 of 2,402 |
| 49Carroll County, IA | 44 | 22 | 25.0 | $2.4M | −2.0% | #1,441 of 2,402 |
| 50Jefferson County, IA | 43 | 12 | 17.3 | $3.2M | −2.5% | #1,466 of 2,402 |
| 51Lyon County, IA | 43 | 13 | 29.0 | $2.1M | +3.6% | #1,493 of 2,402 |
| 52Jackson County, IA | 42 | 18 | 21.8 | $2.7M | −0.8% | #1,512 of 2,402 |
| 53Cerro Gordo County, IA | 42 | 45 | 23.0 | $2.5M | −1.5% | #1,516 of 2,402 |
| 54Henry County, IA | 41 | 15 | 19.6 | $3M | −5.4% | #1,541 of 2,402 |
| 55Clay County, IA | 41 | 17 | 23.3 | $2.5M | −0.8% | #1,551 of 2,402 |
| 56Sioux County, IA | 40 | 42 | 33.1 | $1.9M | +2.5% | #1,616 of 2,402 |
| 57Clayton County, IA | 38 | 17 | 22.6 | $2.6M | −1.1% | #1,662 of 2,402 |
| 58Buena Vista County, IA | 38 | 22 | 29.2 | $2.1M | −1.7% | #1,676 of 2,402 |
| 59Winnebago County, IA | 37 | 11 | 23.7 | $2.4M | −3.8% | #1,711 of 2,402 |
| 60Fayette County, IA | 37 | 20 | 24.0 | $2.3M | −2.1% | #1,712 of 2,402 |
| 61Crawford County, IA | 34 | 16 | 25.3 | $2.3M | −1.5% | #1,817 of 2,402 |
| 62Iowa County, IA | 34 | 21 | 30.4 | $2M | −1.0% | #1,830 of 2,402 |
| 63Kossuth County, IA | 33 | 15 | 22.9 | $2.5M | −3.2% | #1,853 of 2,402 |
| 64Hamilton County, IA | 33 | 18 | 28.0 | $2.1M | −0.5% | #1,863 of 2,402 |
| 65Tama County, IA | 32 | 17 | 25.3 | $2.3M | −1.5% | #1,891 of 2,402 |
| 66Louisa County, IA | 30 | 13 | 30.7 | $2M | −3.7% | #1,955 of 2,402 |
| 67Wright County, IA | 29 | 15 | 28.0 | $2.1M | −0.9% | #1,975 of 2,402 |
| 68Chickasaw County, IA | 29 | 15 | 30.0 | $2M | −2.8% | #1,981 of 2,402 |
| 69Allamakee County, IA | 29 | 20 | 33.6 | $1.7M | +1.2% | #1,987 of 2,402 |
| 70O’Brien County, IA | 26 | 19 | 32.7 | $1.8M | +0.5% | #2,080 of 2,402 |
| 71Hardin County, IA | 25 | 20 | 28.4 | $2M | −2.2% | #2,101 of 2,402 |
| 72Appanoose County, IA | 13 | 17 | 32.7 | $1.7M | −1.7% | #2,323 of 2,402 |
| Franklin County, IA | Not scored | 5 | 11.9 | $4.7M | −1.2% | |
| Keokuk County, IA | Not scored | 9 | 22.1 | $2.6M | −2.0% | |
| Calhoun County, IA | Not scored | 13 | 32.6 | $1.8M | −3.4% | |
| Sac County, IA | Not scored | 16 | 37.2 | $1.6M | −2.7% | |
| Clarke County, IA | Not scored | 6 | 14.7 | $4M | −1.6% | |
| Humboldt County, IA | Not scored | 12 | 28.4 | $2.1M | −2.0% | |
| Howard County, IA | Not scored | 9 | 23.9 | $2.4M | −0.8% | |
| Emmet County, IA | Not scored | 9 | 22.2 | $2.5M | −2.5% | |
| Davis County, IA | Not scored | 6 | 18.7 | $3.2M | +1.3% | |
| Palo Alto County, IA | Not scored | 15 | 39.7 | $1.5M | −1.0% | |
| Lucas County, IA | Not scored | 6 | 16.2 | $3.4M | +2.6% | |
| Greene County, IA | Not scored | 8 | 20.4 | $2.8M | −1.0% | |
| Monona County, IA | Not scored | 8 | 20.6 | $2.8M | −2.4% | |
| Decatur County, IA | Not scored | 6 | 19.6 | $2.8M | −0.9% | |
| Monroe County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 6.5 | $9M | −2.5% | |
| Adair County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 9.3 | $6.3M | −1.3% | |
| Worth County, IA | Not scored | 7 | 22.0 | $2.7M | −1.3% | |
| Van Buren County, IA | Not scored | 12 | 41.4 | $1.3M | −1.2% | |
| Pocahontas County, IA | Not scored | 7 | 23.3 | $2.4M | −3.5% | |
| Ida County, IA | Not scored | 7 | 23.0 | $2.5M | −3.4% | |
| Wayne County, IA | Not scored | 8 | 31.2 | $1.8M | +3.6% | |
| Fremont County, IA | Not scored | 5 | 17.7 | $3.3M | −0.8% | |
| Osceola County, IA | Not scored | 9 | 34.2 | $1.7M | −3.6% | |
| Taylor County, IA | Not scored | 7 | 28.1 | $2M | −0.5% | |
| Audubon County, IA | Not scored | 3 | 11.6 | $4.9M | −3.0% | |
| Ringgold County, IA | Not scored | 7 | 36.9 | $1.6M | 0.0% | |
| Adams County, IA | Not scored | 2 | 13.0 | $4.6M | −2.5% |
Markets with fewer than 5 grocery and convenience stores on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many grocery and convenience stores are in Iowa?
Iowa has 2,463 grocery and convenience stores on map listings as of September 2026. 1,119 of them (45%) are chain locations. The listings count grocery, convenience and specialty food stores. Official counts show 727 businesses with payroll classed as grocery and convenience stores in 2023, up 5.2% from 2019. Official counts also show 405 one-person businesses without payroll.
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 2,463 grocery and convenience stores on map listings, it comes to $3.2M per store. 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 grocery and convenience stores?
Iowa has 18.7 grocery and convenience stores per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 18.7. Spending per store is $3.2M, 5% below the U.S. figure of $3.4M. At the national ratio of grocery and convenience stores to household spending, Iowa would have about 2,344, against 2,463 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,810 households, against one for every 1,293 across the U.S. The official count rose 5.2% from 2019 to 2023, against +7.2% for the U.S.
Which market in Iowa has the highest market score for grocery and 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 79 (high). Among 72 scored counties in Iowa, Dallas County scores highest, at 95 (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 50 for grocery and 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 grocery and 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.
Grocery and convenience stores in other states
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Top markets for grocery and convenience stores across the U.S. · All business types in Iowa
Related business types in Iowa
- Grocery stores899 listings
- Convenience stores1,101 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.