Market rankings · Arkansas
Grocery stores in Arkansas
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Arkansas, ranked by the Groundwork market score for grocery stores, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 828
- 328 chain locations (40%)
- Official establishments
- 459
- −3.8% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $6.8B
- On groceries
- Listings per 10k households
- 6.9
- In line with the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $8.3M
- 11% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #33 of 51
- Market score 43 · Lower middle
A site report maps the grocery stores on map listings around any address in Arkansas 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
There are 828 grocery stores on map listings in Arkansas as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 40% of them, against 37% across the U.S. That comes to 6.9 for every 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 6.8.
Household spending on groceries in Arkansas comes to about $6.8B a year: $5,667 per household, 10% below the U.S. average. That is about $8.3M of household spending for each store on map listings, 11% below the U.S. figure of $9.3M. The spending figure covers all groceries, not only grocery stores.
In 2023, official counts showed 459 businesses with payroll in Arkansas classed as supermarkets and grocery stores, down 3.8% from 2019. That is one for every 2,627 households, against one for every 2,053 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count held level over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 3 SBA-backed loans worth $690K have gone to businesses classed as supermarkets and grocery stores in Arkansas.
Among the 50 states and DC, Arkansas ranks #33 for grocery stores, with a Groundwork market score of 43 (lower middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arkansas, the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metro area scores highest (70). Of the 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arkansas, the Paragould area scores highest (73).
Every market in Arkansas for grocery stores
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Arkansas, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 70 | 154 | 4.9 | $11.8M | +3.8% | #58 of 387 |
| 2Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 55 | 145 | 6.7 | $9.3M | +13.1% | #171 of 387 |
| 3Hot Springs, AR | 54 | 19 | 4.4 | $12.7M | −0.6% | #173 of 387 |
| 4Fort Smith, AR-OK | 32 | 61 | 6.7 | $8.3M | +3.1% | #311 of 387 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 32 | 378 | 7.2 | $8.1M | −0.3% | #313 of 387 |
| 5Jonesboro, AR | 31 | 34 | 6.4 | $8.7M | +3.6% | #317 of 387 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 15 | 54 | 9.6 | $5.7M | −0.4% | #380 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Paragould, AR | 73 | 9 | 5.0 | $11M | +3.4% | #54 of 506 |
| 2Mountain Home, AR | 57 | 11 | 5.7 | $9.4M | +3.1% | #190 of 506 |
| 3Russellville, AR | 57 | 20 | 6.1 | $9M | +1.6% | #191 of 506 |
| 4Batesville, AR | 55 | 6 | 4.1 | $13.4M | +2.2% | #216 of 506 |
| 5Searcy, AR | 52 | 22 | 7.4 | $7.4M | +4.2% | #251 of 506 |
| 6Malvern, AR | 45 | 10 | 8.1 | $6.7M | +1.1% | #317 of 506 |
| 7El Dorado, AR | 39 | 13 | 8.7 | $6.3M | −5.2% | #362 of 506 |
| 8Harrison, AR | 38 | 15 | 8.1 | $6.7M | +2.4% | #369 of 506 |
| 9Arkadelphia, AR | 37 | 5 | 6.2 | $8.7M | −2.2% | #373 of 506 |
| 10Blytheville, AR | 30 | 9 | 5.8 | $9.3M | −6.7% | #422 of 506 |
| 11Camden, AR | 21 | 9 | 8.7 | $6.1M | −3.6% | #465 of 506 |
| 12Pine Bluff, AR | 14 | 29 | 10.8 | $5M | −5.6% | #493 of 506 |
| 13Magnolia, AR | 11 | 11 | 13.1 | $4.1M | −3.7% | #496 of 506 |
| 14Forrest City, AR | 2 | 10 | 12.8 | $3.9M | −5.3% | #506 of 506 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Saline County, AR | 88 | 19 | 3.8 | $16M | +7.6% | #68 of 2,070 |
| 2Lonoke County, AR | 81 | 12 | 4.2 | $14.1M | +3.5% | #164 of 2,070 |
| 3Faulkner County, AR | 80 | 25 | 5.1 | $11.5M | +8.2% | #201 of 2,070 |
| 4Benton County, AR | 69 | 79 | 7.1 | $9.3M | +16.0% | #445 of 2,070 |
| 5Greene County, AR | 67 | 9 | 5.0 | $11M | +3.4% | #481 of 2,070 |
| 6Washington County, AR | 66 | 62 | 6.4 | $9.3M | +9.9% | #524 of 2,070 |
| 7Pulaski County, AR | 64 | 93 | 5.4 | $10.7M | +1.3% | #569 of 2,070 |
| 8Crawford County, AR | 64 | 15 | 6.4 | $8.8M | +4.1% | #578 of 2,070 |
| 9Garland County, AR | 60 | 19 | 4.4 | $12.7M | −0.6% | #667 of 2,070 |
| 10Pope County, AR | 60 | 15 | 6.2 | $9.1M | +2.5% | #684 of 2,070 |
| 11Craighead County, AR | 54 | 27 | 6.1 | $9.3M | +4.8% | #883 of 2,070 |
| 12Logan County, AR | 53 | 5 | 5.9 | $9.5M | +2.5% | #904 of 2,070 |
| 13Baxter County, AR | 53 | 11 | 5.7 | $9.4M | +3.1% | #906 of 2,070 |
| 14Independence County, AR | 51 | 6 | 4.1 | $13.4M | +2.2% | #957 of 2,070 |
| 15Johnson County, AR | 49 | 5 | 4.8 | $10.6M | +2.0% | #1,034 of 2,070 |
| 16White County, AR | 48 | 22 | 7.4 | $7.4M | +4.2% | #1,093 of 2,070 |
| 17Sebastian County, AR | 47 | 35 | 6.7 | $8.4M | +2.2% | #1,112 of 2,070 |
| 18Marion County, AR | 47 | 5 | 6.5 | $8M | +4.3% | #1,115 of 2,070 |
| 19Cleburne County, AR | 44 | 7 | 6.7 | $8.2M | +3.9% | #1,217 of 2,070 |
| 20Boone County, AR | 43 | 11 | 7.2 | $7.6M | +3.3% | #1,261 of 2,070 |
| 21Franklin County, AR | 43 | 5 | 7.1 | $7.6M | +3.5% | #1,262 of 2,070 |
| 22Hot Spring County, AR | 42 | 10 | 8.1 | $6.7M | +1.1% | #1,302 of 2,070 |
| 23Polk County, AR | 40 | 5 | 6.3 | $8.4M | +1.6% | #1,345 of 2,070 |
| 24Union County, AR | 39 | 13 | 8.7 | $6.3M | −5.2% | #1,402 of 2,070 |
| 25Miller County, AR | 37 | 12 | 7.3 | $7.2M | −0.5% | #1,450 of 2,070 |
Show all 75 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Randolph County, AR | 35 | 6 | 8.2 | $6.5M | +1.5% | #1,506 of 2,070 |
| 27Yell County, AR | 33 | 5 | 6.0 | $9M | −1.3% | #1,559 of 2,070 |
| 28Clark County, AR | 33 | 5 | 6.2 | $8.7M | −2.2% | #1,560 of 2,070 |
| 29Lawrence County, AR | 32 | 5 | 7.6 | $6.9M | +0.3% | #1,593 of 2,070 |
| 30Van Buren County, AR | 32 | 8 | 10.8 | $4.9M | +2.8% | #1,605 of 2,070 |
| 31Conway County, AR | 30 | 8 | 9.7 | $5.5M | +3.2% | #1,646 of 2,070 |
| 32Izard County, AR | 30 | 5 | 9.6 | $5.4M | +5.9% | #1,647 of 2,070 |
| 33Mississippi County, AR | 29 | 9 | 5.8 | $9.3M | −6.7% | #1,662 of 2,070 |
| 34Crittenden County, AR | 28 | 17 | 9.3 | $5.8M | −3.9% | #1,699 of 2,070 |
| 35Sharp County, AR | 28 | 7 | 10.2 | $5.1M | +4.7% | #1,705 of 2,070 |
| 36Poinsett County, AR | 25 | 7 | 8.0 | $6.5M | −2.0% | #1,771 of 2,070 |
| 37Carroll County, AR | 22 | 15 | 13.2 | $4.1M | +3.6% | #1,852 of 2,070 |
| 38Ouachita County, AR | 21 | 8 | 9.3 | $5.7M | −3.9% | #1,860 of 2,070 |
| 39Jefferson County, AR | 16 | 26 | 10.8 | $4.9M | −5.7% | #1,938 of 2,070 |
| 40Arkansas County, AR | 15 | 6 | 8.9 | $6M | −7.4% | #1,949 of 2,070 |
| 41Hempstead County, AR | 14 | 8 | 10.7 | $4.9M | −4.6% | #1,970 of 2,070 |
| 42Columbia County, AR | 12 | 11 | 13.1 | $4.1M | −3.7% | #1,991 of 2,070 |
| 43Howard County, AR | 11 | 5 | 9.8 | $5.3M | −3.6% | #1,998 of 2,070 |
| 44Clay County, AR | 11 | 7 | 11.6 | $4.5M | −3.3% | #2,004 of 2,070 |
| 45Cross County, AR | 11 | 9 | 13.9 | $3.9M | −3.6% | #2,006 of 2,070 |
| 46Jackson County, AR | 10 | 11 | 18.1 | $2.9M | 0.0% | #2,021 of 2,070 |
| 47Pike County, AR | 9 | 6 | 14.7 | $3.6M | −1.9% | #2,029 of 2,070 |
| 48St. Francis County, AR | 4 | 10 | 12.8 | $3.9M | −5.3% | #2,056 of 2,070 |
| 49Phillips County, AR | 4 | 11 | 18.3 | $2.7M | −13.0% | #2,060 of 2,070 |
| 50Ashley County, AR | 3 | 10 | 13.6 | $3.7M | −5.9% | #2,062 of 2,070 |
| Grant County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 5.7 | $10.2M | +4.1% | |
| Madison County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 6.2 | $8.9M | +11.2% | |
| Drew County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 5.6 | $9.3M | −1.5% | |
| Sevier County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 7.1 | $7.5M | −0.1% | |
| Lincoln County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 11.1 | $4.8M | −1.0% | |
| Stone County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 7.6 | $6.6M | +2.9% | |
| Fulton County, AR | Not scored | 2 | 4.2 | $12.1M | +3.7% | |
| Little River County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 6.2 | $8.8M | −1.8% | |
| Desha County, AR | Not scored | 2 | 4.3 | $11.4M | −11.8% | |
| Bradley County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 8.0 | $6.4M | −6.4% | |
| Perry County, AR | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $22.7M | +3.1% | |
| Scott County, AR | Not scored | 5 | 12.5 | $4M | +1.4% | |
| Chicot County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 10.1 | $5M | −10.3% | |
| Montgomery County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 10.8 | $4.9M | +1.1% | |
| Lee County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 11.2 | $4.4M | −6.4% | |
| Nevada County, AR | Not scored | 1 | 3.1 | $17.1M | −4.1% | |
| Prairie County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 12.3 | $4.4M | −3.9% | |
| Searcy County, AR | Not scored | 2 | 6.3 | $8.1M | 0.0% | |
| Cleveland County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 10.2 | $5.4M | −4.3% | |
| Newton County, AR | Not scored | 4 | 12.6 | $4.2M | −2.3% | |
| Monroe County, AR | Not scored | 2 | 7.2 | $7.1M | −7.8% | |
| Dallas County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 11.7 | $4.4M | −6.7% | |
| Lafayette County, AR | Not scored | 2 | 7.6 | $6.6M | −6.4% | |
| Woodruff County, AR | Not scored | 3 | 11.1 | $4.6M | −8.2% | |
| Calhoun County, AR | Not scored | 1 | 5.9 | $9.7M | −2.2% |
Markets with fewer than 5 grocery stores on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many grocery stores are in Arkansas?
As of September 2026, map listings count 828 grocery stores in Arkansas. 328 of them (40%) are chain locations. The listings count grocery stores and supermarkets. Official counts show 459 businesses with payroll classed as supermarkets and grocery stores in 2023, down 3.8% from 2019.
How much do households in Arkansas spend on groceries?
About $6.8B a year, or $5,667 per household. That is 10% below the U.S. average (an index of 90, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 828 grocery stores on map listings, it comes to $8.3M per store. That spending covers all groceries, which grocery stores share with other businesses in the trade. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,205,987 households in Arkansas and national spending patterns by income.
How does Arkansas compare with the U.S. for grocery stores?
Arkansas has 6.9 grocery stores per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 6.8. Spending per store is $8.3M, 11% below the U.S. figure of $9.3M. At the U.S. ratio of grocery stores to household spending, Arkansas would have about 735, against 828 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 2,627 households, against one for every 2,053 across the U.S. The official count fell 3.8% from 2019 to 2023, against 0.0% for the U.S.
Which market in Arkansas has the highest market score for grocery stores?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arkansas, the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metro area scores highest, at 70 (upper middle). Among 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arkansas, the Paragould area scores highest, at 73 (upper middle). Among 50 scored counties in Arkansas, Saline County scores highest, at 88 (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. Arkansas scores 43 for grocery stores (lower middle), #33 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 Arkansas. It maps the grocery 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.
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Top markets for grocery stores across the U.S. · All business types in Arkansas
Related business types in Arkansas
- Grocery and convenience stores2,362 listings
- Convenience stores1,063 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Arkansas?
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.