Groundwork

Market rankings · Connecticut

Grocery stores in Connecticut

Every metro area, small-town market and county in Connecticut, ranked by the Groundwork market score for grocery stores, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
1,135
403 chain locations (36%)
Official establishments
767
−3.9% since 2019
Household spending a year
$10.4B
On groceries
Listings per 10k households
7.9
16% above the U.S.
Spending per listing
$9.1M
2% below the U.S.
Rank among states
#24 of 51
Market score 51 · Upper middle

A site report maps the grocery stores on map listings around any address in Connecticut by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

There are 1,135 grocery stores on map listings in Connecticut as of September 2026. Of those, 403 are chain locations, or 36%, against 37% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 7.9, 16% above the U.S. rate of 6.8.

At $7,222 per household (14% above the U.S. average), households in Connecticut spend about $10.4B a year on groceries. That is about $9.1M of household spending for each store on map listings, 2% below the U.S. figure of $9.3M. The spending figure covers all groceries, not only grocery stores.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as supermarkets and grocery stores in Connecticut was 767 in 2023, down 3.9% from 2019. That is one for every 1,870 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, 37 SBA-backed loans worth $14.2M have gone to businesses classed as supermarkets and grocery stores in Connecticut.

Among the 50 states and DC, Connecticut ranks #24 for grocery stores, with a Groundwork market score of 51 (upper middle). Of the 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the Norwich-New London-Willimantic metro area scores highest (65). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Putnam area scores highest (84).

Every market in Connecticut for grocery stores

Download the ranking (CSV)

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 grocery stores by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT65736.3$11M+2.0%#85 of 387
2Waterbury-Shelton, CT501337.4$9.4M+3.2%#205 of 387
3Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT463078.6$8.9M+3.7%#228 of 387
4New Haven, CT441807.8$9M+2.5%#237 of 387
5Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT433868.3$8.7M+3.0%#244 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Connecticut, ranked for grocery stores by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Putnam, CT84256.3$11.1M+3.0%#18 of 506
2Torrington, CT77316.5$11.1M+2.2%#35 of 506

Counties

Counties in Connecticut, ranked for grocery stores by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT79256.3$11.1M+3.0%#223 of 2,070
2Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT71456.1$12.2M+2.3%#375 of 2,070
3Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT71316.5$11.1M+2.2%#384 of 2,070
4Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT71736.3$11M+2.0%#387 of 2,070
5Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT621337.4$9.4M+3.2%#629 of 2,070
6Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT601968.3$9.5M+3.5%#681 of 2,070
7South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT581807.8$9M+2.5%#751 of 2,070
8Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT581119.3$7.7M+4.1%#762 of 2,070
9Capitol Planning Region, CT553418.7$8.2M+3.1%#849 of 2,070

Questions

How many grocery stores are in Connecticut?

As of September 2026, map listings count 1,135 grocery stores in Connecticut. 403 of them (36%) are chain locations. The listings count grocery stores and supermarkets. Official counts show 767 businesses with payroll classed as supermarkets and grocery stores in 2023, down 3.9% from 2019.

How much do households in Connecticut spend on groceries?

About $10.4B a year, or $7,222 per household. That is 14% above the U.S. average (an index of 114, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,135 grocery stores on map listings, it comes to $9.1M 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 1,434,007 households in Connecticut and national spending patterns by income.

How does Connecticut compare with the U.S. for grocery stores?

Connecticut has 7.9 grocery stores per 10,000 households, 16% above the U.S. rate of 6.8. Spending per store is $9.1M, 2% below the U.S. figure of $9.3M. At the U.S. ratio of grocery stores to household spending, Connecticut would have about 1,114, against 1,135 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,870 households, against one for every 2,053 across the U.S. The official count fell 3.9% from 2019 to 2023, against 0.0% for the U.S.

Which market in Connecticut has the highest market score for grocery stores?

Among 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the Norwich-New London-Willimantic metro area scores highest, at 65 (upper middle). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Putnam area scores highest, at 84 (high). Among 9 scored counties in Connecticut, the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region scores highest, at 79 (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. Connecticut scores 51 for grocery stores (upper middle), #24 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 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.

Grocery stores in other states

All 51 states

Top markets for grocery stores across the U.S. · All business types in Connecticut

Screening a site or an acquisition in Connecticut?

A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.

Run a site report See plans
Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Screening many markets at once? Talk to us

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.