Market rankings · Massachusetts
Grocery stores in Massachusetts
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Massachusetts, ranked by the Groundwork market score for grocery stores, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,881
- 723 chain locations (38%)
- Official establishments
- 1,348
- +1.4% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $20.6B
- On groceries
- Listings per 10k households
- 6.8
- In line with the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $10.9M
- 18% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #10 of 51
- Market score 67 · Upper middle
A site report maps the grocery stores on map listings around any address in Massachusetts 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
Massachusetts has 1,881 grocery stores on map listings as of September 2026. 723 of them (38%) are chain locations, against 37% across the U.S. That is 6.8 per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 6.8.
Household spending on groceries in Massachusetts comes to about $20.6B a year: $7,382 per household, 17% above the U.S. average. That is about $10.9M of household spending for each store on map listings, 18% above the U.S. figure of $9.3M. The spending figure covers all groceries, not only grocery stores.
In 2023, official counts showed 1,348 businesses with payroll in Massachusetts classed as supermarkets and grocery stores, up 1.4% from 2019. That is one for every 2,066 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, 74 SBA-backed loans worth $30.4M have gone to businesses classed as supermarkets and grocery stores in Massachusetts.
Among the 50 states and DC, Massachusetts ranks #10 for grocery stores, with a Groundwork market score of 67 (upper middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Worcester metro area scores highest (75). Of the 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest (43).
Every market in Massachusetts for grocery stores
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Massachusetts, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Worcester, MA | 75 | 187 | 5.6 | $12.9M | +3.7% | #37 of 387 |
| 2Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 63 | 40 | 6.4 | $10.8M | +10.4% | #96 of 387 |
| 3Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 61 | 1,306 | 6.7 | $11.3M | +2.3% | #114 of 387 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 61 | 426 | 6.3 | $11M | +2.1% | #116 of 387 |
| 4Barnstable Town, MA | 40 | 89 | 8.4 | $8.6M | +2.4% | #261 of 387 |
| 5Springfield, MA | 37 | 134 | 7.3 | $9M | +0.2% | #279 of 387 |
| 6Pittsfield, MA | 36 | 47 | 8.2 | $8.2M | −1.2% | #289 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Greenfield, MA | 43 | 30 | 9.5 | $6.9M | −0.3% | #330 of 506 |
| 2Nantucket, MA | 42 | 8 | 15.2 | $5.4M | +3.6% | #340 of 506 |
| 3Vineyard Haven, MA | 37 | 14 | 18.5 | $4.2M | +3.1% | #380 of 506 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Worcester County, MA | 78 | 187 | 5.6 | $12.9M | +3.7% | #232 of 2,070 |
| 2Plymouth County, MA | 77 | 114 | 5.6 | $13.5M | +3.5% | #246 of 2,070 |
| 3Bristol County, MA | 75 | 138 | 5.9 | $11.7M | +2.9% | #297 of 2,070 |
| 4Norfolk County, MA | 74 | 170 | 6.0 | $13.2M | +2.2% | #312 of 2,070 |
| 5Middlesex County, MA | 74 | 403 | 6.4 | $12.5M | +2.8% | #317 of 2,070 |
| 6Hampshire County, MA | 70 | 40 | 6.4 | $10.8M | +10.4% | #409 of 2,070 |
| 7Essex County, MA | 62 | 218 | 7.0 | $10.5M | +2.3% | #618 of 2,070 |
| 8Barnstable County, MA | 53 | 89 | 8.4 | $8.6M | +2.4% | #914 of 2,070 |
| 9Hampden County, MA | 51 | 134 | 7.3 | $9M | +0.2% | #979 of 2,070 |
| 10Berkshire County, MA | 51 | 47 | 8.2 | $8.2M | −1.2% | #986 of 2,070 |
| 11Suffolk County, MA | 48 | 289 | 8.8 | $8.1M | +0.1% | #1,090 of 2,070 |
| 12Franklin County, MA | 41 | 30 | 9.5 | $6.9M | −0.3% | #1,328 of 2,070 |
| 13Nantucket County, MA | 41 | 8 | 15.2 | $5.4M | +3.6% | #1,338 of 2,070 |
| 14Dukes County, MA | 35 | 14 | 18.5 | $4.2M | +3.1% | #1,524 of 2,070 |
Questions
How many grocery stores are in Massachusetts?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,881 grocery stores in Massachusetts. 723 of them (38%) are chain locations. The listings count grocery stores and supermarkets. Official counts show 1,348 businesses with payroll classed as supermarkets and grocery stores in 2023, up 1.4% from 2019.
How much do households in Massachusetts spend on groceries?
About $20.6B a year, or $7,382 per household. That is 17% above the U.S. average (an index of 117, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,881 grocery stores on map listings, it comes to $10.9M 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 2,785,042 households in Massachusetts and national spending patterns by income.
How does Massachusetts compare with the U.S. for grocery stores?
Massachusetts has 6.8 grocery stores per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 6.8. Spending per store is $10.9M, 18% above the U.S. figure of $9.3M. At the U.S. ratio of grocery stores to household spending, Massachusetts would have about 2,212, against 1,881 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 2,066 households, against one for every 2,053 across the U.S. The official count rose 1.4% from 2019 to 2023, against 0.0% for the U.S.
Which market in Massachusetts has the highest market score for grocery stores?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Worcester metro area scores highest, at 75 (high). Among 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest, at 43 (lower middle). Among 14 scored counties in Massachusetts, Worcester County scores highest, at 78 (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. Massachusetts scores 67 for grocery stores (upper middle), #10 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 Massachusetts. 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
- 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 grocery stores across the U.S. · All business types in Massachusetts
Related business types in Massachusetts
- Grocery and convenience stores5,171 listings
- Convenience stores2,260 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Massachusetts?
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.