Market rankings · North Carolina
Grocery stores in North Carolina
Markets across North Carolina ranked by the Groundwork market score for grocery stores, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 3,176
- 1,607 chain locations (51%)
- Official establishments
- 2,007
- +3.5% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $25.8B
- On groceries
- Listings per 10k households
- 7.4
- 9% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $8.1M
- 13% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #34 of 51
- Market score 43 · Lower middle
A site report maps the grocery stores on map listings around any address in North Carolina 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 3,176 grocery stores in North Carolina. Of those, 1,607 are chain locations, or 51%, against 37% across the U.S. That is 7.4 per 10,000 households, 9% above the U.S. rate of 6.8.
Households in North Carolina spend about $25.8B a year on groceries, or $6,016 per household, 5% below the U.S. average. That is about $8.1M of household spending for each store on map listings, 13% below the U.S. figure of $9.3M. That spending covers all groceries, which grocery stores share with other businesses in the trade.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as supermarkets and grocery stores in North Carolina was 2,007 in 2023, up 3.5% from 2019. That is one for every 2,134 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, 24 SBA-backed loans worth $25.5M have gone to businesses classed as supermarkets and grocery stores in North Carolina.
Among the 50 states and DC, North Carolina ranks #34 for grocery stores, with a Groundwork market score of 43 (lower middle). Of the 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area scores highest (62). Of the 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest (67).
Every market in North Carolina for grocery stores
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in North Carolina, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 62 | 159 | 6.4 | $9.9M | +7.5% | #109 of 387 |
| 2Raleigh-Cary, NC | 60 | 384 | 6.7 | $10M | +12.6% | #128 of 387 |
| 3Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 58 | 716 | 6.7 | $9.5M | +10.1% | #140 of 387 |
| 4Jacksonville, NC | 57 | 44 | 5.8 | $9.9M | +6.0% | #147 of 387 |
| 5Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 56 | 28 | 6.4 | $9.8M | +10.3% | #155 of 387 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 54 | 422 | 6.0 | $10.5M | +0.9% | #175 of 387 |
| 6Wilmington, NC | 51 | 134 | 6.7 | $9.1M | +15.9% | #201 of 387 |
| 7Burlington, NC | 39 | 47 | 6.7 | $8.6M | +8.5% | #267 of 387 |
| 8Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 34 | 101 | 6.8 | $8.4M | +3.2% | #302 of 387 |
| 9Greenville, NC | 33 | 53 | 7.1 | $7.9M | +5.4% | #307 of 387 |
| 10Winston-Salem, NC | 32 | 198 | 7.0 | $8.3M | +5.3% | #312 of 387 |
| 11Fayetteville, NC | 31 | 96 | 6.4 | $8.8M | +1.6% | #316 of 387 |
| 12Asheville, NC | 30 | 131 | 8.1 | $7.4M | +3.6% | #326 of 387 |
| 13Greensboro-High Point, NC | 28 | 245 | 7.7 | $7.5M | +4.1% | #334 of 387 |
| 14Goldsboro, NC | 23 | 37 | 7.8 | $7.2M | +3.8% | #356 of 387 |
| 15Rocky Mount, NC | 18 | 54 | 9.2 | $6.1M | +2.8% | #376 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Anderson Creek, NC | 67 | 41 | 8.2 | $7.1M | +12.3% | #97 of 506 |
| 2Marion, NC | 58 | 12 | 6.4 | $8.6M | +1.5% | #175 of 506 |
| 3Brevard, NC | 56 | 10 | 6.9 | $8.5M | +2.9% | #207 of 506 |
| 4Forest City, NC | 55 | 18 | 6.8 | $8M | +2.1% | #220 of 506 |
| 5Waynesville, NC | 53 | 22 | 8.1 | $7M | +1.9% | #245 of 506 |
| 6Sanford, NC | 51 | 19 | 7.6 | $7.6M | +10.8% | #262 of 506 |
| 7Morehead City, NC | 51 | 30 | 9.4 | $6.4M | +4.1% | #265 of 506 |
| 8New Bern, NC | 49 | 38 | 7.2 | $7.9M | +3.6% | #274 of 506 |
| 9Elizabeth City, NC | 49 | 14 | 8.9 | $6.5M | +4.5% | #278 of 506 |
| 10Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC | 44 | 32 | 8.2 | $6.7M | +3.4% | #324 of 506 |
| 11Albemarle, NC | 41 | 27 | 10.7 | $5.3M | +9.8% | #349 of 506 |
| 12Washington, NC | 39 | 20 | 10.3 | $5.4M | 0.0% | #365 of 506 |
| 13Mount Airy, NC | 37 | 29 | 9.7 | $5.6M | +1.3% | #378 of 506 |
| 14Kill Devil Hills, NC | 36 | 27 | 16.0 | $4M | +3.3% | #389 of 506 |
| 15Wilson, NC | 34 | 26 | 7.9 | $7M | +1.7% | #399 of 506 |
| 16Boone, NC | 31 | 17 | 8.0 | $6.9M | +0.6% | #418 of 506 |
| 17Laurinburg, NC | 28 | 10 | 7.9 | $6.6M | −0.3% | #436 of 506 |
| 18North Wilkesboro, NC | 24 | 33 | 12.2 | $4.4M | +0.6% | #455 of 506 |
| 19Kinston, NC | 22 | 25 | 10.7 | $4.9M | +1.4% | #462 of 506 |
| 20Lumberton, NC | 19 | 56 | 13.0 | $3.9M | +3.4% | #478 of 506 |
| 21Henderson, NC | 16 | 18 | 11.1 | $4.8M | +0.2% | #486 of 506 |
| 22Rockingham, NC | 14 | 15 | 8.8 | $5.8M | −1.6% | #491 of 506 |
| 23Roanoke Rapids, NC | 10 | 29 | 10.3 | $5.1M | −4.3% | #497 of 506 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hoke County, NC | 81 | 5 | 2.6 | $22.1M | +9.0% | #159 of 2,070 |
| 2Lincoln County, NC | 79 | 21 | 5.7 | $10.9M | +13.2% | #225 of 2,070 |
| 3Davie County, NC | 77 | 10 | 5.8 | $10.6M | +6.9% | #258 of 2,070 |
| 4Brunswick County, NC | 76 | 39 | 5.6 | $10.8M | +26.5% | #278 of 2,070 |
| 5Durham County, NC | 75 | 86 | 6.1 | $10.4M | +7.7% | #304 of 2,070 |
| 6Cabarrus County, NC | 74 | 49 | 5.8 | $11M | +9.9% | #321 of 2,070 |
| 7Rowan County, NC | 71 | 31 | 5.3 | $11M | +5.6% | #388 of 2,070 |
| 8Wake County, NC | 70 | 305 | 6.6 | $10.3M | +11.2% | #412 of 2,070 |
| 9Union County, NC | 70 | 60 | 7.1 | $9.5M | +11.7% | #420 of 2,070 |
| 10Chatham County, NC | 69 | 23 | 7.0 | $9.5M | +11.0% | #444 of 2,070 |
| 11Moore County, NC | 68 | 28 | 6.4 | $9.8M | +10.3% | #463 of 2,070 |
| 12Iredell County, NC | 68 | 56 | 7.3 | $8.5M | +12.9% | #469 of 2,070 |
| 13Jackson County, NC | 67 | 8 | 4.3 | $12.7M | +6.9% | #475 of 2,070 |
| 14Onslow County, NC | 67 | 44 | 5.8 | $9.9M | +6.0% | #486 of 2,070 |
| 15Currituck County, NC | 66 | 7 | 5.9 | $11M | +16.7% | #509 of 2,070 |
| 16Person County, NC | 66 | 9 | 5.6 | $10.2M | +3.7% | #519 of 2,070 |
| 17Johnston County, NC | 66 | 58 | 6.8 | $9.2M | +17.9% | #526 of 2,070 |
| 18Mecklenburg County, NC | 66 | 329 | 7.1 | $9.1M | +10.5% | #527 of 2,070 |
| 19Orange County, NC | 66 | 41 | 7.2 | $9.1M | +6.1% | #528 of 2,070 |
| 20Franklin County, NC | 65 | 21 | 7.4 | $8.1M | +18.8% | #551 of 2,070 |
| 21Gaston County, NC | 64 | 61 | 6.5 | $8.9M | +7.8% | #577 of 2,070 |
| 22Harnett County, NC | 63 | 41 | 8.2 | $7.1M | +12.3% | #604 of 2,070 |
| 23Cherokee County, NC | 60 | 6 | 4.5 | $11.9M | +6.8% | #670 of 2,070 |
| 24New Hanover County, NC | 60 | 72 | 6.9 | $8.9M | +8.6% | #687 of 2,070 |
| 25Davidson County, NC | 57 | 41 | 5.9 | $9.8M | +6.6% | #774 of 2,070 |
Show all 100 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Catawba County, NC | 57 | 43 | 6.5 | $9M | +5.8% | #779 of 2,070 |
| 27Polk County, NC | 57 | 8 | 8.9 | $6.6M | +6.0% | #795 of 2,070 |
| 28Alamance County, NC | 56 | 47 | 6.7 | $8.6M | +8.5% | #818 of 2,070 |
| 29Henderson County, NC | 54 | 43 | 8.4 | $7M | +5.0% | #894 of 2,070 |
| 30Pender County, NC | 54 | 23 | 9.1 | $6.8M | +19.0% | #896 of 2,070 |
| 31Caswell County, NC | 52 | 5 | 5.7 | $9.6M | +0.4% | #935 of 2,070 |
| 32McDowell County, NC | 52 | 12 | 6.4 | $8.6M | +1.5% | #940 of 2,070 |
| 33Guilford County, NC | 51 | 159 | 7.2 | $8.2M | +4.4% | #987 of 2,070 |
| 34Pitt County, NC | 51 | 53 | 7.1 | $7.9M | +5.4% | #990 of 2,070 |
| 35Granville County, NC | 51 | 23 | 10.2 | $5.8M | +2.1% | #1,001 of 2,070 |
| 36Rutherford County, NC | 50 | 18 | 6.8 | $8M | +2.1% | #1,022 of 2,070 |
| 37Transylvania County, NC | 49 | 10 | 6.9 | $8.5M | +2.9% | #1,049 of 2,070 |
| 38Haywood County, NC | 49 | 22 | 8.1 | $7M | +1.9% | #1,062 of 2,070 |
| 39Stokes County, NC | 47 | 12 | 6.1 | $9.1M | +3.5% | #1,106 of 2,070 |
| 40Alexander County, NC | 47 | 9 | 6.4 | $8.8M | +1.5% | #1,109 of 2,070 |
| 41Caldwell County, NC | 47 | 22 | 6.7 | $8.3M | +0.7% | #1,113 of 2,070 |
| 42Forsyth County, NC | 47 | 121 | 7.6 | $7.8M | +5.0% | #1,116 of 2,070 |
| 43Lee County, NC | 47 | 19 | 7.6 | $7.6M | +10.8% | #1,120 of 2,070 |
| 44Carteret County, NC | 47 | 30 | 9.4 | $6.4M | +4.1% | #1,125 of 2,070 |
| 45Yadkin County, NC | 47 | 14 | 9.3 | $6.1M | +2.9% | #1,127 of 2,070 |
| 46Craven County, NC | 45 | 31 | 7.2 | $7.9M | +3.5% | #1,179 of 2,070 |
| 47Buncombe County, NC | 45 | 82 | 8.1 | $7.5M | +2.9% | #1,183 of 2,070 |
| 48Randolph County, NC | 45 | 47 | 8.1 | $6.9M | +3.5% | #1,189 of 2,070 |
| 49Pasquotank County, NC | 45 | 14 | 8.9 | $6.5M | +4.5% | #1,196 of 2,070 |
| 50Cumberland County, NC | 43 | 91 | 7.0 | $8M | +0.4% | #1,255 of 2,070 |
| 51Burke County, NC | 43 | 27 | 7.4 | $7.5M | +1.6% | #1,263 of 2,070 |
| 52Macon County, NC | 42 | 14 | 7.6 | $7.4M | +5.8% | #1,295 of 2,070 |
| 53Nash County, NC | 42 | 33 | 8.5 | $6.7M | +3.9% | #1,301 of 2,070 |
| 54Madison County, NC | 41 | 6 | 7.2 | $7.8M | +5.9% | #1,321 of 2,070 |
| 55Wayne County, NC | 41 | 37 | 7.8 | $7.2M | +3.8% | #1,324 of 2,070 |
| 56Cleveland County, NC | 40 | 32 | 8.2 | $6.7M | +3.4% | #1,360 of 2,070 |
| 57Rockingham County, NC | 40 | 39 | 9.8 | $5.6M | +3.3% | #1,371 of 2,070 |
| 58Stanly County, NC | 40 | 27 | 10.7 | $5.3M | +9.8% | #1,378 of 2,070 |
| 59Ashe County, NC | 39 | 10 | 8.2 | $6.7M | +3.5% | #1,397 of 2,070 |
| 60Beaufort County, NC | 38 | 20 | 10.3 | $5.4M | 0.0% | #1,439 of 2,070 |
| 61Yancey County, NC | 37 | 8 | 9.8 | $5.7M | +3.2% | #1,462 of 2,070 |
| 62Montgomery County, NC | 36 | 10 | 9.4 | $5.9M | +2.7% | #1,484 of 2,070 |
| 63Avery County, NC | 36 | 7 | 10.3 | $5.6M | +1.1% | #1,487 of 2,070 |
| 64Mitchell County, NC | 35 | 5 | 7.6 | $7.2M | +1.1% | #1,501 of 2,070 |
| 65Surry County, NC | 35 | 29 | 9.7 | $5.6M | +1.3% | #1,515 of 2,070 |
| 66Dare County, NC | 33 | 27 | 16.0 | $4M | +3.3% | #1,586 of 2,070 |
| 67Wilson County, NC | 31 | 26 | 7.9 | $7M | +1.7% | #1,614 of 2,070 |
| 68Sampson County, NC | 30 | 27 | 12.5 | $4.3M | +4.1% | #1,656 of 2,070 |
| 69Watauga County, NC | 29 | 17 | 8.0 | $6.9M | +0.6% | #1,669 of 2,070 |
| 70Scotland County, NC | 28 | 10 | 7.9 | $6.6M | −0.3% | #1,690 of 2,070 |
| 71Warren County, NC | 28 | 8 | 9.8 | $5.4M | +1.6% | #1,701 of 2,070 |
| 72Northampton County, NC | 27 | 7 | 8.9 | $6M | −5.4% | #1,721 of 2,070 |
| 73Alleghany County, NC | 27 | 6 | 11.6 | $4.5M | +5.4% | #1,734 of 2,070 |
| 74Duplin County, NC | 27 | 29 | 14.0 | $3.9M | +6.0% | #1,737 of 2,070 |
| 75Martin County, NC | 25 | 9 | 9.5 | $5.6M | −1.6% | #1,776 of 2,070 |
| 76Wilkes County, NC | 24 | 33 | 12.2 | $4.4M | +0.6% | #1,801 of 2,070 |
| 77Lenoir County, NC | 22 | 25 | 10.7 | $4.9M | +1.4% | #1,845 of 2,070 |
| 78Bladen County, NC | 21 | 12 | 10.1 | $5.1M | +1.3% | #1,867 of 2,070 |
| 79Greene County, NC | 21 | 8 | 11.6 | $4.6M | +1.3% | #1,872 of 2,070 |
| 80Edgecombe County, NC | 20 | 21 | 10.7 | $5M | +0.7% | #1,883 of 2,070 |
| 81Robeson County, NC | 19 | 56 | 13.0 | $3.9M | +3.4% | #1,903 of 2,070 |
| 82Vance County, NC | 16 | 18 | 11.1 | $4.8M | +0.2% | #1,939 of 2,070 |
| 83Richmond County, NC | 15 | 15 | 8.8 | $5.8M | −1.6% | #1,950 of 2,070 |
| 84Anson County, NC | 14 | 8 | 9.4 | $5.5M | −2.1% | #1,968 of 2,070 |
| 85Columbus County, NC | 14 | 25 | 12.5 | $4.2M | 0.0% | #1,973 of 2,070 |
| 86Hertford County, NC | 12 | 12 | 14.5 | $3.6M | −11.2% | #1,994 of 2,070 |
| 87Halifax County, NC | 11 | 22 | 10.8 | $4.8M | −3.9% | #2,001 of 2,070 |
| Bertie County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 5.6 | $9.6M | −3.6% | |
| Swain County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 6.7 | $8.3M | −0.6% | |
| Chowan County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 4.9 | $11.5M | +2.8% | |
| Perquimans County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 7.1 | $8.1M | +3.6% | |
| Pamlico County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 7.3 | $7.7M | +3.7% | |
| Clay County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 5.9 | $9.5M | +9.9% | |
| Camden County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 5.0 | $12.6M | +8.8% | |
| Washington County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 8.4 | $6.1M | −3.1% | |
| Gates County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 4.8 | $11.7M | −2.1% | |
| Jones County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 7.3 | $7.5M | +4.6% | |
| Graham County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.8 | $19.1M | +1.9% | |
| Hyde County, NC | Not scored | 6 | 30.9 | $1.7M | +1.0% | |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 12.9 | $3.9M | +9.3% |
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 North Carolina?
There are 3,176 grocery stores on map listings in North Carolina as of September 2026. 1,607 of them (51%) are chain locations. The listings count grocery stores and supermarkets. Official counts show 2,007 businesses with payroll classed as supermarkets and grocery stores in 2023, up 3.5% from 2019.
How much do households in North Carolina spend on groceries?
About $25.8B a year, or $6,016 per household. That is 5% below the U.S. average (an index of 95, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 3,176 grocery stores on map listings, it comes to $8.1M per store. The spending figure covers all groceries, not only grocery stores. It is estimated from the incomes of the 4,282,345 households in North Carolina and national spending patterns by income.
How does North Carolina compare with the U.S. for grocery stores?
North Carolina has 7.4 grocery stores per 10,000 households, 9% above the U.S. rate of 6.8. Spending per store is $8.1M, 13% below the U.S. figure of $9.3M. At the national ratio of grocery stores to household spending, North Carolina would have about 2,772, against 3,176 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 2,134 households, against one for every 2,053 across the U.S. The official count rose 3.5% from 2019 to 2023, against 0.0% for the U.S.
Which market in North Carolina has the highest market score for grocery stores?
Among 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area scores highest, at 62 (upper middle). Among 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest, at 67 (upper middle). Among 87 scored counties in North Carolina, Hoke County scores highest, at 81 (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. North Carolina scores 43 for grocery stores (lower middle), #34 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 North Carolina. 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
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Top markets for grocery stores across the U.S. · All business types in North Carolina
Related business types in North Carolina
- Grocery and convenience stores8,652 listings
- Convenience stores3,984 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in North Carolina?
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.