Market rankings · Massachusetts
Restaurants and cafes in Massachusetts
Markets across Massachusetts ranked by the Groundwork market score for restaurants and cafes, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 29,600
- 7,898 chain locations (27%)
- Official establishments
- 14,609
- +1.9% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $13B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 106.3
- 3% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $441K
- 19% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #7 of 51
- Market score 66 · Upper middle
A site report maps the restaurants and cafes 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
As of September 2026, map listings count 29,600 restaurants and cafes in Massachusetts. 7,898 of them (27%) are chain locations, against 34% across the U.S. That comes to 106.3 for every 10,000 households, 3% below the U.S. rate of 109.8.
At $4,685 per household (15% above the U.S. average), households in Massachusetts spend about $13B a year on food away from home. That is about $441K of household spending for each restaurant on map listings, 19% above the U.S. figure of $371K.
Official counts show 14,609 businesses with payroll classed as restaurants and other eating places in Massachusetts in 2023, up 1.9% from 2019. That is one for every 191 households, against one for every 209 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 6.0% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 783 SBA-backed loans worth $304.8M have gone to businesses classed as restaurants and other eating places in Massachusetts.
Among the 50 states and DC, Massachusetts ranks #7 for restaurants and cafes, with a Groundwork market score of 66 (upper middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Worcester metro area scores highest (78). Of the 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest (63).
Every market in Massachusetts for restaurants and cafes
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 | 78 | 3,064 | 91.2 | $486K | +3.7% | #22 of 387 |
| 2Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 65 | 644 | 103.7 | $406K | +10.4% | #96 of 387 |
| 3Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 64 | 21,147 | 109.0 | $454K | +2.3% | #101 of 387 |
| 4Springfield, MA | 62 | 1,665 | 90.3 | $418K | +0.2% | #111 of 387 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 45 | 7,489 | 110.9 | $377K | +2.1% | #220 of 387 |
| 5Barnstable Town, MA | 32 | 1,590 | 150.3 | $298K | +2.4% | #323 of 387 |
| 6Pittsfield, MA | 19 | 773 | 134.2 | $292K | −1.2% | #373 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Greenfield, MA | 63 | 297 | 94.1 | $402K | −0.3% | #141 of 538 |
| 2Nantucket, MA | 37 | 158 | 300.8 | $185K | +3.6% | #404 of 538 |
| 3Vineyard Haven, MA | 36 | 232 | 305.9 | $164K | +3.1% | #412 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Worcester County, MA | 69 | 3,064 | 91.2 | $486K | +3.7% | #428 of 2,405 |
| 2Plymouth County, MA | 67 | 1,924 | 94.7 | $515K | +3.5% | #475 of 2,405 |
| 3Norfolk County, MA | 65 | 2,766 | 97.6 | $540K | +2.2% | #542 of 2,405 |
| 4Middlesex County, MA | 65 | 6,402 | 100.9 | $521K | +2.8% | #546 of 2,405 |
| 5Bristol County, MA | 62 | 2,091 | 89.4 | $465K | +2.9% | #675 of 2,405 |
| 6Hampshire County, MA | 61 | 644 | 103.7 | $406K | +10.4% | #726 of 2,405 |
| 7Essex County, MA | 59 | 3,177 | 101.5 | $456K | +2.3% | #792 of 2,405 |
| 8Hampden County, MA | 55 | 1,665 | 90.3 | $418K | +0.2% | #959 of 2,405 |
| 9Franklin County, MA | 51 | 297 | 94.1 | $402K | −0.3% | #1,140 of 2,405 |
| 10Barnstable County, MA | 36 | 1,590 | 150.3 | $298K | +2.4% | #1,797 of 2,405 |
| 11Nantucket County, MA | 34 | 158 | 300.8 | $185K | +3.6% | #1,892 of 2,405 |
| 12Suffolk County, MA | 33 | 4,817 | 147.2 | $305K | +0.1% | #1,921 of 2,405 |
| 13Dukes County, MA | 33 | 232 | 305.9 | $164K | +3.1% | #1,932 of 2,405 |
| 14Berkshire County, MA | 26 | 773 | 134.2 | $292K | −1.2% | #2,159 of 2,405 |
Questions
How many restaurants and cafes are in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 29,600 restaurants and cafes on map listings as of September 2026. 7,898 of them (27%) are chain locations. The listings count every restaurant, cafe, bar, bakery and food truck. Official counts show 14,609 businesses with payroll classed as restaurants and other eating places in 2023, up 1.9% from 2019. Official counts also show 2,389 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Massachusetts spend on food away from home?
About $13B a year, or $4,685 per household. That is 15% above the U.S. average (an index of 115, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 29,600 restaurants and cafes on map listings, it comes to $441K per restaurant. 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 restaurants and cafes?
Massachusetts has 106.3 restaurants and cafes per 10,000 households, 3% below the U.S. rate of 109.8. Spending per restaurant is $441K, 19% above the U.S. figure of $371K. At the national ratio of restaurants and cafes to household spending, Massachusetts would have about 35,190, against 29,600 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 191 households, against one for every 209 across the U.S. The official count rose 1.9% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.0% for the U.S.
Which market in Massachusetts has the highest market score for restaurants and cafes?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Worcester metro area scores highest, at 78 (high). Among 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest, at 63 (upper middle). Among 14 scored counties in Massachusetts, Worcester County scores highest, at 69 (upper middle). 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 66 for restaurants and cafes (upper middle), #7 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 restaurants and cafes 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.
Restaurants and cafes 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 restaurants and cafes across the U.S. · All business types in Massachusetts
Related business types in Massachusetts
- Sit-down restaurants16,727 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops2,459 listings
- Pizza2,883 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes3,436 listings
- Bakeries and dessert shops3,355 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.