About the Mall Index: The Index analyzes data from 100 top-tier indoor malls, 100 open-air shopping centers (not including outlet malls) and 100 outlet malls across the country, in both urban and suburban areas. Placer.ai leverages a panel of tens of millions of devices and utilizes machine learning to make estimations for visits to locations across the country.
Open-Air Centers Extend Their Lead
Mall traffic remained resilient in October 2026, with indoor malls, open-air centers, and outlet malls all posting year-over-year (YoY) visit growth. Once again, open-air shopping centers led the pack – with visits up 5.8%, compared with 4.1% at indoor malls and 3.6% at outlet malls.
To be sure, as in September, October’s results benefited from a calendar assist: The month included an additional Saturday compared with October 2025. Still, that extra Saturday fell on Halloween, when mall traffic tends to be lighter than usual – and the calendar boost does not fully account for the positive YoY growth across all three formats.
Higher Incomes, Shorter Drives
What’s behind open-air centers’ sustained outperformance? One possible explanation is their combination of affluent shoppers and shorter travel distances. Between January and October 2026, open-air center visitors had a median household income (HHI) of $109.2K, compared with $101.1K for indoor malls and $92.1K for outlets. And visitors to open-air centers traveled a median distance of just 7.0 miles, compared with 8.4 miles for indoor malls and 17.1 miles for outlets.
In a year marked by elevated gas prices and continued consumer caution, both factors may offer an advantage. Shorter travel distances make open-air centers a more convenient option for shoppers looking to limit driving costs, while their relatively affluent visitor bases may be better positioned to maintain spending. Indeed, October's decline in consumer sentiment was driven largely by lower-income households, while higher-income consumers continue to account for a growing share of overall spending.
Still, outlets' return to YoY growth in September and October offers an encouraging sign. And as the holidays get into full swing, their greater appeal to deal-seeking consumers could help offset the challenges posed by longer travel distances.
Different Strengths for the Holidays
With holiday spending expected to rise 4.2% this year and visits growing across all three mall formats, each has strengths to build on heading into the holidays.
Open-air centers are well-positioned to benefit from their combination of convenience and affluence, while indoor malls offer a middle ground between accessibility and destination shopping. And outlets could capitalize on shoppers' growing appetite for deals, as budget-conscious consumers look to stretch their holiday dollars.
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