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Bowlero Corporation operates more than 350 bowling alleys nationwide, under a portfolio of brands that includes Bowlero and AMF – the company’s two largest chains. How have the bowling alleys performed this year?
We dove into the data to find out.
A look at year-over-year (YoY) visitation trends shows that after a January weather-induced slump and a lackluster three months between February and April 2024, YoY visits to both Bowlero and AMF Bowling Centers picked up major steam. Beginning in May, the two chains saw consistent monthly YoY visit growth ranging from 8.4% to 21.9%.
Fleet expansions undoubtedly contributed to the chains’ summer traffic jumps – but the visit increases were likely also driven by the reintroduction of Bowlero’s popular summer season pass – redeemable across the company’s portfolio of brands – which entitles customers to two free games daily at a center of their choosing. (A premium version can be used at any of the company’s locations.) The pass, which was valid from May 24th to September 2nd, proved to be such a runaway success this year that the company decided to launch a similar promotion for fall. This year’s record-breaking heat may have also contributed to the bowling alleys’ visit boosts – as consumers sought to cool down with indoor activities.
Bowlero and AMF are owned by the same company, but customers seem to interact with each brand slightly differently. Between January and August 2024, AMF attracted a higher share of frequent visitors than Bowlero – perhaps indicating the brand’s positioning as a destination for more serious bowlers and league participants.
On average, 21.4% of AMF’s visitors frequented the chain at least twice a month during the analyzed period – and 8.4% visited at least four times a month. Meanwhile, Bowlero, which touts itself as a “bowling/dining/nightlife experience,” drew smaller shares of frequent visitors – though 16.5% of Bowlero visitors turned out 2+ times a month on average during the analyzed period, and 5.7% visited at least four times a month.
Bowlero, which attracts more casual bowlers than AMF, is also a destination for families. Between January and August 2024, Bowlero’s captured market featured a higher-than-average share of households with children – 28.5%, compared to 26.5% for AMF and a nationwide baseline of 26.9%.
AMF, for its part, was more popular among singles: During the analyzed period, 28.6% of its captured market was made up of one-person households – more than both the nationwide baseline and that of Bowlero (26.7%).
Still, though Bowlero and AMF attract somewhat different audiences, drilling down further into the psychographic segmentation of their captured markets shows that bowling really is an all-American favorite pastime.
During the analyzed period, Bowlero’s was more likely to attract “Young Professionals” and “Near-Urban Diverse Families” – middle-class families living in and around cities – while AMF was more likely to attract upper-middle class, suburban families (“Upper-Suburban Diverse Families”) and households from “Blue Collar Suburbs”. But despite these differences, both chains attracted consumers from a variety of communities, highlighting their broad appeal.
Will consumers continue frequenting bowling alleys as the weather cools down – and will Bowlero’s autumn season pass be as successful as its summer one?
Follow Placer.ai’s data-driven analyses to find out.
This blog includes data from Placer.ai Data Version 2.1, which introduces a new dynamic model that stabilizes daily fluctuations in the panel, improving accuracy and alignment with external ground truth sources.
Recreational retailers – from hobby shops to arts and crafts retailers and bookstores – can play a role in fostering creativity and community.
We took a closer look at several players in the space – including Barnes & Noble, Half Price Books, Hobby Lobby, and Michaes – to see how they are faring as 2024 draws to a close.
One of the biggest challenges traditional brick-and-mortar retailers have faced in recent decades is the rise of online shopping, especially from Amazon – ironically, a company that started as a book retailer. Yet, in 2024, brick-and-mortar bookstores are defying expectations and thriving. Nearly every month this year, chains like Barnes & Noble and Half Price Books have seen more foot traffic at their stores than in 2023.
Despite closing several locations over the past year, Half Price Books experienced significant YoY visit increases between May and August 2024 – with only July seeing a YoY lag likely reflective of the chain’s substantial July 2023 seasonal uptick. Meanwhile, Barnes & Noble – which has been expanding its fleet – saw YoY foot traffic increases ranging from 8.0% to 17.2% throughout the analyzed period. Both chains finished off the summer with impressive 14.3% (Barnes & Noble) and 10.3% (Half Price Books) YoY boosts.
Analyzing monthly fluctuations in visits to the two chains relative to a January 1, 2021 baseline shows just how important both the summer and holiday seasons are for the two bookstores. As brands that cater to both families and college students (see below), Barnes & Noble and Half Price Books see significant annual summer visit upticks in July and August – likely boosted by back-to-school shopping. But particularly for Barnes & Noble, the real magic happens during the holiday season, when people flock to the chain in search of gifts for loved ones.
Bookstores’ strong performance shows that consumers are voting with their feet – embracing the special – and irreplaceable –reading and browsing experience provided by brick-and-mortar stores. And with a strong summer under their belts, Barnes & Noble and Half Price books have every reason to expect a highly successful Q4 2024.
Diving into trade area demographics shows that both Barnes & Noble and Half Price Books appeal to diverse audiences – outperforming nationwide baselines for everything from “Wealthy Suburban Families” to “Young Professionals” (a segment group that includes college students) and “Blue Collar Suburbs”. Still, there are differences between the two chains – offering opportunities for the retailers to tailor their marketing strategies to align with their respective visitors.
Barnes & Noble’s captured market trade area, for example, features a higher share of the middle-class “Near Urban Diverse Families” segment group – while that of Half Price Books features higher shares of the other analyzed segments. The chains’ different audiences can help them strategically curate their book assortments and offer a more tailored experience for their customers – a strategy that Barnes & Noble has placed at the center of its blueprint for growth.
While bookstores have thrived in 2024, craft stores have faced a more mixed performance. Hobby Lobby and Michaels both experienced varying YoY foot traffic trends, with monthly visits tracking closely with 2023’s. Still, August 2024 visits were elevated by 7.9% and 6.0% at Hobby Lobby and Michaels, proving the significance of the back-to-school season.
Weekly visit data further highlights the significant impact of the back-to-school season on craft retailers – which offer both classroom decor and school supplies. As the shopping season kicked in, Hobby Lobby and Michaels both experienced notable increases in foot traffic compared to their year-to-date (YTD) averages.
The week of September 2, 2024 in particular was a strong one across both chains, with visits surging to their highest levels relative to the YTD average. Hobby Lobby experienced an 18.3% surge in visits and Michaels grew by 15.9%. This data emphasizes the critical role seasonality plays in driving traffic to craft retailers, particularly during key periods like back-to-school, when customers are stocking up on supplies. And since the category usually sees its biggest monthly spike during the holiday season (December 2023 visits to Hobby Lobby were 57.7% higher than the 2023 monthly visit average and 52.1% higher at Michaels), the chains seem poised to see more visitors in the coming months. October visits will also likely rise for the two chains, as customers go on the hunt for fall decor.
Hobby and recreational stores have shown resilience and adaptability in 2024, with strong seasonal peaks and diverse customer bases fueling their visits. With the holiday season fast approaching, these companies seem set to continue experiencing foot traffic boosts for the rest of the year.
Visit Placer.ai to keep up with the latest data-driven retail news.
This blog includes data from Placer.ai Data Version 2.1, which introduces a new dynamic model that stabilizes daily fluctuations in the panel, improving accuracy and alignment with external ground truth sources.
In September 2024, Placer.ai released two white papers: The Healthcare Opportunity in Grocery and Pricing Strategies Driving Restaurant Visits in 2024. Below is a taste of our findings from The Healthcare Opportunity in Grocery – which dove into the data to explore the impact that wellness offerings can have on grocery store visitation patterns.
Today, many grocery stores offer a range of services – from primary and urgent care to dental and mental health care. In addition to providing an important community service, in-store clinics can boost foot traffic at chains, help health providers reach more patients, and allow shoppers to manage their health and home needs in one convenient trip.
Analyzing foot traffic to grocery stores with and without in-store clinics shows that across chains, locations with on-site healthcare offerings drew more visits in H1 2024 than their chain-wide averages.
The Kroger Co., for example, has been a leader in in-store healthcare services since the early aughts. The company introduced its in-store medical center, The Little Clinic in 2003 – and today operates over 225 Little Clinic locations across its Kroger banner, as well as regional chains Dillons, Jay C Food Stores, Fry’s, and King Soopers.
And in H1 2024, the eight Dillons locations with clinics saw, on average, 93.0% more visits per location than the chain’s banner-wide average. Jay C, which offers two in-store clinics, also saw visits to these venues outpace the H1 2024 banner-wide average by 92.9%. For both chains, relatively small overall footprints may contribute to their outsize visit differences: Indiana-focused Jay C operates just 22 locations, all in the Hoosier State, while Kansas-based Dillons has some 64 locations.
But similar patterns, if somewhat less pronounced, could be observed at Kroger (43.0%), Fry’s (19.2%), and King Soopers (16.5%) – as well as at H-E-B (14.5%), which boasts its own expanding network of in-store clinics.
An analysis of household compositions across the potential and captured markets of Kroger-owned stores with and without Little Clinic offerings suggests that families with children are extremely receptive to these services.
In H1 2024, Kroger, King Soopers, Fry’s, Jay C, and Dillons all featured captured markets with higher shares of STI: PopStats’ “Households With Children” segment than their potential ones – highlighting the chains’ appeal for families. But the share of parental households in those stores with Little Clinics jumped significantly higher for all five banners.
The share of families with children in King Soopers’ overall captured market stood at 28.3% in H1 2024, higher than the 27.2% in its potential one. But the households with children in the captured markets of King Soopers locations with Little Clinics was significantly higher – 30.6% – and similar patterns emerged at Jay C, Dillons, Kroger, and Fry’s.
This special draw is likely linked to the clinics' focus on family health services like physicals, nutrition plans, and vaccines. The convenience of being able to take care of healthcare, grocery shopping, and pharmacy needs all in one go makes these stores particularly attractive to parents. And this jump in foot traffic shows the strategic advantage of incorporating healthcare services into the retail environment.
Read the full report here to learn more about the impact of healthcare services on grocery visits and customer loyalty. Are shoppers more or less likely to make repeat visits to grocery stores with healthcare services? And how does the addition of a clinic affect the demographic profile of a grocery store’s captured market?
For more data-driven consumer research, visit our resource library.
2024 has been a good year for fast-casual restaurants. Limited-time offers notwithstanding, rising QSR prices have narrowed the price gap between fast food and the more premium offerings of chains like Chipotle and sweetgreen. And with many fast-casual restaurants upping their convenience games with drive-thrus and other innovations, the distinction between the two segments has become increasingly muddied.
So with summer winding down, we dove into the data to explore segment-level consumer behavior at quick-service and fast-casual restaurants. How are they performing this year? And do consumers still interact differently with the two categories?
We dove into the data to find out.
During the first half of 2024, fast-casual restaurants experienced 3.2% year-over-year (YoY) visit growth, while QSR held steady with a minor 0.4% uptick. As QSR favorites have gotten pricier, some budget-conscious diners have responded by trading up – embracing elevated fast-casual experiences that hit the sweet spot between quality and affordability.
Drilling down deeper into the data, however, paints a more nuanced picture. On weekends, both QSRs and fast-casual chains experienced positive YoY visit growth (2.1% and 4.0%, respectively) – a significant difference, but not a tremendous one. On their days off, it seems, Americans are opting for a variety of value-oriented indulgences, and both segments are benefiting.
But on weekdays, fast-casual foot traffic grew by 2.8%, while QSR visits declined slightly by 0.2%. As the return-to-office (RTO) continues apace, more affluent office workers may be driving a weekday fast-casual renaissance.
A look at driving distances to QSR and fast-casual restaurants provides further evidence that commuters may be contributing to fast-casual’s weekday YoY visit growth.
In H1 2024, a higher share of QSR visits came from customers hailing from CBGs less than two miles away from the restaurants – suggesting that QSR visitors were more likely to frequent local, neighborhood venues. Meanwhile, a significantly higher percentage of fast-casual visits (63.6%) originated from CBGs between two and 30 miles away, compared to just 56.8% for QSR. These less-local visitors may be stopping by a fast-casual establishment during their lunch break or after work, on days when they commute to the office.
Interestingly, QSRs and fast-casual restaurants drew similar shares of visitors from CBGs more than 30 miles away – perhaps suggesting that when traveling, consumers enjoy frequenting both segments.
Given fast-casual’s higher-quality offerings, it may come as no surprise that these chains tend to attract a more affluent clientele than their QSR counterparts. During the first half of 2024, the Census Block Groups (CBGs) feeding visitors to QSRs (i.e. their captured market) had a weighted median household income (HHI) of $65.7K – compared to $78.0K for fast-casual chains.
But medians only tell a part of the story – and a closer look at the segments’ visitor bases reveals a striking similarity between them: In H1 2024, the two categories’ captured markets featured nearly equal shares of a key demographic – households earning between $75K and $100K per year. This group includes both average-income families and those with a bit more money to spend. (According to STI:PopStats, the nationwide median HHI stands at $76.1K). And the ability of both quick-service restaurants and fast-casual chains to attract these consumers shows that despite their differences, the two segments do overlap – and both have plenty to offer today’s consumers.
Despite still-high prices, consumers are finding room in their budgets for affordable splurges – and fast-casual restaurants and QSRs (at least on weekends) are benefiting. How will the two segments continue to fare in the upcoming holiday season? And will their demographic middle ground expand as the line between the two categories continues to blur?
Follow Placer.ai’s data-driven restaurant analyses to find out.
This blog includes data from Placer.ai Data Version 2.1, which introduces a new dynamic model that stabilizes daily fluctuations in the panel, improving accuracy and alignment with external ground truth sources.
Walmart-owned Sam’s Club has been investing in its own independent retail media network (RMN) – Sam’s Club Members Access Platform (MAP) – for quite some time. This past summer, the RMN launched opt-in display ads in the “Scan & Go” self-checkout feature on the Sam’s Club mobile app, turning any mobile device into an in-club media channel for the chain.
We dove into the latest location analytics for Sam’s Club to understand how in-store foot traffic could drive the success of Scan & Go ads in the chain’s largest markets.
Scan & Go aims to enhance the shopping experience by suggesting product pairings for already-scanned items. The feature’s high adoption rate and frequent usage among Sam’s Club members contributes to its potential as a highly successful advertising channel. And location data indicates that the feature has the ability to attract a growing number of eyeballs.
Nationwide, Sam’s Club drew 5.1% more unique visitors during the first eight months of 2024, and 6.2% more overall visits, than in the equivalent period of 2023. In Texas, the state with the most Sam’s Club locations, the chain saw even more impressive year-over-year (YoY) unique visitor (6.9%) and visit (7.9%) growth – which could add to the appeal of advertising through Scan & Go in the Lone Star State. Meanwhile, Florida – Sam’s Club’s second-biggest market – saw YoY visit and unique visitor growth slightly below the nationwide baseline. But in the Sunshine State, too, the chain saw significant YoY jumps in visits and unique visitors – and experienced longer average dwell time than the chain’s nationwide average.
Diving into the audience segmentation of Sam’s Club’s trade areas in Texas and Florida reveals how each state offers a unique advertising opportunity to the brand’s retail media partners.
Between September 2023 and August 2024, the Sam’s Club’s Texas captured market had a higher share of families with children (31.1%) than its Florida one (24.7%), highlighting the chain’s greater reach among this demographic in the Lone Star State. But parental households are generally more common in Texas than Florida – and while Sam’s Club’s Texas markets were under-indexed for this demographic compared to the statewide baseline, the chain’s Florida markets were over-indexed for it compared to the Sunshine State’s lower baseline. So for advertisers seeking to reach Florida households with children, Sam’s Club offers a particularly enticing opportunity to do so.
Meanwhile, Sam’s Club’s Texas captured market featured a higher share of “Near-Urban Diverse Families” (8.6%) than the statewide baseline of 6.2%, while the brand’s Florida market had a slightly smaller share of the segment (6.2%) than the statewide baseline (7.3%). Texas Sam’s Club locations, it seems, offer more focused access to this demographic – both in absolute terms, and in relation to statewide baselines.
Looking closely at weekly visitation patterns to Sam’s Club in Texas and Florida provides further insight into the ideal timing for engagement with the brand’s RMN.
Between September 2023 and August 2024, the busiest days at Sam’s Club in both Florida and Texas were Saturdays and Sundays. However, Texas locations had a greater share of its weekend visits between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM, while Florida saw a greater share of its weekend traffic between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM.
An understanding of these patterns could help advertisers and Sam’s Club predict the potential for Scan & Go usership at specific times – offering insight into strategies and pricing methods that account for peak visitation times.
At present, Scan & Go display ads are available at all Sam’s Club’s stores, but only to select members – which means the potential engagement and revenue streams driven by the new feature have yet to be fully realized. And as Scan & Go display ads achieve success, the chain may explore additional enhancements to its multi-channel RMN.
For updates and more retail foot traffic insights, visit Placer.ai.
This blog includes data from Placer.ai Data Version 2.1, which introduces a new dynamic model that stabilizes daily fluctuations in the panel, improving accuracy and alignment with external ground truth sources.
The COVID-19 pandemic – and the subsequent shift to remote work – has fundamentally redefined where and how people live and work, creating new opportunities for smaller cities to thrive.
But where are relocators going in 2024 – and what are they looking for? This post dives into the data for several CBSAs with populations ranging from 500K to 2.5 million that have seen positive net domestic migration over the past several years – where population inflow outpaces outflow. Who is moving to these hubs, and what is drawing them?
The past few years have seen a shift in where people are moving. While major metropolitan areas like New York still attract newcomers, smaller cities, which offer a balance of affordability, livability, and career opportunities, are becoming attractive alternatives for those looking to relocate.
Between July 2020 and July 2024, for example, the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX CBSA, saw net domestic migration of 3.6% – not surprising, given the city of Austin’s ranking among U.S. News and World Report’s top places to live in 2024-5. Raleigh-Cary, NC, which also made the list, experienced net population inflow of 2.6%. And other metro areas, including Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR (3.3%), Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (1.4%), Oklahoma City, OK (1.1%), and Madison, WI (0.6%) have seen more domestic relocators moving in than out over the past four years.
All of these CBSAs have also continued to see positive net migration over the past 12 months – highlighting their continued appeal into 2024.
What is driving domestic migration to these hubs? While these metropolitan areas span various regions of the country, they share a common characteristic: They all attract residents coming, on average, from CBSAs with younger and less affluent populations.
Between July 2020 and July 2024, for example, relocators to high-income Raleigh, NC – where the median household income (HHI) stands at $84K – tended to hail from CBSAs with a significantly lower weighted median HHI ($66.9K). Similarly, those moving to Austin, TX – where the median HHI is $85.4K – tended to come from regions with a median HHI of $69.9K. This pattern suggests that these cities offer newcomers an aspirational leap in both career and financial prospects.
Moreover, most of these CBSAs are drawing residents with a younger weighted median age than that of their existing residents, reinforcing their appeal as destinations for those still establishing and growing their careers. Des Moines and Oklahoma City, in particular, saw the largest gaps between the median age of newcomers and that of the existing population.
Career opportunities and affordable housing are major drivers of migration, and data from Niche’s Neighborhood Grades suggests that these CBSAs attract newcomers due to their strong performance in both areas. All of the analyzed CBSAs had better "Jobs" and "Housing" grades compared to the regions from which people migrated. For example, Austin, Texas received the highest "Jobs" rating with an A-, while most new arrivals came from areas where the "Jobs" grade was a B.
While the other analyzed CBSAs showed smaller improvements in job ratings, the combination of improvements in both “Jobs” and “Housing” make them appealing destinations for those seeking better economic opportunities and affordability.
Young professionals may be more open than ever to living in smaller metro areas, offering opportunities for cities like Austin and Raleigh to thrive. And the demographic analysis of newcomers to these CBSAs underscores their appeal to individuals seeking job opportunities and upward mobility.
Will these CBSAs continue to attract newcomers and cement their status as vibrant, opportunity-rich hubs for young professionals? And how will this new mix of population impact these growing markets?
Visit Placer.ai to keep up with the latest data-driven civic news.
1. Idaho and South Carolina have emerged as significant domestic migration magnets over the past four years. Between January 2021 and 2025, both states gained over 3.0% of their populations through domestic migration. Other Mountain and Sun Belt states – including Nevada, Montana, and Florida – also drew significant inflow, while California, New York, and Illinois experienced the greatest outmigration.
2. Interstate migration cooled noticeably in 2024. During the 12-month period ending January 2025, California, New York and Illinois saw their outflows slow dramatically, while domestic migration hotspots like Georgia, Texas, and Florida saw inflows flatten to zero. A similar cooling trend emerged on a CBSA level.
3. Still, some states continued to see notable relocation activity over the past year. In 2024, Idaho, South Carolina, and North Dakota drew the most relocators relative to their populations. And among the nation’s ten largest states, North Carolina led with an inflow of 0.4%.
4. Phoenix remained a rare bright spot among the nation’s ten largest metro areas. The CBSA was the only major analyzed hub to maintain positive net domestic migration through 2024.
Over the past several years, the United States has experienced significant domestic migration shifts, driven by factors like remote work, housing affordability, and regional economic opportunities. As some areas reap the benefits of population inflows, others grapple with outflows tied to higher living costs and evolving workplace dynamics.
This report dives into the location analytics to explore where Americans have moved since 2021 – and how these patterns began to change in 2024.
Since 2021, Americans have flocked toward warmer climates, expansive natural scenery, and more affordable housing options – particularly in the Mountain and Sun Belt states.
Between January 2021 and January 2025, South Carolina led the nation in positive net domestic migration – drawing an influx of newcomers equivalent to 3.6% of its January 2025 population. (This metric is referred to as a state’s “net migrated percent of population.”) Next in line was Idaho with a 3.4% net migrated percent of population, followed by Nevada, (2.8%), Montana (2.8%), Florida (2.1%), South Dakota (2.1%), Wyoming (2.0%), North Carolina (2.0%), and Tennessee (1.9%). Texas saw positive net migration of just 0.9% during the same period. However, the Lone Star State’s large overall population means a substantial number of newcomers in absolute terms.
Meanwhile, California (-2.2%), New York (-2.1%), and Illinois (-1.9%) experienced the greatest outflows relative to their populations. This exodus was driven largely by soaring housing costs and the rise of remote work, which lowered barriers to moving out of high-priced areas.
Between January 2024 and January 2025, many of the same broad patterns persisted, but at a more moderate clip – suggesting a stabilization of domestic migration nationwide. This leveling off could reflect factors such as rising mortgage interest rates, which dampened home buying and selling, as well as the increased push for employees to return to the office.
Still, South Carolina (+0.6%) and Idaho (+0.6%) remained among the top inflow states. The two hotspots were joined – and slightly surpassed – by North Dakota (+0.8%), where even modest waves of newcomers make a big impact due to the state’s lower population base. A wealth of affordable housing and a strong job market have positioned North Dakota as a particularly attractive destination for U.S. relocators in recent years. And Microsoft and Amazon’s establishment of major presences around Fargo has strengthened the region’s economy.
Meanwhile, California (-0.3%), New York (-0.2%), and Illinois (-0.1%) continued to post negative net migration, but at a markedly slower rate than in prior years. And notably, several states that had been struggling with outflow, such as Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia, Ohio, and Oregon, began showing minor positive inflow during the same 12-month window. As home affordability erodes in pandemic-era hot spots like the Mountain states and Sun Belt, these areas may emerge as new destinations for Americans seeking lower costs of living.
Zooming in on the ten most populous U.S. states offers an even clearer picture of how domestic migration patterns have stabilized over the past year. The graph below shows a side-by-side comparison of domestic migration patterns during the 36-month period ending January 2024 and the 12-month period ending January 2025.
California, New York, and Illinois saw population outflows slow dramatically during the 12 months ending January 2025 – while domestic migration magnets such as Georgia, Texas, and Florida saw inflow flatten to zero. Meanwhile, Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania flipped from slightly negative to slightly positive net migration – incremental upticks that could signal a possible turnaround.
The only “Big Ten” pandemic-era migration magnet to maintain strong inflow in 2024 was North Carolina – which saw a 0.4% influx in 2024 as a result of interstate moves.
A closer look at the top four states receiving outmigration from California and New York (October 2020 to October 2024) reveals that residents leaving both states tended to settle in nearby areas or in Florida.
Among those leaving New York, 37.4% ended up in neighboring states – 21.1% moved to New Jersey, 9.2% to Pennsylvania, and 7.1% to Connecticut. But an astonishing 28.8% decamped all the way to the Sunshine State, trading the Northeast’s colder climate for Florida sunshine.
Similarly, 20.1% of California leavers chose to stay nearby, moving to Nevada (11.5%) or Arizona (8.6%). Another 19.1% moved to Texas, and 8.0% moved to Florida, making it the fourth-largest destination for Californians.
Zooming in on CBSA-level data – focusing on the nation’s ten largest metropolitan areas, all with over five million people – reveals a similar picture of slowing domestic migration over the last year.
Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. – four cities that experienced notable population outflows between January 2021 and January 2024 – saw those outflows flatten considerably. For these metros, this leveling-off may serve as a promising sign that the waves of departures seen in recent years may have begun to subside. Conversely, Houston and Dallas, which both welcomed positive net migration between January 2021 and January 2024, registered zero-net domestic migration in 2024. Atlanta, for its part, remained flat in both of the analyzed periods.
In Miami, however, outmigration persisted at a substantial rate. Despite Florida’s overall status as a domestic migration magnet, Miami lost 2.6% of its population to domestic net migration between January 2020 and January 2024 – and another 1.0% between January 2024 and January 2025. As one of Florida’s most expensive housing markets, Miami may be losing some residents to other parts of the state or elsewhere in the region. Meanwhile, Philadelphia, which lost 0.3% of its population to net domestic migration between January 2021 and January 2024, continued losing residents at a slightly faster pace in 2024 – another 0.3% just last year.
Of the ten biggest CBSAs nationwide, only Phoenix continued to see a net domestic migration gain through 2024 (+0.2%). This highlights the CBSA’s continued draw as a (relative) relocation hotspot even in 2024’s cooling market.
Who are the domestic relocators heading to Phoenix?
From October 2020 to October 2024, the top five metro areas sending residents to the Phoenix CBSA each registered median household incomes (HHIs) of $73K to $98K – surpassing Phoenix’s own median of $72K. This suggests that many of those moving in are arriving from wealthier, often more expensive metro areas – for whom even Phoenix’s high-priced market may offer more affordable living.
Overall, domestic migration patterns appear to have cooled in 2024, reflecting economic and societal trends that have slowed the rush from pricey coastal hubs to more affordable regions. Yet states like South Carolina, Idaho, and North Dakota – as well as metro areas like Phoenix – continue to attract new arrivals, paving the way for evolving regional demographics in the years to come.
In today’s retail landscape, consumer behavior is influenced by a multitude of factors, directly impacting the success of products and brands. This report explores the latest trends in value perception, shopping behavior, and media consumption that impact which brands consumers are most likely to engage with – and how.
In the apparel space, consumers continue to prioritize value and unique merchandise.
Analysis of visits to various apparel categories reveals a steady increase in the share of visits going to off-price retailers and thrift stores at the expense of traditional apparel chains.
And the popularity of off-price chains and thrift stores appears to be widespread across multiple audience segments. Analyzing trade area data with the Experian: Mosaic psychographic dataset reveals a clear preference for second-hand retailers among both younger (ages 25-30) and older (51+) consumer segments. Meanwhile, middle-class parents aged 36-45 with teenagers – the “Family Union” segment – are significantly more likely to shop at off-price apparel stores, highlighting their emphasis on buying new, while saving both time and money.
This suggests that the powerful blend of treasure-hunting and deep value, central to both the off-price and thrift experiences, is driving traffic from a variety of audiences, and that other industries could benefit from combining affordability with the allure of unique products.
Diving deeper into the location intelligence for the apparel space further highlights thrift and off-price’s broad appeal – and that a combination of quality and price motivates consumers to visit different retailers.
Between 2019 and 2024, the share of Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom visitors that also visited a Goodwill or Ross Dress for Less increased significantly.
And while this could mean that the current economic climate is causing some higher-income consumers to trade down to lower-priced retailers, it could also be that consumers are prioritizing sustainability and seeking value in terms of “bang for their buck” – shopping a combination of retailers depending on the cost versus quality considerations for each purchase.
Consumers increasingly expect to shop on their own terms, opting for a more flexible shopping experience that blurs the lines between traditional retail channels and categories.
Superstores and warehouse stores, for example, often evoke the image of navigating aisle after aisle of nearly every product imaginable – a time-consuming endeavor given the sheer size of their stores. But the latest location intelligence shows that more consumers are turning to these retailers for super-quick shopping trips.
Between 2019 and 2024, the share of visits lasting less than ten minutes at Target, Walmart, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Sam’s Club, and to a lesser extent Costco, rose steadily – perhaps due to increased use of flexible BOPIS (buy online, pick-up in-store) and curbside pick-up options. These stores may also be seeing a rise in consumers popping in to grab just a few items as-needed or to cherry-pick particular deals to complement their larger online shopping orders.
This trend highlights the demand for frictionless store experiences that allow visitors to conveniently shop or pick up orders even at large physical retailers.
And the breaking down of traditional retail silos isn’t limited to big-box chains. Diving into the data for quick service restaurants (QSR), fast casual chains, and grocery stores indicates that more consumers are also looking for new ways to grab a convenient bite.
Since 2019, grocery stores have been claiming an increasingly large share of the midday short visit pie – i.e. visits between 11:00 AM 3:00 PM lasting less than ten minutes – at the expense of QSR chains. This suggests that consumers seeking quick and affordable lunches are increasingly turning to grocery stores to pick up a few items or take advantage of self-service food bars. Notably, the rise in supermarket lunching hasn’t come at the expense of fast-casual restaurants, which have also upped their quick-service games – and have seen a small increase in their share of the quick lunchtime crowd over the past five years.
While some of QSR’s relative decline in short lunchtime visits could be due to discontent with rising fast-food prices, it’s clear that an increasing share of consumers see grocery and fast-casual chains as viable options during the lunch rush.
In 2025, tapping into hot trends and creating viral moments are among the most powerful tools for amplifying promotions and driving foot traffic to physical stores.
Retailers across categories have successfully harnessed the power of pop culture collaborations to generate excitement – and visits – by leaning into trending themes. On October 8th, 2024, for example, Wendy’s launched its epic Krabby Patty Collab, inspired by the beloved SpongeBob franchise. And during the week of the offering, the chain experienced a remarkable 21.5% increase in foot traffic compared to an average week that year.
Similarly, Crumbl – adept at creating buzz through manufactured scarcity – sparked a frenzy with the debut of its exclusive Olivia Rodrigo GUTS cookie. Initially available only at select locations near the artist’s concert venues, the cookie was launched nationwide for a limited time from August 19th to 24th, 2024. This buzz-driven release resulted in a 27.7% traffic surge during the week of the launch, as fans rushed to get a taste of the star-studded treat.
And it’s not just dining chains benefiting from these pop-culture moments. On February 16th, 2025, Bath & Body Works launched a Disney Princess-inspired fragrance line, perfect for fans of Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Moana, and Tiana. The collaboration resonated, fueling a 23.2% visit spike for the chain.
While tapping into existing pop-culture trends has the ability to drive traffic, so does creating a new one. Analysis of movie theater visits on National Popcorn Day (Sunday, January 19th, 2025) shows how initiating a trend can spur social media engagement and impact in-person traffic to physical retail spaces.
National Popcorn Day was a successful promotional holiday across the movie theater industry in 2025. Both Regal Cinemas and AMC Theatres offered popcorn-based promotions on the day, but Cinemark’s “Bring Your Own Bucket” campaign, in particular, appears to have spurred a significant foot traffic boost during the event.
Visits to Cinemark on National Popcorn Day in 2025 increased 57.5% relative to the Sunday visit average for January and February 2025, as movie-goers showed off their out-of-the-bucket popcorn receptacles on social media. Clearly, by starting a trend that invited creativity and expression, Cinemark was able to amplify the impact of its National Popcorn Day promotion.
Location intelligence illuminates some of the key trends shaping consumer behavior in 2025. The data reveals that value-driven shopping, demand for flexibility across touchpoints, and the power of unique retail moments have the power to drive consumer engagement and the success of retail categories, brands, and products.
Placer.ai observes a panel of mobile devices in order to extrapolate and generate visitation insights for a variety of locations across the U.S. This panel covers only visitors from within the United States and does not represent or take into account international visitors.
Downtown districts in the nation’s major cities attract domestic travelers all year long with their iconic sights, lively entertainment, and diverse dining offerings. But each hub follows its own rhythm, shaped by distinct seasonal peaks and dips in visitor flow.
This white paper examines downtown hotel visitation patterns in four of the nation’s most popular destinations for domestic tourists: Miami, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. Focusing on 20 downtown hotels in each city, the analysis explores seasonal variations in domestic travel, city-specific dynamics, and differentiating factors.
Domestic tourism has rebounded strongly in recent years, and hotels in Miami and Chicago have been the biggest beneficiaries. In 2024, visits to analyzed hotels in each of these cities’ downtown areas grew by 8.9% and 7.4%, respectively, compared to 2023. Meanwhile, hotels in downtown and midtown Manhattan saw a more modest 2.0% increase, while Los Angeles experienced a slight year-over-year (YoY) decline in downtown hotel visits.
One factor that may be driving Miami and Chicago’s stronger performance is their higher proportion of long-distance visitors, defined as those visiting from over 250 miles away. Miami remains a top destination for snowbirds and spring breakers, while Chicago serves as a cultural and entertainment hub for the sprawling Midwest. These long-distance leisure travelers may be more likely to splurge on downtown hotel stays during their trips, helping drive hotel visit growth in the two cities.
By contrast, hotels in the Los Angeles and Manhattan city centers drew lower shares of domestic travelers coming from less than 250 miles away. These shorter-haul domestic tourists may be less likely to splurge on downtown hotels than those taking longer vacations. Both cities are also surrounded by numerous regional getaway options that can draw long-haul leisure travelers away from their downtown cores.
Each of the four analyzed cities has its own unique ebbs and flows – and city center hotel visits reflect these patterns. Miami, with its warm, sunny climate, experiences influxes of tourists during the winter and spring, with March seeing the biggest jump in downtown hotel visits last year (13.0% above the monthly visit average). Chicago, which thrives in the summer with its many festivals and events, saw its biggest downtown hotel visit bump in August. Meanwhile, Manhattan experienced a major uptick in December, likely fueled by holiday tourism and New Year celebrations, and Los Angeles visits were highest in the summertime.
What drives these seasonal visit peaks? Miami has long been a top tourism destination, especially in early spring, when snowbirds and spring breakers flock to the city for sun and relaxation. In recent years, the city has seen a rise in short-term domestic tourism, suggesting that the city is becoming increasingly popular for weekend getaways. According to the Placer.ai Tourism Dashboard, the share of domestic tourists staying just one or two nights grew from 71.7% in March 2022 to 78.3% in March 2024.
This shift aligns with an impressive increase in the magnitude of downtown Miami’s springtime hotel visit peak: In March 2022, visits to downtown hotels were 5.0% above the monthly average for the year, a share that more than doubled by 2024 to 12.9%.
These numbers may mean that more people are choosing to head to Miami for a quick break from the cold – and staying in downtown hotels to make the most of their short getaway.
Chicago’s major August visit spike was likely driven by the Windy City’s impressive lineup of major summer festivals, from Lollapalooza to the Chicago Air and Water Show, which draw thousands of attendees from across the country.
Lollapalooza fueled the largest visit spike to the city – between Thursday, August 1st and Sunday, August 4th, visits to downtown Chicago hotels surged between 51.1% and 63.8% above 2024 daily averages for those days of the week. The Air and Water Show and the Chicago Jazz Festival also generated significant hotel visit increases – highlighting the boost these events bring to the city’s tourism and hospitality sector.
The Big Apple draws a diverse mix of visitors throughout the year. But in December – the city’s peak tourist season – visitors pour in from all over the country to skate in Rockefeller Center, browse Fifth Avenue’s festive window displays and experience the city’s unique holiday magic.
And analyzing data from hotels in midtown and downtown Manhattan reveals a striking shift in the types of visitors who stay in the heart of NYC during the holiday season. While visitors from other urban centers dominated downtown hotel stays throughout most of the year – accounting for 47.9% of visits from January to November 2024 – their share dropped to 42.0% in December 2024. Meanwhile, the share of guests from suburban areas and small towns rose from 37.3% to 41.0%, and the share of guests from rural and semi-rural areas nearly doubled, from 3.5% to 6.1%.
These patterns suggest that, though Manhattan typically attracts a wide range of visitors, the holiday season is uniquely appealing to tourists from smaller towns and suburban areas. Understanding these trends can provide crucial context for hotels and civic stakeholders alike as they work to maximize the opportunities presented by the city’s December visit surge.
Los Angeles hotels also experience significant demographic shifts during peak season. In July, visits to downtown LA hotels surged by 15.3% relative to the 2024 monthly visit average. And a closer look at audience segmentation data suggests a corresponding surge in the share of "Flourishing Families" – an Experian: Mosaic segment consisting of affluent, middle-aged households with children. Throughout the year, "Flourishing Families" comprised between 7.7% and 8.7% of the census block groups (CBGs) driving visits to downtown LA hotels. But in July, this share jumped to 9.9%.
These families may be taking advantage of summer vacations to enjoy Los Angeles’ cultural attractions and entertainment. Hotels and city stakeholders who understand the appeal the city holds for this demographic can better cater to them through family-friendly promotions and strategic marketing efforts to target these households.
Downtowns are making a comeback – and hotels in the heart of the nation’s major tourist hubs are reaping the benefits. By understanding who frequents these downtown hotels and when, local businesses and civic leaders can optimize their resource management and strategic planning to make the most of these opportunities.
