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Darden Restaurants, Inc. operates a portfolio that includes some of the biggest names in full-service dining, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Bahama Breeze, and Eddie V’s Prime Seafood.
How are these restaurants performing as Q3 2024 approaches? We took a closer look at the location analytics to find out which restaurant chains are thriving in today’s challenging economic climate.
Darden’s three largest restaurant chains – Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen – are some of the best-known names in casual, full-service dining. These chains have a strong presence across the country and have experienced mainly positive YoY foot traffic this year so far.
Although foot traffic was lower YoY in January and April 2024, these dips can be attributed to external factors, such as January’s inclement weather and an April calendar shift (i.e. the timing of Easter, as well as the extra Saturday in April 2023). And in May the three chains quickly rebounded, ending the month with respective YoY visit increases of 2.4%, 6.4%, and 2.3%.
Darden operates various smaller brands offering different dining styles and price points, ranging from upscale options like Eddie V’s and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse to more casual spots like Bahama Breeze and Yard House. These smaller chains also experienced strong visitation patterns in early 2024 – with May YoY visits up between 3.9% and 8.5%.
Darden’s strong February and May showings were likely fueled, in part, by two distinctly important days on the Darden restaurant calendar: Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.
In absolute terms, Olive Garden – Darden’s largest chain by far – drew the most visits on both holidays as compared to a January 1, 2024 baseline, claiming the top spot this year as America’s favorite Mother’s Day destination. But on a relative basis, Darden’s premium brands Eddie V’s and Ruth Chris experienced the biggest visit spikes, as people splurged on celebratory outings. And laid-back chain Bahama Breeze saw a sustained visit boost from Valentine’s Day through Mother’s Day, likely owing to its strong presence in Florida – making it an attractive destination for the snowbirds and vacationers who visit the state during the winter.
And surprisingly, even casual dining venue Yard House – known for its beer and sports atmosphere rather than romantic setting – experienced a Valentine’s Day visit boost. This suggests that there is a tangible benefit from these holidays across a wide range of dining styles – and restaurant operators can use these insights to encourage visits on such occasions.
Darden continues to attract customers to its restaurants in spite of a challenging economy by offering a variety of dining choices and capitalizing on popular dining-out occasions such as Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day.
Will the company’s visit growth continue to trend upward as 2024 wears on?
Follow Placer.ai for the latest data-driven dining insights.
After a frigid start to the year, how have retail and dining foot traffic fared in the subsequent months? We dove into the data to find out.
Last year was all about experiences. But in 2024, consumer demand is once again striking a balance between “fun and stuff.” Though both retail and dining foot traffic were weighed down by January 2024’s extreme temperatures, the two categories bounced back in February, going on to see consistently positive YoY foot traffic growth through May.
May 2024’s strong showing was likely driven in part by impressive visit boosts on two important calendar highlights: Mother’s Day weekend and Memorial Day weekend. On both of these occasions, retail and dining foot traffic outperformed 2023 levels, a further sign of consumer resilience this year.
And drilling down deeper into data shows that some of this dining growth is being driven by full-service restaurants – another sign that the segment may be experiencing a comeback.
For quite some time, casual dining concepts – including both fast-casual & QSR – have had the upper hand among dining formats, as consumers sought inexpensive ways to splurge and cut back on full-service indulgences. But FSR has begun to rally, with experiential concepts, eatertainment, and breakfast-first chains driving significant traffic.
And location analytics points to a much more level playing field this year, with FSR YoY visit growth outperforming fast-casual & QSR in both March and in May. May’s visit boost in particular was likely aided by holiday visits – on both Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, full-service restaurants drew outsize crowds eager to enjoy nice meals out with friends and family.
A look at statewide visit data for both fast-casual & QSR and for full-service chains during the past three months – comparing March to May 2024 to the equivalent period of last year – shows both segments doing remarkably well throughout most of the U.S.
In the fast-casual & QSR space, all 50 states enjoyed positive YoY visit growth over the past three months – led by North Dakota (6.8%), New Hampshire (5.3%), Minnesota (5.1%), New Mexico (4.3%), and Rhode Island (4.2%). And in FSR, 42 states enjoyed positive growth – with some of the same states, including Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and New Mexico, claiming top spots.
Will full service continue its turnaround in the second half of 2024 and can fast-casual & QSR maintain its strength? How will overall retail traffic fare during the summer months and critical back-to-school season?
Visit Placer.ai to find out.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) are two of the biggest names in lodging. The two companies operate a wide range of hotel brands, ranging from luxury chains to budget options. And falling in the middle of this range are two midscale hotel chains: TRU by Hilton and avid Hotels, operated by IHG.
What can foot traffic and demographic data reveal about the preferences of visitors to these chains? We took a closer look.
TRU by Hilton and avid Hotels both opened their first locations in 2017, with the goal of offering travelers modern and comfortable accommodations while eschewing the amenities typically associated with more luxurious hotel categories. By streamlining services, these hotels can appeal to a diverse range of travelers while maintaining a lower price point.
The two hotel chains have expanded since their openings, with TRU operating 279 locations and avid operating 70 nationwide as of May 2024. And this expansion seems to be paying off for both brands, helping drive YoY monthly visit increases. Since June 2023, visits to the two chains have been consistently elevated YoY, save for a few minor visit lags at TRU.
Hilton and IHG both hope to continue expanding their midscale hotel concepts, with projects in the pipeline for 2024 and beyond. And diving into the demographics can help the hotels identify their strengths and plan out marketing strategies more effectively.
Analyzing the psychographic makeup of TRU and avid’s trade areas by layering Spatial.ai’s PersonaLive dataset onto the two chains’ captured markets reveals that despite their budget offerings, both hotels appeal to economically diverse audiences.
Between June 2023 and May 2024, TRU and avid both attracted visitors from areas with higher-than-average shares of both “Ultra Wealthy Families” and “Blue Collar Suburbs.” The chains’ ability to appeal to both groups shows that their no-frills offerings are appreciated not just by the most price-conscious customers, but also by those with more room in their budgets to splurge.
Still, TRU drew a greater share of visitors over the analyzed period from areas over-indexed for “Ultra Wealthy Families'' – while avid drew slightly more customers from areas over-indexed for “Blue Collar Suburbs.” And diving deeper into the demographic and psychographic characteristics of TRU’s and avid’s captured markets shows that though both chains have broad appeal, there are some differences between their customer bases.
The median household income (HHI) of TRU’s captured market stood at $79.4K during the analyzed period – above the nationwide median – while that of avid remained slightly below it. And while avid’s captured market included a higher-than-average share of “Young Urban Singles” (also from Spatial.ai’s PersonaLive dataset), TRU was more likely to attract “Suburban Boomers.” So while TRU draws a wealthier and more settled clientele, avid tends to attract younger, less established guests.
These differences serve as a reminder of the differences that exist even within similar accommodation categories, and may help the two chains when deciding how to market to their respective customer bases.
Both TRU and avid seem similar enough on paper – two midscale hotel chains, geared towards a traveler that prioritizes value and convenience. And while both chains attract a wide range of households to their venues, TRU tends to see a more affluent, established visitor, while avid seems to attract more guests who are starting out in life.
For more data-driven travel & leisure insights, visit Placer.ai.
With sales exceeding $148 billion in 2023, The Kroger Co. is a leading player in the grocery store space. In addition to its flagship eponymous brand, the company owns a variety of regional banners, including (among others) Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, Ralphs, Smith’s Food and Drug, Fry’s Food Stores, King Soopers, and Food 4 Less.
We dove into the data to see how key Kroger chains are faring in 2024 – and to explore the different audiences served by the company’s varied portfolio.
With some 1255 locations across 19 states, Kroger is The Kroger Co.’s largest grocery banner by far. And between January and May 2024, visits to the chain accounted for 47.6% of overall foot traffic to the company’s grocery portfolio. The remaining 52.4% of visits went to The Kroger Co.’s smaller banners – with Fred Meyer, Ralphs, and Harris Teeter leading the charge.
And drilling down deeper into the regional distribution of the company’s various grocery banners shows that each chain serves a different area of the country.
Kroger’s eponymous banner holds sway throughout much of the Midwest and South – while Harris Teeter serves shoppers in Maryland, Florida, and the Carolinas. Meanwhile, Fred Meyer, Smith’s, Ralphs, Fry’s, and King Soopers dominate the Western United States. And throughout some parts of the Midwest, Kroger draws consumers with a variety of smaller banners.
Like that of Albertsons, Kroger Co.’s strategy of acquiring and maintaining regional brands has allowed the company to expand its footprint across the country – while catering to the needs and preferences of local shoppers. Indeed, Kroger’s footprint now extends across three of the four U.S. regions – the West, South, and Midwest – with only the Northeast lacking a Kroger Co. presence.
A look at recent visitation trends for Kroger Co.’s largest banners – i.e. those with at least 100 locations – shows that all experienced positive YoY visit growth in Q1 2024. The most impressive foot traffic bumps were seen by Mountain region banners Smith’s and King Soopers, followed by value-oriented Food 4 Less, and the South Atlantic-focused Harris Teeter.
On a monthly basis, too, The Kroger Co.’s major Banners saw nearly uniform YoY visit growth between January and May 2024.
Analyzing demographic differences among the trade areas of Kroger’s different chains shows how the company leverages its portfolio of banners to serve distinct customer bases.
Virginia, for example, is served by two Kroger Co. banners – Kroger and Harris Teeter. And while the former draws shoppers from areas with a median HHI below the statewide baseline of $87.2K, the latter – with somewhat more upscale, pricier offerings – attracts a much more affluent audience. Similar differences can be observed in Wisconsin – where Pick ‘n Save and Metro Market serve different demographics.
By offering a diverse spectrum of shopping experiences, The Kroger Co. strategically positions itself to maximize market penetration and appeal to a broad range of consumers.
The Kroger Co. entered 2024 with a bang. With its extensive reach and adaptive approach, can the grocery leader maintain its positive momentum throughout the rest of the year?
Visit our blog at Placer.ai to find out.
Post-March Madness, many of the NCAA women’s basketball players went on to the WNBA. Caitlin Clark to the Indiana Fever, Cameron Brink to the LA Sparks, and Angel Reese to the Chicago Sky were some of the most hotly anticipated draft picks. The newfound appetite for the WNBA is real. Take Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis as an example. Just comparing the time period of April 30-May 31, 2023 vs April 30-May 31, 2024, there is a stark contrast in the number of attendees to home games. In just five games, attendance to this year’s Fever games has already surpassed that of the entire 2023 season.
The trade area draw is also something to note as the area from which 70% of visits originated practically doubled from May 2023 (blue) to May 2024 (red), showing the magnetic effect a star player can have.
This heightened interest is great news for concepts like The Sports Bra, a bar and restaurant based in Portland, Oregon. It’s 100% dedicated to women’s sports so you can be sure to catch your favorite female player on the screen. Since opening in the spring of 2022, it’s had steady business, and odds are with all the women’s sports to watch, there should be a busy summer ahead.
In addition, might the added exposure bring new fans to brands such as Wilson Sporting Goods, which signed Caitlin Clark? This familiar brand opened its first West Coast brick and mortar store on Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade just about a year ago. Meanwhile, Angel Reese has signed on some big brands such as Reebok, Raising Cane’s and AirBnB. Former Stanford Cardinal and now LA Sparks superstar Cameron Brink is one of the faces of New Balance, and has starred in an ad with Shohei Otani and Coco Gauff.
Over Memorial Day Weekend, Wayfair opened its highly anticipated addition to the world of physical retail, something we've been waiting for since the company's large-format store plan first came into view in early 2022. Technically, Wayfair’s new mega-store, sized at 150,000 square feet in Wilmette, Illinois, isn’t its first foray into brick-and-mortar, but it is certainly its splashiest. In an era when many home furnishing retailers are going small, early indications from Placer show that betting big has yielded success in attracting visitors, but questions about the longevity of success and health of the broader home industry remain.
This week, we had a chance to visit the store ourselves, and it's immediately evident how much attention was put into the store. Most visitors enter through the "Market Square", which feature unique housewares, locally-relevant products, and seasonal merchandise. Above the Market Square is a large video board that showcases certain products and other digital media assets which help set the tone for the shopping experience.
According to the retailer, its first namesake location brings a new shopping experience to consumers and features its first food service offering, The Porch (below).
The store also features an expanded selection and one-on-one personal design services, which can be seen in store layout below. The new location clearly took learnings from other Wayfair-owned brands like Joss & Main or All Modern, each of which have also opened physical stores.
The Wilmette large format store opened on May 23, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend foot traffic, and the location greatly benefitted from the timing. According to Placer’s early reads from May 18-June 1, 2024, Wayfair’s visits accounted for almost half of the visits to Edens Plaza (below), the shopping center in which it’s located. Beyond that, during its opening weekend from May 23-27, it drove 60% of visits to the plaza. The shopping center is located right off the Edens expressway, and the store is visible from the road, which helping to draw the attention of travelers.
Wayfair’s debut is a clear victory for the shopping center, with the store’s first few weeks helping to attract new visitors to the center. Comparing the two week period before the store opening to the two weeks of its opening using Spatial.ai’s PersonaLive segments, the percentage of visits coming from trade areas from Ultra Wealthy Families--the typical center visitors--actually decreased from 45% to 32%. However, there was a large increase in the percentage of visits by Educated Urbanites and Young Professionals. Buzzworthy openings help to revitalize shopping centers and Wayfair’s initial success will hopefully provide some meaningful shifts in visitors beyond the first few weeks.
Home furnishing retailers, in particular, have made experiences and expanded service offerings a cornerstone of their strategies to foster a captive consumer audience and increase dwell time, and hopefully conversion. Looking at local home furnishing experiential retail locations in the Metro Chicago area, Wayfair’s opening splash is even more apparent with its two story, expansive footprint. Compared to the closest IKEA store (Schaumburg), Wayfair Wilmette's visits were 12% higher during its initial two-week period and saw 19% more visits than IKEA during the highest traffic day of opening weekend. The trade area of the two retailers, even in the first two weeks, starts to tell the story of the visiting consumer; Wayfair drove more visits despite having a smaller trade area than IKEA and more overlapping territory, and primarily pulled its visitors from the northern Chicago suburbs.
Wayfair’s early indicators of traffic highlight a combination of the right concept, the right consumer, and the right location. It will be fascinating to watch the long-term visit trends for Wayfair, especially compared to other large-scale regional furniture retailers. Despite many home furnishing retailers looking to smaller formats for growth, if Wayfair’s location sustains its traffic growth, larger-format stores may become an attractive solution for shopping centers to revitalize themselves.
1. Elevated visitor frequency could mean that gym-goers are getting more value out of their memberships and are therefore more likely to stay signed up. Between January and March 2025, all of the gym chains analyzed had a higher share of frequent visitors (those who visited about once a week) than in the equivalent month of 2024.
2. Fitness chains at all price tiers need to be strategic about the value they offer and the amenities that can engage budget-conscious consumers. Between Q1 2022 and Q1 2025, the captured trade area median HHI increased for all fitness subsegments – value-priced, mid-range, and high-end – suggesting that consumers swapped pricier gym memberships for more affordable options.
3. Close attention should be paid to how long visitors spend at fitness chains in order to reduce crowding and bottlenecks. Between Q1 2022 and Q1 2025, the average visit length increased at value-priced, mid-range, and high-end gyms. Floorplan and equipment improvements could be considered, as well as having trainers available to help gym-goers streamline workouts.
4. Gyms can use hourly visit data to better serve their members or use promotions to stabilize facility usage throughout the day. In Q1 2025, high-end chains received a larger share of morning visits while value-priced and mid-range fitness chains received larger shares of evening visits.
Like many industries in recent years, the fitness sector has experienced significant shifts in consumer behavior. From the rise in home workouts during the pandemic to the strain of hyper-inflation, foot traffic trends to gyms and health clubs have been as dynamic as the consumers they serve.
This report leverages location analytics to explore the consumer trends driving visitation in the fitness space and provides actionable insights for industry stakeholders.
The pandemic drove several shifts in the fitness space. Widespread gym closures led consumers to embrace home-based workouts, while demand for all things fitness increased due to an emphasis on overall health and wellness. This subsequently drove a renewed interest in gym-based workouts as restrictions lifted – even as some consumers remained committed to their home workout routines.
In Q1 2023, visits to fitness chains surpassed Q1 2019 levels for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, a sign that consumers had recommitted to out-of-home fitness. And in Q1 2024 and Q1 2025, fitness chains saw further growth, climbing to 12.8% and 15.5% above the Q1 2019 baseline, respectively.
Several factors have likely driven consumers’ return to gyms and health clubs, including the desire for both social connection and professional-grade facilities difficult to replicate at home. The steep increase in cost of living has likely also played a role, since consumers cutting back on discretionary spending can enjoy multiple outings and a range of recreational activities at the gym for one monthly fee.
Zooming in on weekly visits to the fitness space in Q1 2025 reveals the industry’s exceptional strength and resilience in the early part of the year.
The fitness industry experienced YoY visit growth nearly every week of Q1 2025 (and 2.4% YoY visit growth overall) with only minor visit gaps the weeks of January 20th, 2025 and February 17th, 2025 – likely due to extreme weather that prevented many Americans from hitting the gym.
And the fitness industry’s weekly visit growth appeared to strengthen throughout the quarter, defying the typical waning of New Year's resolutions. This could indicate that gym visits haven't plateaued and that consumers are demonstrating greater commitment to their fitness routines compared to last year.
Diving into visitation patterns for leading fitness chains highlights how increased visitor frequency drove foot traffic growth in Q1 2025.
Fitness chains tend to receive the most visits during the first months of the year as consumers recommit to health and wellness in their post-holidays New Year’s resolutions. And not only do more people hit the gym – analyzing the data reveals that gym-goers also typically work out more frequently during this period. Zooming in on 2025 so far suggests that consumers are especially committed to their fitness routines this year: Leading gyms saw an increase in the proportion of frequent visitors (4+ times a month) in Q1 2025 compared to the already significant percentage of frequent visitors in the first quarter of 2024.
Elevated visitor frequency could mean that gym-goers are getting more value out of their memberships than last year, and are therefore more likely to stay signed up throughout the year.
At the same time, the data also reveals that – contrary to what may be expected – a fitness chain’s share of frequent visitors appears to be independent of the cost of membership associated with the club: Life Time, a high-end club, and EōS Fitness, a value-priced gym, had the highest shares of frequent visitors between January 2024 and March 2025. This suggests that factors other than cost, such as location convenience, class offerings, community, or individual motivation, might be more influential in driving frequent gym attendance.
Segmenting the fitness industry by membership price tiers – value-priced, mid-range, and high-end – can reveal further insights on current consumer behavior around out-of-home fitness.
In Q1 2025, the captured market* median household income (HHI) was higher than the nationwide median HHI ($79.6K/year) across all price tiers – suggesting that even value-priced fitness chains are attracting a relatively affluent audience. This could indicate that gym memberships are somewhat of a luxury and that consumers from lower-income households gave up their gym memberships altogether as they tightened their purse strings.
Analyzing the historical data since Q1 2022 also reveals that the captured market median HHI has risen consistently over the past couple of years with the largest median HHI increase observed in the captured trade areas of high-end fitness chains. This suggests that middle-income households – that are more sensitive to the rising cost of living – likely swapped pricier gym memberships for more affordable options in recent years.
These metrics indicate that fitness chains at all price tiers need to think strategically about the value they offer and the amenities that can engage budget-conscious consumers who are carefully weighing every expenditure.
*Captured trade area is obtained by weighting the census block groups (CBGs) from which the chain draws its visitors according to their share of visits to the chain and thus reflects the population that visits the chain in practice.
Fitness clubs of all types need to manage their capacity to ensure health and safety standards and a positive experience for members. And understanding the average amount of time visitors spend at the gym can help fitness chains at every price point keep their finger on the pulse of their facilities.
Between Q1 2022 and Q1 2025, the average visit length increased at value-priced, mid-range, and high-end gyms. Value-priced gyms experienced the largest increase in average visit length – from 72.4 minutes in Q1 2022 to 74.0 minutes in Q1 2025 – perhaps due to their relatively lower-income visitors spending more time enjoying club amenities after cutting back on other forms of recreation. Meanwhile, mid-range and high-end gyms experienced relatively modest increases in average visit length, which were higher to begin with – likely due to their ample class and spa offerings and overall inviting, upscale spaces.
Elevated average visit length could mean that visitors are well-engaged and less likely to cancel their memberships. But as overall gym visits are on the rise, fitness chains may want to pay close attention to how long visitors spend at the facility. Floorplan and equipment improvements could be considered in order to reduce bottlenecks, and having trainers available to instruct on equipment usage and workout technique could help gym-goers streamline workouts.
Along with average visit length, understanding the daypart in which they receive the most visits is another way that fitness chains can improve efficiency and prevent overcrowding. And analysis of the hourly visits to fitness sub-segments revealed that some fitness segments receive more morning visits while others are more popular in the evenings.
In Q1 2025, high-end chains received a larger share of visits between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. (19.7%) than value-priced and mid-range fitness chains (11.6% and 11.8%, respectively). Meanwhile, value-priced and mid-range fitness chains received larger shares of visits between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. (21.9% and 22.2%) than high-end chains (16.5%).
Gyms can leverage this data to better serve members, for instance by scheduling more classes during peak hours. Value-priced and mid-range gyms, which saw a larger disparity between shares of morning and evening visits in Q1 2025, might also consider incentivizing off-peak usage through discounted morning memberships or early-bird snack bar deals.
The fitness space appears to be in good shape in 2025. Visits have made a full recovery from the pandemic era and still continue to grow, indicating strong consumer demand for out-of-home workouts. And using location intelligence to analyze the behavior and demographics of visitors to gyms at different price points can help identify opportunities for driving even greater success.
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.
