Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

Sign Up
Already have a Placer.ai account? Log In
Retail

Who Is Shopping at Malls?

Find out who is visiting leading Indoor Malls, Open-Air Shopping Centers, and Outlet Malls.

By 
Shira Petrack
February 14, 2024
Who Is Shopping at Malls?
SHARE
Explore our free tools to get timely insights into key industries
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.
Key Takeaways

With shopping center vacancy rates now lower than they were pre-COVID, we dove into the demographic and psychographic trade area data for leading Indoor Malls, Open-Air Shopping Centers, and Outlet Malls to understand who visited malls in 2023. 

Shopping Center Types Draw a Variety of Audiences 

Diving into the demographics of the trade areas of the various mall types in 2023 reveal both similarities and differences between the typical visitor to Indoor Malls, Open-Air Shopping Centers, and Outlet Malls. 

In all three mall types, the median trade area household income (HHI) in the three mall types was higher than the nationwide median HHI of $69.5K (according to the STI: Popstats 2022 dataset). But Open-Air Shopping Centers drew the highest income visitors, with a trade area median HHI of $87.8K in 2023. The trade area of Open-Air Shopping Centers also had the lowest share of Households with Children and the highest share of singles (One-Person and Non-Family Households). 

Outlet Malls lay at the other end of the spectrum, with a trade area median trade HHI of $73.9K, the highest share of Households with Children, and the lowest share of single households. And the median HHI and household composition for the trade area of Indoor Malls stood between those of the other two types. 

Different Family Segments for Different Mall Types

Even though Outlet Malls tend to draw the highest, and Open-Air Shopping Centers draw the lowest share of family visitors (Households with Children), diving deeper into various family segments reveals a more nuanced picture. 

For example, the trade areas of Outlet Malls do indeed contain the highest shares of the “Family Union” and “Promising Families” segments – defined by Experian: Mosaic as blue-collar families and young families in starter homes, respectively. But Open-Air Shopping Centers tend to draw the highest share of the more affluent “Flourishing Families” segment – perhaps thanks to the Open-Air Shopping Centers’ higher trade area median HHI. 

So while the demographic analysis can provide an overall snapshot of the various mall types’ audience, diving into the psychographics can yield a higher-resolution picture of the types of shoppers frequenting each shopping center category. 

Looking Ahead to 2024 

For the most part, malls – especially Indoor Malls and Open-Air Shopping Centers – succeeded in exceeding or staying close to 2022 visit levels last year, despite the economic headwinds. And while January data indicates that the space may be entering a challenging period, there are plenty of reasons to think that the dip in early 2024 foot traffic is just a temporary setback driven by a unique set of circumstances. As the year continues to unfold, tracking visits in this sector will offer more insights into the state of the 2024 consumer. 

For more data-driven retail insights, visit placer.ai/blog

Learn how downtown regions across US cities are measuring up with our free tools.
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.
Explore our free tools to get timely insights into key industries
Check out the latest trends for
No items found.
SHARE
Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week
Subscribe to the newsletter
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get a Demo

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please provide a valid email
Please enter your email
Please enter company name

Thanks for reaching out!

One of our experts will be in touch soon

Try Placer.ai Free
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Recent Publications

Get 3 brand & industry breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter
Text Link
Mall Index
Text Link
Indoor Malls
Text Link
Open-Air Malls
Women's Sports on a Roll: Packed Stadiums, The Sports Bra Bar & Restaurant, and Impacting CRE
Year of the Dragon, Luckiest Animal in the Zodiac: Will that Luck Hold for Asian-Themed CRE?
Washington DC: How the Population in Our Nation's Capital has Evolved Following the Pandemic
What First Half 2024 Visit Trends Tell Us About What to Expect in the Second Half
What Does Walmart’s Results Mean for Other Discretionary Retailers?
Warehouse Clubs: Younger Visitors Support Growth
Wayfair: Early Impressions from Wayfair's New Wilmette Store
We're All Mad for March Madness: NCAA Women's Basketball is Breaking All Sorts of Records
Warehouse Clubs: Finding the Perfect Timing
Ulta: A Thing of Beauty
The Sweet Smell of Success: How CPG Brands are Bringing Their Brands to Life with Experiential Stores
Urban Outfitters: High Income, Specialty Fleets Still Thriving
The Silver Lining to Mall Anchor Department Store Closures
Ulta Beauty: Store Visits and Target Partnership Driving Category Market Share
The Secret to Trader Joe's Success in 2023
Tractor Supply: Visitation Share Gains Continue Despite Weather-Related Disruptions
Takeaways from the 2024 Fast Casual Executive Summit
The Lure of Waikiki and Beyond: The Feel of Fifth Avenue on Oahu?
Target: Circle Week Shows Signs of Success
Suiting Up in Boston: Newbury Street Suitsupply Store Showing Signs of Strength
Takeaways from Shoptalk Fall
Stew Leonard’s: Specialty Grocery Still a Shining Example
Small Towns, Deepening Pockets: How Migration is Changing the Face of Boise
Studs: Reinvigorating the Accessories Category
South Asian Influence on Sports, Groceries, and Malls
Starbucks: Silver Linings After a Difficult Quarter
Shopping "High-Low": Escada and Club Monaco share space in Beverly Hills
Round1 Entertainment Expands with Spo-Cha Concept
Self-Storage: More Industry Consolidation Ahead
Self-Storage: Consolidation Driving Year-Over-Year Increases in Visits
Return to Office is Hot in Miami: Placer's New Return to Office Dashboard Launches
Restaurants: Bifurcation Here Too
Self-Storage: More Consolidation as Public Storage Acquires Simply Self Storage
Return to Office Insights: Miami and New York in the Lead
RFDC Takeaways: Lessons from CAVA and Other Restaurant Visit Share Winners
Pop-Ups Drive Excitement and Foretell Brand Demand
Restaurants: Where Do We Stand After Q1 2024
Restaurant Outlook 2024: Year of New Location Expansion Plans?
Reformation: Building an Apparel Destination
Pickleball and Padel: Saviors for Malls, but Threats to Tennis Courts?
Regional Grocery Update: Consumers Seeking Out Lower Prices
QSR Visit Trends: What Gives?
Performing Arts: Takeaways from the California Presenters Conference and Spotlight on Arizona Venues
Public Storage: Self-Storage Demand Resilient
QSR Chicken: Driving the Industry's Growth
Planet Fitness: Signs of a More Resilient Fitness Club Visitor?
Parks, Recreation Centers, and Redeveloped Malls: Community Glue
Outlet Malls: Ontario Mills Leads Black Friday, Arundel Mills Tops November Visitation
Olympics Boost: PR is Priceless
Olympic Inspiration: Is the Fitness Category Bringing Home the Gold?
Outlook for Holiday Thrifting: Inflation, Sustainability, and Gen Z Fuel Growth
Oklahoma, OK!: The Opening of Tulsa Premium Outlets Kickstarts Excitement
"Must-Have" Tenants for 2025: Top Brands to Elevate Your Outdoor Shopping Center
National Restaurant Association Show Takeaways: Who’s Winning the Food Fight?
Non-Traditional Anchors: Cheers or Jeers for Those Replacing Sears?
McDonald's: Where Do Whitespace Opportunities Exist?
Megamalls: All-Day Experiences, Entertainment, and Dining
Mercado Gonzalez: This Mexican Food Hall is a Magnet
Messi Mania hits Miami and LA
Luxury Outlet Malls: Seeing Strong Back-to-School Traffic and the Lure of Luxury
McDonald's: "Adult Happy Meal" Sets a High Bar for QSR Promotions
McDonald’s Swift E. Coli Response Should Minimize Traffic Impact, and SpongeBob’s a Hit at Wendy’s
Measuring the Impact of California’s Minimum Wage Increase on Restaurants
McDonald’s Joins the Restaurant Value Wars of 2024
McDonald’s and the Evolving State of Food Retail
How Have Winter Storms Impacted Retail Visits?
Luxury and Sustainability are the Ethos Driving 1 Hotels
Market Spotlight: How New Mexico Highlights its Cultural and Arts Scene to Drive Business and Leisure Tourism
Marine Layer: "Perfect for a 7-Day Weekend Kinda Lifestyle"
Market Spotlight: Downtown DC Breathes a Sigh of Relief as Washington Wizards and Capitals Stay Put
Kroger/Albertsons: Assessing the Aftershock
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!: Aquariums and Zoos trends from A to Z
Limited Too: Brand Relaunch Has Millennials in Mind
Let's Get Physical! Fitness Chains in Better Shape to Withstand Economic Volatility
Kohl's + Babies"R"Us: Early Learnings from Newly Opened Michigan Locations
ICSC Takeaways: Retail Optimism, Getting Creative with Formats, Impact of Hybrid/Remote Work, and Miami is Hot
Ikea: Why Invest More in Home Furnishing Retail Now?
In-N-Out Burger: What to Expect as the Brand Moves East
Haunted Car Wash? Tunnel of Terror “Boo”sts traffic by 3x
Hispanic Grocery Chains: Celebrating Cinco de Mayo‍
Housewares Retail: Kitchen Focused Chains Still Thriving
Home Improvement: Harbor Freight and Ace Hardware Drive Outperformance through Smaller Markets
Home Furnishing: 2024 Outlook for Housewares, Mattress, and Furniture Retail
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Popularity of Hispanic Grocery Underlines Growing Appetite for Latin Foods
Holiday 2024: Time is of the Essence
Hispanic Grocery: Customizing the Merchandise Assortment to the Neighborhood
Happy Nowruz! Celebrating Persian New Year with a Tour of Tehrangeles
Happy Lunar New Year Part 2: Vietnamese, Korean, and Pan-Asian Malls
Gifting, Paper and Books: Consumers Crave More in One Place
Golf's COVID Comeback: PGA Superstore Reaping the Benefits
GEN Korean BBQ House: IPO Filing Underpins the Importance of Experiential Dining
Formula 1: U.S. Grand Prix Expansion Winning Key Visitor Segments
First Watch: Leading the Full-Service Breakfast Recovery
Equinox: What Price Would You Pay for Increased Longevity?
Fine Dining Restaurants: Is 6:00 PM Really the New 8:00 PM?
Dutch Bros: Data Reinforces Behavioral Trends, but Also Longer-Term Unit Goals
Elevated QSR Drive-Thru Formats: Do They Work?
Faherty: For Life's Great Moments
Dutch Bros: Innovation Driving Daypart Mix Changes; Long-Term Growth Plans On Track
Dodger Mania Boosts LA Economy During Run-Up to World Series