The United States retail market saw substantial growth during recent decades, and department stores continued to be crucial to product purchasing experiences. The geographic location of major department stores reveals important information about market approaches, consumer buying habits, and local tendencies.
This research identifies the distribution methods of leading department store chains throughout the United States. A location analysis helps determine the strategic retail positioning that department stores use to optimize their market potential in ongoing retail transformations.
This study uses data insights to assess where department stores choose to operate. It does this by identifying regional market advantages, tapping into unaddressed markets, and utilizing expansion possibilities.
Top 5 Departmental Store Chains in the USA
Walmart Stores
Walmart maintains a substantial retail presence throughout the United States. On February 27, 2025, Walmart operated 4616 American stores in 52 states plus territories and 2639 cities nationwide. The average rating score for these Walmart stores is 3.93.
Texas hosts 514 Walmart outlets, which amount to 11% of the stores across America, and distributes one location to 56,412 residents each.
Florida maintains 341 Walmart stores, which total about 7% of the national stores while serving a population of 62,985 people per establishment.
Southern California has 273 Walmart locations, representing approximately 6% of the total Walmart retail stores and serving one million 144 thousand residents.
North Carolina has 193 stores, representing 4% of the total US Walmart stores, while each serves a population exceeding 54,340.
Gapche has 187 Walmart stores that serve about 4% of its population throughout the state.
- States and Territories without any Walmart Stores
Four US states and their territories remain entirely devoid of Walmart storefronts. The retail chain Walmart does not operate in the islands controlled by America: American Samoa, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Operating costs, minimal population density, and distant regions prevent Walmart from establishing its stores in these locations. Operating stores becomes less profitable for Walmart because of weak customer demand and complex logistics requirements.
Target stores
As of February 24, 2025, Target operated 1,978 stores throughout the United States and maintained 51 states and 1,305 cities.
California has 318 stores, amounting to about 16% of the total American Target stores. One Target store serves 124,252 residents of California.
Texas hosts 157 Target locations, representing about 8% of the total number of stores, and has one serving each population of 184,688 people.
Florida operates 132 Target locations, occupying 7% of the overall US stores, and maintains one store for every 162,712 residents.
The state of New York comprises 107 Target stores, which account for 5% of the total American locations and serve one retail establishment to every 181,810 residents.
Illinois maintains 5% of the national total through 102 stores; one store exists for every 124,230 Illinois citizens.
- States and Territories without any Target Stores
Five US states and territories lack Target stores: Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Burlington Stores
As of February 5, 2025, the US division of Burlington operated 1,115 stores in 48 territories and states and 817 cities. The US state of Texas maintains 126 Burlington locations, representing 11 percent of the total number of Burlington stores in the United States.
Texas owns 126 Burlington locations, which amounts to 11% of all USA Burlington establishments, and maintains a store density ratio of 1 to 230,127 residents.
Florida has 121 stores spread across a population of 177,504 persons and is of 48% of Burlington stores exist in the USA.
California maintains 112 stores, making up about 10% of the Burlington stores, while serving 352,786 people per location.
Burlington maintains 71 retail locations in New York, representing about six percent of its national stores, and services 274,000 people each.
New Jersey features 53 Burlington stores, constituting about 5% of the total locations throughout the United States. Each Burlington store exists for every 167,590 residents living in the state.
- States and Territories without any Burlington Stores
Burlington’s US retail network does not have locations in eight states and territories, including Vermont, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Montana, the US Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Hawaii. The company avoids operating in specific locations because these territories possess small resident populations, remote distribution, and insufficient demand for its retail giants. The higher operating costs and supply chain barriers within these territories present hurdles for Burlington to maintain profitability through store expansion.
Macy
Macy’s operates 521 retail locations across 46 states and territories, with stores established in 409 domestic cities throughout the United States as of February 24, 2025. With stores in 46 states and territories, Macy’s maintains a broad national footprint, unlike some regional department store chains.
California has 89 locations generate 17% of Macy’s stores overall in the United States. This retail chain operates its most significant number of stores in the state. Major metropolitan areas combined with a large population base in California explain the extensive number of Macy’s stores in the state. With a store for every 443,955 people, California’s large population and significant metropolitan areas—such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego—contribute to its strong retail presence.
Florida operates 41 Macy’s stores, contributing an 8% share of the company’s nationwide stores, which serve 523,854 people each due to its substantial mall and tourism sectors.
New York is the third-ranking state with 38 stores (7%) serving each 511,947 resident population, including the renowned Macy’s Herald Square store at Manhattan’s flagship location.
Texas operates 37 stores (7%) across its territory, although each store serves 783,680 people, which results in lower store density than other top states.
New Jersey is the fifth highest state in Macy’s presence, with 28 stores (5%), while maintaining the most stores per capita, with 317,210 people, due to its close location near major cities.
- States and Territories without any Macy Stores
Macy’s operates throughout much of the United States, although its retail locations do not extend into ten states along with American Samoa and three US territories. The areas without Macy’s stores include seven states and three US territories spanning from American Samoa to Nebraska, Alaska, and Vermont, in addition to Iowa and Mississippi and ending with Wyoming.
These areas lack Macy’s stores because they have low population densities, their main shopping malls are scarce, and their customers show minimal interest in large department store chains. The states of Wyoming, Vermont, and various others purchase most of their goods through local stores and internet shopping since their population is small.
Macy’s avoids entering the US Virgin Islands and American Samoa for market challenges and supply chain management difficulties. Though it has market entry gaps, Macy’s still operates as one of the leading department store chains across the United States, targeting busy urban and suburban retail locations that generate the most consumer demand.
Army & Air Force Exchange Service
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) operates 301 locations within 49 states and territories and 202 US cities, comprising 34 Texas stores, representing 11 percent of the total. The numerous big military bases throughout Texas, including Fort Hood, Joint Base San Antonio, and Fort Bliss, have the highest AAFES locations because they need retail outlets and support services for their military members and dependents.
Texas leads the nationwide distribution of AAFES locations at 34 stores spread across the state, which serves 11% of the total counts and accommodates each person with an individual store distance of 852,824 people. Since Texas serves as one of the leading military destinations through Fort Hood, Joint Base San Antonio, and Fort Bliss, this number proves accurate.
Georgia is the second state regarding AAFES locations at 20 (7%), serving 530,850 people per store due to essential bases like Fort Stewart, Fort Benning, and Robins Air Force Base.
The Southeastern state of Virginia maintains 16 locations, making up 5% of total establishments, while supporting 533,500 people in each facility between these stores. Major U.S. military bases located in Virginia include Fort Belvoir plus Joint Base Langley-Eustis and Norfolk Naval Base.
Florida and California distribute their 14 locations among large populations at rates of one AAFES establishment for each 1.53 million Florida residents and one for every 2.82 million residents of California.
The organizational locations of AAFES show a high concentration in states that house extensive military bases where personnel operate, which makes Texas, Georgia, and Virginia lead the way as key retail centers.
- States and Territories without any Army & Air Force Exchange Service
The US states and territories of Vermont, Iowa, Guam, Rhode Island, the US Virgin Islands, New Hampshire, and Connecticut have no AAFES locations. These regions lack AAFES locations primarily because they contain limited active-duty military bases where stores mainly operate to support military personnel and family members. The absence of major active-duty bases explains why AAFES services are unnecessary at their National Guard or Reserve facilities in these states and territories. The regional locations of AAFES stores reflect their strategic effort to provide the most support where military facilities are located most heavily.
Conclusion
Leading department store chains operate in U.S. locations according to strategic business patterns that align with demographic population dynamics, economic climates, and consumer shopping trends. Major retailers open storefronts in densely populated urban and suburban zones to benefit from abundant customer activity and more potent customer purchasing abilities. The shopping trends combined with online market expansion and market changes have led to changes in store entry and exit and physical store location adjustments. Contact our experts for comprehensive location analysis data for the specific departmental store in the USA!
