Placer.ai: Five markets to watch in 2027 include...
Placer.ai has identified five markets primed for continued consumer momentum heading into 2027.
Based on population growth and retail and dining traffic visits increasing over the past year, Placer.ai has noted Stockton, Calif., Phoenix, Boise, Idaho, Nashville, Tenn., and Ocala, Fla., as markets that will continue flourishing in the year ahead.
Stockton, Calif.
According to Placer.ai, Stockton, Calif., is already a natural landing spot for households looking for more space, affordability, and a slower pace outside the Bay Area’s largest cities. Between October 2025 and September 2026, retail and dining visits were both up 2.7% year over year, compared to the national averages of 0.8% for retail and -0.3% for dining.
Takeaway: “A long-standing Bay Area commuter base positions Stockton to benefit from the region’s AI boom. Young professionals and families are already overrepresented, and their demand for convenience is showing up in limited-service dining, where visits are outpacing the state and the nation.”
Phoenix
Placer.ai noted that not only does Phoenix have one of the fastest-growing populations, it has incredibly strong retail fundamentals as well. Year over year visits to several retail categories in the region beat out the nationwide benchmark from October 2025 to September 2026, including discount & dollar stores, clothing and electronics stores.
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Takeaway: “Population and job growth are driving visits to discount & dollar stores, clothing and electronics retailers. Leading shopping centers like Tempe Marketplace and Scottsdale Fashion Square are also posting consistent visit gains.”
Boise, Idaho
Net domestic migration has added 2.8% to Boise’s population since September 2023, with half of that gain (1.4%) coming in the past year alone, according to Placer.ai. A look at grocery visits nationwide and within the metro points to rising consumer demand, as visits to grocery chains across the metro rose 2.3% year over year over the past 12 months, outpacing the nationwide gain of 1.5%.
Takeaway: “With a new memory chip plant set to begin production in mid-2027, Boise’s job market is poised for a major boom. Already, net domestic migration and grocery growth show signals of rising local demand.”
Nashville, Tenn.
Nashville, Tenn., has benefited from both a booming population and a strong tourism industry. Over the past 12 months, visits to Nashville rose by 2.5%, likely driven in part by events like CMA Fest and Let Freedom Sing!. Placer.ai also noted an 8.4% year-over-year out-of-market visit surge in September, coinciding with Labor Day weekend trips and Americanafest, a citywide music festival.
Takeaway: “Record-setting events helped lift out-of-market visits, and Nashville is capturing the vast majority of visitors’ overnight stays. A new NFL stadium and a wave of white-collar employers position Music City for even more momentum in 2027.”
Ocala, Fla.
Real estate development is helping accommodate a growing population in Ocala, Fla., located in the middle of the state. In May 2026, Ocala’s city council approved 2,700 new residences and nearly a million square feet of commercial space, with more development on the horizon. Inbound commuter visits to Ocala, Fla., have risen in recent months, with annual growth reaching 8.2% in September 2026, according to Placer.ai.
Takeaway: “Ocala leads the five markets in population and job growth. Inbound commuter visits are rising, and the metro is attracting fast-growing brands while sustaining traffic to established ones.”
The full report from Placer.ai can be found here.
