Placer.ai: Salt Lake City, Indianapolis among top markets for 2026
Five metro areas have been determined as having the most consumer momentum going into 2026.
A recent report from retail foot traffic firm Placer.ai is pointing to Salt Lake City, Reno, Nev. Indianapolis, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (Fla.) and Raleigh-Durham (N.C.) as the areas best primed for retail growth in the new year. Placer.ai noted that all five metro areas saw their populations increase by more than the average U.S. metro between 2023 and 2024, while year-over-year retail and dining traffic trends outpaced the nationwide average.
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Indianapolis (4.3%) and Reno, Nev. (2.8%) led the pack in terms of increased retail visits between May 2025 and October 2025 compared to the previous year, while the Tampa metro area (2.3%) and Salt Lake City (1.8%) saw the greatest increase in dining traffic.
Placer.ai laid out a handful of reasons for why each market is expected to thrive in 2026:
1. Salt Lake City (Home-centric growth and sustained consumer strength
“Salt Lake City continues to outperform thanks to a young, fast-growing population and a strong homeownership culture. Retailers in home goods, grocery and home improvement categories are seeing significantly higher year-over-year foot traffic than the national average.”
2. Reno (A tourism hub evolving beyond gaming)
“The share of ‘Singles & Starters’ among Reno's visitor base continues to climb – and this generational diversification is transforming the city into a year-round destination for dining, shopping, and entertainment while fueling traffic gains across Reno-area shopping centers.”
3. Indianapolis (Family affordability fuels retail momentum)
“With strong employment, affordable housing, and a favorable cost-of-living ratio, discretionary retail and family-friendly dining concepts are particularly well positioned to thrive in this growing Midwestern market.”
4. Raleigh (Young, high-earning consumers drive mixed-use expansion)
“Raleigh’s relatively low median age and strong labor market are fueling demand for premium dining and retail, leading to foot traffic gains for upscale mixed-use developments.”
5. Tampa (Urban revival powers dining and retail gains)
“In-migration of Gen Z and millennial workers, together with rising office attendance, has boosted commuter and visitor traffic across Tampa’s urban core – helping Tampa's dining concepts grow faster than the national average and underscoring Tampa’s role as a Southeastern consumer hotspot.”
Placer.ai’s full report can be found here.
