National CRE News In Your Inbox.
Sign up for Connect emails to stay informed with CRE stories that are 150 words or less.
5 Metro Areas Stand Out for Consumer Momentum
Placer.ai has identified five metros across the U.S. as standouts for consumer momentum going into 2026: Salt Lake City (UT), Reno (NV), Indianapolis (IN), Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (FL) and Raleigh-Durham (NC). All five metro areas saw their populations increase by more than the average U.S. metro between 2023 and 2024, and year-over-year retail and dining traffic trends outpaced the nationwide average.
In a new white paper titled 5 Markets to Watch in 2026, Placer.ai drills down into the advantages each metro claims in sustaining consumer momentum. Key takeaways include the following:
Salt Lake City: The metro continues to outperform thanks to a young, fast-growing population and a strong homeownership culture, says Placer.ai. Retailers in home goods, grocery, and improvement categories are seeing significantly higher Y-O-Y foot traffic than the national average.
Reno: The share of “Singles & Starters” among Reno’s visitor base continues to climb. “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,” according to Placer.ai.
Indianapolis: “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.”
Raleigh: “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.”
Tampa: “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.”
- ◦Economy
