Don’t Buy a House in these 20 Cities With the Most Closures of Stores and Businesses

When you think of where to buy a home, you may be thinking about the many aspects that factor into a city’s livability.

Is it safe? Is there good access to healthcare facilities? Does the public school system rank highly? These are all important elements to consider, but there’s one significant factor that may not come to mind: the rate of store and business closures. 

A city with a robust and healthy economy typically has a thriving presence of stores and businesses. A city where businesses are shutting their doors or moving elsewhere indicates a kind of urban decay. In time, that decay can eat away at home prices in the area and reduce the value of your real estate investment. 

GOBankingRates analyzed metropolitan statistical areas to find those with the most store closures. These are the 20 cities where we’re seeing businesses shut down at the highest rates. As such, you should think twice before buying a home here.

• Number of establishments: 88,045  
• Number of establishments entry: 8,874 
• Establishments entry rate: 10.01 
• Number of establishments exit: 10,018 
• Establishments exit rate: 11.31

• Number of establishments: 3,473 
• Number of establishments entry: 310 
• Establishments entry rate: 8.81
• Number of establishments exit: 398 
• Establishments exit rate: 11.32

• Number of establishments: 2,011 
• Number of establishments entry: 157 
• Establishments entry rate: 7.66
• Number of establishments exit: 233 
• Establishments exit rate: 11.37

• Number of establishments: 88,045  
• Number of establishments entry: 8,874 
• Establishments entry rate: 10.01 
• Number of establishments exit: 10,018 
• Establishments exit rate: 11.31

• Number of establishments: 5,359 
• Number of establishments entry: 516 
• Establishments entry rate: 9.54 
• Number of establishments exit: 618 
• Establishments exit rate: 11.42

• Number of establishments: 11,271 
• Number of establishments entry: 1,421 
• Establishments entry rate: 12.69
• Number of establishments exit: 1,283 
• Establishments exit rate: 11.31

• Number of establishments: 88,045  
• Number of establishments entry: 8,874 
• Establishments entry rate: 10.01 
• Number of establishments exit: 4,993 
• Establishments exit rate: 11.52

• Number of establishments: 18,921 
• Number of establishments entry: 2,030 
• Establishments entry rate: 10.68
• Number of establishments exit: 2,199 
• Establishments exit rate: 11.57

• Number of establishments: 6,160  
• Number of establishments entry: 577  
• Establishments entry rate: 9.25
• Number of establishments exit: 728 
• Establishments exit rate: 11.68

• Number of establishments: 77,803  
• Number of establishments entry: 8,998 
• Establishments entry rate: 11.55 
• Number of establishments exit: 9,197 
• Establishments exit rate: 11.81

• Number of establishments: 182,083  
• Number of establishments entry: 28,658 
• Establishments entry rate: 16.06
• Number of establishments exit: 21,294  
• Establishments exit rate: 11.94

• Number of establishments: 18,815  
• Number of establishments entry: 1,502 
• Establishments entry rate: 7.81
• Number of establishments exit: 2,318 
• Establishments exit rate: 12.06

• Number of establishments: 8,594 
• Number of establishments entry: 882  
• Establishments entry rate: 10.16
• Number of establishments exit: 1,055  
• Establishments exit rate: 12.15

• Number of establishments: 4,128 
• Number of establishments entry: 412 
• Establishments entry rate: 9.84 
• Number of establishments exit: 533 
• Establishments exit rate: 12.73

• Number of establishments: 44,081 
• Number of establishments entry: 4,593 
• Establishments entry rate: 10.29
• Number of establishments exit: 5,736 
• Establishments exit rate: 12.85

• Number of establishments: 116,335 
• Number of establishments entry: 12,196 
• Establishments entry rate: 10.34
• Number of establishments exit: 15,336 
• Establishments exit rate: 13.01

• Number of establishments: 331,901 
• Number of establishments entry: 41,584 
• Establishments entry rate: 12.48
• Number of establishments exit: 44,184 
• Establishments exit rate: 13.26

• Number of establishments: 496,257 
• Number of establishments entry: 53,784 
• Establishments entry rate: 10.67 
• Number of establishments exit: 69,373  
• Establishments exit rate: 13.76

• Number of establishments: 4,180 
• Number of establishments entry: 390 
• Establishments entry rate: 9.11 
• Number of establishments exit: 591 
• Establishments exit rate: 13.81

• Number of establishments: 1,675 
• Number of establishments entry: 176  
• Establishments entry rate: 10.32
• Number of establishments exit: 237 
• Establishments exit rate: 13.90

Methodology. For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas to find the places with the most store closures. First GOBankingRates found establishment data to find the number of establishments, establishments entered, establishments exited, establishments entry rate and establishments exit rate all sourced from the U.S. Census Business Dynamics Statistics. Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Office of Management and Budget data, the metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area codes can be related to their respective names. The areas are sorted to show the highest establishments exit rate by micropolitan and metropolitan areas. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Sept. 4th, 2024.