8 Data Points Every City Should Have on Hand When Talking to Retailers

Retailers today are flooded with pitches from cities eager to secure new stores and centers. But what separates the contenders from the forgettable? Data.

While incentives might spark interest, they’re rarely enough to close the deal. National retailers want hard evidence that a location will perform. If your city can’t present a compelling, data-backed case for investment, another community will.

Here’s the essential data every municipality should be ready to share when speaking to retail decision-makers.

1. Demographics That Go Beyond Population Count

It’s not enough to say your population is growing. Retailers want to know who your residents are—and whether they match the profile of their target customer.

Key metrics to include:

• Age distribution – Highlight concentrations in prime consumer groups (like families with children or Millennials).
• Household income levels – Show the spread across brackets, not just the median.
• Educational attainment – Especially relevant for brands targeting higher-income or aspirational shoppers.
• Daytime vs residential population – Retailers need to know who’s around during business hours.

Tip: Include 3–5 years of trend data to show whether these indicators are stable, growing, or in decline.

2. Consumer Spending Patterns

Retailers want to know what your residents buy—and how much they spend. This goes beyond demographics and directly into purchasing behavior.

What to show:

• Spending by category – Break out grocery, dining, apparel, personal care, etc.
• Per capita or household-level spending
• Comparisons to regional or national averages – Show how your city stacks up.

If you can demonstrate that your residents outspend the average in key categories, you’ve given a retailer a reason to take a closer look.

3. Trade Area Definition and Justification

Your city limits aren’t your only market. Retailers need to understand the real trade area—a mix of drive times, shopper behavior, and competitive pull.

What to include:

• A clearly defined trade area using tools like drive-time analysis or mobile data.
• Justification for why this area matters – e.g., your city draws from neighboring towns or is the retail hub of the region.
• Population and income data within the trade area – Not just city boundaries.

A retailer’s site selection team will do this work anyway—beat them to it and show you’re prepared.

4. Traffic and Mobility Data

Visibility and access remain critical. Retailers want to know how many people pass by—and how they get there.

Include:

• Average daily vehicle counts on major retail corridors
• Pedestrian counts, especially for urban or mixed-use areas
• Transit access and future mobility improvements

If you can show seasonality (such as tourism surges) or peak events that drive traffic, include those as well.

5. Retail Leakage and Gap Analysis

This is one of the clearest ways to highlight opportunity. Where are residents spending money outside your city that could be captured locally?

Provide:

• Leakage reports by category (e.g., restaurants, home goods, fitness)
• Retail gap analysis that compares current sales to potential demand
• Narrative insights on why these gaps exist—lack of space, perception, etc.

When a retailer sees a clear unmet need, it reframes your city as a profit center—not just a place on a map.

6. Competitive Landscape Snapshot

Retailers want to know who’s already in the market—and whether there’s room to compete or complement.

Be ready to share:

• List of major national/regional retailers currently operating
• Map of existing shopping centers and tenant mix
• Vacancy and redevelopment activity
• Planned or proposed projects that could affect competition or traffic

Visuals are powerful here. Heat maps, dashboards, or simple graphic summaries go a long way.

7. Real Estate and Infrastructure Readiness

A retailer may love your market—but if there’s no shovel-ready site or the permitting process drags on, it’s a lost cause.

Highlight:

• Available sites or properties that meet their footprint and specs
• Zoning, permitting, and timeline estimates
• Infrastructure strengths like utilities, road access, parking, and signage allowances

Fast-track potential and site readiness can be just as compelling as demographics.

8. Community Profile and Support

Data may win the meeting, but alignment with local values can help close the deal. Retailers want to know they’ll be welcomed—not resented.

Share:

• Psychographic or lifestyle profiles – e.g., “outdoor enthusiasts,” “health-conscious families”
• Community sentiment data from surveys or feedback sessions
• Alignment with community goals – sustainability, walkability, affordability
• Local business success stories – to show the city’s support of commerce

Even a one-page summary here can demonstrate retail isn’t just a city priority—it’s a shared community vision.

Final Thoughts

Retail recruitment is no longer about the biggest incentive package. It’s about being the best-prepared, most insightful, and lowest-risk choice.

When your team shows up with clean, credible, and contextualized data, you’re not just asking for investment—you’re making a business case that’s hard to ignore.

Getting Started

Need help packaging your city’s data into a compelling retail pitch?
Schedule a Strategy Consultation with CRE 360 — we’ll help you turn local strengths into national interest.

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