2026 Sees Slight Decrease in C-Store Count

The 2026 NACS/NIQ TDLinx official store count reported 151,975 c-stores in U.S.

January 26, 2026

There are 151,975 convenience stores in the United States, a slight decrease of 280 stores (0.2%) compared to the year prior, according to the 2026 NACS/NIQ TDLinx Convenience Industry Store Count.

While the overall store count dipped slightly, the number of convenience stores selling fuel increased by 768 stores (0.6%) to 122,620, the highest number in eight years. Convenience stores sell an estimated 80% of the fuel purchased by consumers in the United States. Overall, 80.7% of convenience stores sell fuel.

With the U.S. population at an estimated 343 million according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there is one convenience store for every 2,257 people in the United States.

The industry continues to be dominated by smaller operators. Overall, 95,672 stores are owned by a company that has 10 or fewer stores, 63% of the total store count. Companies operating 500-plus stores own 33,810 stores, or 22.2% of the overall total.

The U.S. convenience store industry had total sales of $837.4 billion in 2024, comprised of $335.5 billion in in-store sales and $501.9 billion in motor fuels sales. The industry’s 2025 operational and financial performance data will be announced at the NACS State of the Industry Summit, which will take place April 14-16 in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Looking to individual states, Texas continues to have the most convenience stores (16,504 stores), or more than one in 10 stores in the United States. Alaska has the fewest stores (185), the same as the year prior.

The top 10 states by store count are:

  1. Texas (16,504 stores)
  2. California (12,143)
  3. Florida (9,730)
  4. New York (7,561)
  5. Georgia (7,092)
  6. Ohio (5,833)
  7. North Carolina (5,799)
  8. Michigan (4,957)
  9. Pennsylvania (4,784)
  10. Illinois (4,708)

Store count increases were recorded in 22 states, led by Texas (+88 stores), Georgia (+39 stores) and Ohio (+38 stores). New York’s count shrunk the most (-143 stores), followed by Massachusetts (-77 stores) and New Jersey (-61 stores).

The 2026 NACS/NIQ TDLinx Convenience Industry Store Count is based on stores in operation as of December 31, 2025.

Interested in learning more? Register for the NACS State of the Industry Summit here.