BizFisher

Where hardware stores may be underserved

Estimate only, not proof of demand.

Hardware stores serve homeowners, landlords and contractors who need a part today, not next week. They tend to draw from areas with older housing, lots of single-family homes and a busy trades community, and knowledgeable staff can be their edge over big-box stores. This map shows ZIP codes where hardware stores may be underserved.

Open the full gap mapBrowse businesses for sale, free
  • 1 per 8,011U.S. average people per hardware store
  • 13,362ZIPs with at least 5,000 residents
  • 2,455of them with none mapped

Top ZIPs where hardware stores may be underserved

People per business divides population by the hardware stores mapped in a ZIP; a high number may mean room for one, though a nearby home-improvement center can change the math.

  1. 179938 El Paso, TX1 per 99,621Pop 99,621 · 1 mapped · 12.4× U.S. · nearest 9.6 miBusinesses for sale in El Paso →View on the map →
  2. 290201 Bell Gardens, CA1 per 92,763Pop 92,763 · 1 mapped · 11.6× U.S. · nearest 1.2 miBusinesses for sale in Bell Gardens →View on the map →
  3. 377479 Sugar Land, TX1 per 92,221Pop 92,221 · 1 mapped · 11.5× U.S. · nearest 2 miBusinesses for sale in Sugar Land →View on the map →
  4. 477407 Richmond, TX1 per 88,319Pop 88,319 · 1 mapped · 11.0× U.S. · nearest 2.6 miBusinesses for sale in Richmond →View on the map →
  5. 575126 Forney, TX1 per 84,799Pop 84,799 · 1 mapped · 10.6× U.S. · nearest 0.5 miBusinesses for sale in Forney →View on the map →
  6. 696706 Ewa Beach, HI1 per 83,692Pop 83,692 · 1 mapped · 10.4× U.S. · nearest 1.3 miBusinesses for sale in HI →View on the map →
  7. 792563 Murrieta, CA1 per 80,379Pop 80,379 · 1 mapped · 10.0× U.S. · nearest 2.1 miBusinesses for sale in Murrieta →View on the map →
  8. 892592 Temecula, CA1 per 80,035Pop 80,035 · 1 mapped · 10.0× U.S. · nearest 4.2 miBusinesses for sale in Temecula →View on the map →
  9. 977346 Humble, TX1 per 79,538Pop 79,538 · 1 mapped · 9.9× U.S. · nearest 1 miBusinesses for sale in Humble →View on the map →
  10. 1093033 Oxnard, CA1 per 78,737Pop 78,737 · 1 mapped · 9.8× U.S. · nearest 2.6 miBusinesses for sale in Oxnard →View on the map →
  11. 1189031 North Las Vegas, NV1 per 77,305Pop 77,305 · 1 mapped · 9.7× U.S. · nearest 1.4 miBusinesses for sale in North Las Vegas →View on the map →
  12. 1260625 Chicago, IL1 per 76,760Pop 76,760 · 1 mapped · 9.6× U.S. · nearest 0.8 miBusinesses for sale in Chicago →View on the map →
  13. 1383646 Meridian, ID1 per 76,023Pop 76,023 · 1 mapped · 9.5× U.S. · nearest 1.5 miBusinesses for sale in Meridian →View on the map →
  14. 1487121 Albuquerque, NM1 per 75,510Pop 75,510 · 1 mapped · 9.4× U.S. · nearest 10.1 miBusinesses for sale in Albuquerque →View on the map →
  15. 1523464 Virginia Beach, VA1 per 75,061Pop 75,061 · 1 mapped · 9.4× U.S. · nearest 1.6 miBusinesses for sale in Virginia Beach →View on the map →
  16. 1693306 Bakersfield, CA1 per 74,116Pop 74,116 · 1 mapped · 9.3× U.S. · nearest 10.9 miBusinesses for sale in CA →View on the map →
  17. 1722191 Woodbridge, VA1 per 73,623Pop 73,623 · 1 mapped · 9.2× U.S. · nearest 2.2 miBusinesses for sale in Woodbridge →View on the map →
  18. 1880013 Aurora, CO1 per 73,248Pop 73,248 · 1 mapped · 9.1× U.S. · nearest 1.4 miBusinesses for sale in Aurora →View on the map →
  19. 1977083 Houston, TX1 per 73,230Pop 73,230 · 1 mapped · 9.1× U.S. · nearest 0.6 miBusinesses for sale in Houston →View on the map →
  20. 2092407 San Bernardino, CA1 per 71,711Pop 71,711 · 1 mapped · 9.0× U.S. · nearest 5.2 miBusinesses for sale in San Bernardino →View on the map →
  21. 2130127 Powder Springs, GA1 per 71,626Pop 71,626 · 1 mapped · 8.9× U.S. · nearest 1.4 miBusinesses for sale in GA →View on the map →
  22. 2277493 Katy, TX1 per 71,484Pop 71,484 · 1 mapped · 8.9× U.S. · nearest 4.1 miBusinesses for sale in Katy →View on the map →
  23. 2320906 Silver Spring, MD1 per 70,595Pop 70,595 · 1 mapped · 8.8× U.S. · nearest 0.5 miBusinesses for sale in Silver Spring →View on the map →
  24. 2411691 Far Rockaway, NY1 per 69,359Pop 69,359 · 1 mapped · 8.7× U.S. · nearest 0.4 miBusinesses for sale in Far Rockaway →View on the map →
  25. 2532828 Orlando, FL1 per 69,202Pop 69,202 · 1 mapped · 8.6× U.S. · nearest 2.5 miBusinesses for sale in Orlando →View on the map →

Ranked by people per business, highest first. ZIPs with at least 5,000 residents and at least one mapped. Estimate only, not proof of demand.

  • None mapped
  • ≥2× U.S. people per business
  • 1.25–2×
  • Near average
  • Well served

Large ZIPs with none mapped

The most populated ZIPs with at least 5,000 residents where open map data shows no hardware store businesses. Listed separately, not ranked: one may sit just over the ZIP line, so check the nearest distance and the map.

  1. 190044 Los Angeles, CANone mappedPop 94,830 · 0 mapped · nearest 0.8 miBusinesses for sale in Los Angeles →View on the map →
  2. 295747 Roseville, CANone mappedPop 83,902 · 0 mapped · nearest 3.9 miBusinesses for sale in Roseville →View on the map →
  3. 398012 Mill Creek, WANone mappedPop 77,041 · 0 mapped · nearest 1.8 miBusinesses for sale in Mill Creek →View on the map →
  4. 433033 Homestead, FLNone mappedPop 71,458 · 0 mapped · nearest 3.4 miBusinesses for sale in Homestead →View on the map →
  5. 592105 San Diego, CANone mappedPop 71,411 · 0 mapped · nearest 2 miBusinesses for sale in San Diego →View on the map →
  6. 678253 San Antonio, TXNone mappedPop 69,282 · 0 mapped · nearest 4.6 miBusinesses for sale in San Antonio →View on the map →
  7. 728215 Charlotte, NCNone mappedPop 66,674 · 0 mapped · nearest 2.5 miBusinesses for sale in Charlotte →View on the map →
  8. 892115 San Diego, CANone mappedPop 66,264 · 0 mapped · nearest 1.9 miBusinesses for sale in San Diego →View on the map →
  9. 992114 San Diego, CANone mappedPop 65,745 · 0 mapped · nearest 2.4 miBusinesses for sale in San Diego →View on the map →
  10. 1092392 Victorville, CANone mappedPop 65,429 · 0 mapped · nearest 3.9 miBusinesses for sale in Victorville →View on the map →

Estimate only, not proof of demand.

See all ZIPs on the gap map →

Rather buy one that's already running? See hardware stores for sale near you on BizFisher Hunt. It's free.

Questions about hardware store gaps

Can a local hardware store compete with home-improvement chains?
Many compete on convenience, service and hard-to-find parts rather than price. A store closer to home can win the quick, small trips.
What kinds of areas lean on hardware stores?
Places with older homes that need upkeep, many homeowners and landlords, and active local contractors.
What comes with buying an existing hardware store?
Inventory, supplier or co-op membership, the lease and a customer base. How inventory is valued is worth a close look.

Estimate only, not proof of demand. Based on Overture Maps places data and U.S. Census population; estimates, not a census. Counts can miss businesses or include ones that have closed, so check any area on the ground before you buy or open a business. Estimates only — not financial, tax, or legal advice.

Built from over 3.6 million US businesses in Overture Maps places data, compared with U.S. Census population counts.

Sources. Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Places: © Overture Maps Foundation (release 2026-09-23.1), with data from Meta, Microsoft and other contributors under CDLA-Permissive-2.0, Foursquare (© 2024 Foursquare Labs, Inc., Apache-2.0, transformed to the Overture schema) and AllThePlaces (CC0); full Overture attribution. Population: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS 5-year 2020-2024 B01003) (public domain); ZIP boundaries: Census 2020 cartographic boundary ZCTAs. BizFisher is not affiliated with or endorsed by these organizations.