If you shop online, chances are you’ve bought something from a Shopify store. The platform has quietly become the backbone of American e-commerce. Nearly one in three online stores in the U.S. now runs on Shopify, giving it a presence that’s hard to ignore.
To see where that presence is strongest, eSEOspace, a web design company that works with online retailers, took a closer look at store data from across the country. They wanted to know which states are most active on Shopify, not just in total numbers, but relative to how many people live there.
That approach made things interesting. Instead of the biggest states automatically topping the list, a few smaller ones stood out. Wyoming and Delaware, for example, are leading the pack when you look at Shopify stores per person.
It’s a reminder that digital business doesn’t just belong to the big states. Some of the smallest ones are building thriving online economies of their own.
Key Findings:
- Wyoming comes in first, with about 260 Shopify stores for every 100,000 people. That’s the highest in the entire country.
- Delaware takes second place, with around 1,637 stores, or about 159 for every 100,000 people. That’s a big number for such a small state.
- California stands out because it has both quantity and reach. It has more than 50,000 Shopify stores, the most of any state, and still ranks in the top three when you compare stores per person
Shopify at a Glance
Shopify operates worldwide, but its largest market is the United States.
The chart highlights the United States’ outsized role in Shopify’s success.
More than half of Shopify’s stores are in the U.S., 2.67 million businesses that make America its biggest market.
Shopify’s Market Share in the U.S.
Shopify also dominates the e-commerce platform market at home, outpacing all competitors.
Shopify has a bigger share of the U.S. market than Wix, Squarespace, and WooCommerce combined. For every 10 e-commerce stores you see in the U.S., 3 are built on Shopify.
Top 10 States with the Most Shopify Stores Per Capita
E-commerce may be nationwide, but Shopify hotspots show a very local story.
Wyoming ranks first with 1,523 Shopify stores. This means, there’s a Shopify store for about every 383 people. With a population of 584,000, that equals 260.8 stores per 100,000 people, the highest density in the U.S.
Delaware comes second with 1,637 stores. For just over 1 million residents, that equals 158.6 stores per 100,000 people. Delaware’s density is higher than New York’s and nearly rivaling California’s, despite its size.
California came third, despite the highest total, with 50,226 Shopify stores. With a population close to 39 million, that works out to 128.9 stores per 100,000 people. In fact, if California were measured against countries, its store count would compare with some of the world’s biggest e-commerce markets.
Washington ranks fourth with 8,679 stores, equal to about 111 stores per 100,000 residents across its 7.8 million people. New York follows in fifth place with 20,322 stores. With its population of 19.5 million, that comes to 103.8 stores per 100,000 residents, making it one of the biggest contributors in total store numbers.
Hawaii has 1,475 stores, ranking sixth. With 1.4 million residents, that equals 102.8 stores per 100,000 people. Utah records seventh place with 3,507 stores. With 3.4 million residents, that equals 102.6 stores per 100,000.
Ranking eighth, Nevada reported 3,006 shopify stores. For its 3.1 million people, that equals 94.1 stores per 100,000 residents. Vermont follows, taking ninth spot. The state counts 599 stores. With only 647,000 residents, that equals 92.5 stores per 100,000 people.
Oregon has the tenth most shopify stores nationwide, recording 3,726 stores. With 4.2 million residents, that equals 88.0 stores per 100,000.
State-Level Insights
You might expect the biggest states to dominate online retail, but that’s not the full story. Wyoming, Delaware, and Vermont are small, yet they’re showing some of the strongest Shopify activity anywhere. These are small markets with outsized ambition — and they’re proving that eCommerce success doesn’t depend on population size.
In Hawaii and Nevada, tourism gives Shopify an extra push. Local businesses use the platform to stay connected with travelers long after their vacation ends. Someone buys a T-shirt in Honolulu or a mug in Vegas, then a few weeks later, they’re back online ordering again. That kind of repeat connection is gold for small businesses trying to build loyal customers.
The larger states still lead when it comes to total numbers. California, New York, Florida, and Texas sit at the top, and California is in a class of its own. It has more than 50,000 Shopify stores, the most of any state, and it still ranks near the top when you look at stores per person. Not many places can claim that mix of scale and engagement.
The gap between states, though, is wide. Wyoming has roughly 260 stores for every 100,000 people. West Virginia barely breaks 20. That’s a huge difference — and a reminder that digital growth doesn’t spread evenly. Some states are sprinting ahead. Others are just stepping onto the track.
“Shopify’s rise shows that opportunity in e-commerce isn’t defined by geography, it’s defined by creativity and connection. Whether you’re in California or Wyoming, great digital storefronts can thrive anywhere.”
Full Dataset
|
Which U.S. States Have The Most Shopify Stores Per Capita |
|||
|
State |
Shopify stores |
Population |
Shopify stores per capita |
|
Wyoming |
1,523.00 |
584,057.00 |
260.76 |
|
Delaware |
1,637.00 |
1,031,890.00 |
158.64 |
|
California |
50,226.00 |
38,965,193.00 |
128.90 |
|
Washington |
8,679.00 |
7,812,880.00 |
111.09 |
|
New York |
20,322.00 |
19,571,216.00 |
103.84 |
|
Hawaii |
1,475.00 |
1,435,138.00 |
102.78 |
|
Utah |
3,507.00 |
3,417,734.00 |
102.61 |
|
Nevada |
3,006.00 |
3,194,176.00 |
94.11 |
|
Vermont |
599.00 |
647,464.00 |
92.51 |
|
Oregon |
3,726.00 |
4,233,358.00 |
88.02 |
|
Colorado |
5,046.00 |
5,877,610.00 |
85.85 |
|
Florida |
18,656.00 |
22,610,726.00 |
82.51 |
|
Connecticut |
2,805.00 |
3,617,176.00 |
77.55 |
|
New Jersey |
6,682.00 |
9,290,841.00 |
71.92 |
|
Massachusetts |
4,556.00 |
7,001,399.00 |
65.07 |
|
New Hampshire |
898.00 |
1,402,054.00 |
64.05 |
|
South Dakota |
577.00 |
919,318.00 |
62.76 |
|
Idaho |
1,208.00 |
1,964,726.00 |
61.48 |
|
Maryland |
3,697.00 |
6,180,253.00 |
59.82 |
|
Rhode Island |
646.00 |
1,095,962.00 |
58.94 |
|
Maine |
793.00 |
1,395,722.00 |
56.82 |
|
Arizona |
4,162.00 |
7,431,344.00 |
56.01 |
|
North Carolina |
6,046.00 |
10,835,491.00 |
55.80 |
|
Texas |
16,687.00 |
30,503,301.00 |
54.71 |
|
Minnesota |
3,104.00 |
5,737,915.00 |
54.10 |
|
Illinois |
6,736.00 |
12,549,689.00 |
53.67 |
|
Tennessee |
3,629.00 |
7,126,489.00 |
50.92 |
|
Michigan |
4,967.00 |
10,037,261.00 |
49.49 |
|
South Carolina |
2,650.00 |
5,373,555.00 |
49.32 |
|
Montana |
542.00 |
1,132,812.00 |
47.85 |
|
Alaska |
345.00 |
733,406.00 |
47.04 |
|
Virginia |
4,090.00 |
8,715,698.00 |
46.93 |
|
Pennsylvania |
6,024.00 |
12,961,683.00 |
46.48 |
|
Louisiana |
2,099.00 |
4,573,749.00 |
45.89 |
|
Wisconsin |
2,584.00 |
5,910,955.00 |
43.72 |
|
North Dakota |
341.00 |
783,926.00 |
43.50 |
|
New Mexico |
909.00 |
2,114,371.00 |
42.99 |
|
Missouri |
2,661.00 |
6,196,156.00 |
42.95 |
|
Arkansas |
1,269.00 |
3,067,732.00 |
41.37 |
|
Nebraska |
816.00 |
1,978,379.00 |
41.25 |
|
Kansas |
1,204.00 |
2,940,547.00 |
40.94 |
|
Ohio |
4,756.00 |
11,785,935.00 |
40.35 |
|
Alabama |
1,983.00 |
5,108,468.00 |
38.82 |
|
Oklahoma |
1,499.00 |
4,053,824.00 |
36.98 |
|
Iowa |
1,165.00 |
3,207,004.00 |
36.33 |
|
Indiana |
2,489.00 |
6,862,199.00 |
36.27 |
|
Mississippi |
1,029.00 |
2,939,690.00 |
35.00 |
|
Kentucky |
1,576.00 |
4,526,154.00 |
34.82 |
|
Georgia |
2,368.00 |
11,029,227.00 |
21.47 |
|
West Virginia |
374.00 |
1,770,071.00 |
21.13 |
Final Take: Shopify’s Growth Isn’t Just a Big-State Story
Shopify’s growth story isn’t just about big states or big cities.
Wyoming and Delaware lead the nation when you look at stores per person, while California and New York dominate in overall numbers. The data makes one thing clear: success on Shopify isn’t tied to population size.
Smaller states and tourism-driven places are building strong online business communities right alongside the country’s largest markets.
Read next: Only 11% of Americans Trust Their First Search Result, Revealing a New Era of Fragmented Discovery[2]
References
- ^ eSEOspace (eseospace.com)
- ^ Only 11% of Americans Trust Their First Search Result, Revealing a New Era of Fragmented Discovery (www.digitalinformationworld.com)