Thrift Stores in the US 2026: Industry Statistics & Trends

Industry snapshot

Key public data points

Historical & forecast

What does the Thrift Stores in the US industry cover?

The industry comprises physical and digital establishments primarily engaged in retailing used merchandise, antiques, and secondhand goods. It excludes motor vehicles, motorized parts, tires, and mobile homes, focusing instead on consumer products like clothing, home furnishings, and media. The scope encompasses traditional charity-run thrift shops, commercial consignment operations, permanent flea markets, and specialized internet-based used goods retailers.

• •Classified under the official North American Industry Classification System as NAICS code 459510 (Used Merchandise Retailers).
• •Includes diverse operational models such as donation-supported storefronts, estate sale liquidations, and peer-to-peer auction formats.
• •The 2022 NAICS revision explicitly eliminated structural distinctions between store-based and nonstore (online) used merchandise operations.

Who operates in the industry and how is it structured?

The market features a dual structure split between massive non-profit charitable organizations and thousands of small, independent operators. Sourcing models rely heavily on community donations, local liquidations, or individual consignment agreements rather than standard wholesale supply chains. This localized intake mechanism creates a geographically fragmented retail network that operates across all fifty states.

• •The U.S. Census Bureau documented 19,466 operating establishments within the used merchandise retail category in 2023.
• •Nonprofit organizations command the largest physical presence and highest volume of secondary consumer goods collections nationwide.
• •Individual regional entities, such as Goodwill Industries of Southern California, achieved $149.4 million in pure retail sales in 2024.

What drives demand in the industry?

Consumer demand is heavily driven by macroeconomic pressures, particularly inflation and tightening household budgets, which incentivize value-conscious shopping. Societal shifts toward circular economies and textile waste reduction have also destigmatized secondhand apparel among younger demographics. Additionally, the proliferation of digital discovery tools and e-commerce infrastructure has significantly minimized friction for secondary item procurement.

• •Sustained inflationary shifts have expanded the active purchasing demographic beyond low-income households into middle-income brackets.
• •An estimated 58% of U.S. consumers actively engaged in purchasing secondhand apparel during 2024.
• •Environmental concerns regarding fast-fashion waste serve as a primary catalyst for demographic groups under age 40.

Who are the notable companies in the industry?

Competition in the secondhand marketplace is intensifying as traditional brick-and-mortar thrift stores face direct overlap from institutional e-commerce platforms. The market requires operators to constantly innovate their intake, pricing, and curation strategies to capture high-quality inventory. While large nonprofits dominate offline storefront volume, publicly traded specialized recommerce firms command significant digital market share.

• •Goodwill Industries International remains the largest secular nonprofit participant, generating $8.6 billion in organization-wide revenue in fiscal year 2024.
• •The Salvation Army operates thousands of adult rehabilitation thrift storefronts across regional U.S. commands.
• •Winmark Corporation stands out as a prominent franchisor of branded used merchandise concepts, including Play It Again Sports and Plato's Closet.
• •Savers Value Village, Inc. operates as a massive, institutionalized for-profit thrift store chain utilizing public capital markets.

What are the recent trends and outlook?

The industry is experiencing a rapid transition toward omnichannel models, where physical sortation centers feed both brick-and-mortar outlets and digital marketplaces. Artificial intelligence is increasingly deployed by larger operators to automate the grading, pricing, and online cataloging of unique single-unit items. The long-term outlook remains positive as major traditional retailers look to integrate branded trade-in programs.

• •Online channels represented roughly 46% of the North American secondhand apparel distribution matrix in 2024.
• •Traditional physical foot traffic at community thrift shops stabilized at 103% of historical pre-pandemic baselines heading into recent cycles.
• •Volume metrics expanded to an estimated 4.85 billion units processed across North American resale channels in 2024.

How is the industry regulated?

Thrift stores are subject to standard retail consumer protections alongside specialized local, state, and federal oversight regarding product safety. Retailers must closely monitor inventory to prevent the resale of recalled, defective, or hazardous consumer goods, such as lead-containing children's toys or structurally compromised infant furniture. Emerging regional legislation is also targeting circular economy initiatives, impacting textile waste streams and recycling accountability.

• •Operators are regulated under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which mandates strict screening against recalled products.
• •Tax compliance guidelines from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) strictly govern the valuation and reporting of non-cash charitable donations.
• •Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, pioneered in states like California, are forcing structural supply chain adjustments for textile waste management.

Government, statistical and trade sources used for this Claight analysis.

• U.S. Census Bureau 2023 County Business Patterns ·
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics NAICS 2022 Update Guidelines ·
• Goodwill Industries International Statutory Annual Disclosures 2024 ·
• Goodwill Industries of Southern California Audited Financial Statements 2024