City Survivability Rankings for Barber Shop

StreetSpring's 2026 analysis ranks the top cities for Barber Shops across the US by Survivability Scores. See which cities offer the best chances for a Barber Shop to succeed.

•17 min read

Quick Summary

  • Survivability Score: the projected chance a business type lasts two or more years at a specific address
  • The highest-survivability city for Barber Shop is Dallas: 72.80% average survivability
  • 0 of 24 analyzed US metros score above 70% for Barber Shop survivability
  • The lowest-ranked city is Philadelphia at 70.19%
  • National average chance of lasting two or more years for Barber Shop: 71.0%
  • Data reflects 2026 StreetSpring survivability analysis across 24 US metro areas · Full methodology →

Table of Contents

Summary

According to StreetSpring's 2026 nationwide analysis, Dallas ranks as the #1 city for opening a Barber Shop in the United States, with an average 72.80% chance of surviving more than 2 years. Following close behind are San Antonio with 72.50%, and Orlando with 72.08%. Our 24-city dataset shows Barber Shops achieving 71.0% average survivability nationally: Dallas pulling notably ahead of the pack. City-wide statistics are directional, not definitive; the best decision comes from analyzing your specific storefront. Pair these survivability scores with StreetSpring's live tool to get a real-time view before making a final decision.

Survivability ranges reflect best and worst storefront conditions within each city. See our full methodology →

Barber Shops city survivability range chart: Charlotte vs Minneapolis (2026)

Best-to-worst Barber Shop survivability within individual metros: Charlotte, New York City, San Diego, Portland and Minneapolis. Each box spans the middle of that metro's range; whiskers are its best and worst locations (2026).

All 24 Cities Ranked for Barber Shops

Based on StreetSpring's analysis of 24 major metropolitan areas, these cities offer the strongest prospects for Barber Shops:

#MetroMetro areaChance of lasting two or more years
1DallasDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX72.80%
2San AntonioSan Antonio-New Braunfels, TX72.50%
3OrlandoOrlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL72.08%
4CharlotteCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC71.91%
5PortlandPortland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA71.88%
6St Louis71.86%
7San FranciscoSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA71.75%
8PhoenixPhoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ71.74%
9Los AngelesLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA71.72%
10San DiegoSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA71.66%
11HoustonHouston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX71.63%
12Tampa BayTampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL71.48%
13DenverDenver-Aurora-Centennial, CO71.47%
14BostonBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH71.27%
15Washington DCWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV71.26%
16AtlantaAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA71.24%
17New York CityNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ71.07%
18MinneapolisMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI71.02%
19BaltimoreBaltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD71.00%
20SeattleSeattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA70.91%
21MiamiMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL70.59%
22ChicagoChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN70.57%
23DetroitDetroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI70.50%
24PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD70.19%

1. Dallas Metro: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

2. San Antonio Metro: San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

3. Orlando Metro: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

4. Charlotte Metro: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

5. Portland Metro: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

6. St Louis

7. San Francisco Metro: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

8. Phoenix Metro: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

9. Los Angeles Metro: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

10. San Diego Metro: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

11. Houston Metro: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX

12. Tampa Bay Metro: Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

13. Denver Metro: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

14. Boston Metro: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

15. Washington DC Metro: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

16. Atlanta Metro: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

17. New York City Metro: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

18. Minneapolis Metro: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

19. Baltimore Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

20. Seattle Metro: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

21. Miami Metro: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

22. Chicago Metro: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

23. Detroit Metro: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

24. Philadelphia Metro: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

Key Insights

Cities cluster tightly: The difference between the #1 city (Dallas at 72.80%) and the #24 city (Philadelphia at 70.19%) is 2.61 percentage points. At 0.3 points apart, Dallas and San Antonio are effectively tied for Barber Shops. The survivability difference that matters shows up block by block.

National average: Across all 24 analyzed cities, the average survivability for a Barber Shop is 71.0%.

What Makes These Cities Stand Out?

The top-ranked cities share several characteristics that favor Barber Shops:

  • Strong survivability signals: Dallas leads with a 73% average chance of lasting two or more years for Barber Shops: significantly above the national average for this business category.
  • Competition density: The top cities show favorable competitor-to-opportunity ratios for Barber Shops, meaning lower saturation and higher odds of capturing an underserved customer base.
  • Foot traffic infrastructure: High-scoring cities combine transit access, walkable commercial corridors, and anchor tenants that drive consistent daily traffic past storefronts.
  • Supply chain access: Cities at the top of this ranking benefit from mature supplier networks for this category, reducing operating costs and inventory lead times.

Across the U.S., real estate professionals and business owners rely on StreetSpring's AI predictions to understand where a new venture is most likely to thrive, before signing a lease. The training dataset includes millions of transactions and business lifecycle events. Every forecast is powered by StreetSpring's private data models.

Best Neighborhoods Across the Spectrum

Where you open matters more than which city ranks highest. The strongest neighborhoods for Barber Shops can be found across the entire national distribution:

Dallas: ranked #1 nationally: the strongest market for Barber Shops

  • Oak-Lawn (82% survivability)
  • Cottonwood (81% survivability)
  • Butler (81% survivability)
  • Pioneer (80% survivability)
  • Downtown (80% survivability)

See full neighborhood rankings for Dallas →

Philadelphia: ranked #24 of 24: among the lower-ranked national markets

  • Northern-Liberties (82% survivability)
  • Oxford-Circle (82% survivability)
  • Pennypack-Woods (82% survivability)
  • Harrowgate (82% survivability)
  • Lawndale (82% survivability)

See full neighborhood rankings for Philadelphia →

City-level scores aggregate hundreds of neighborhoods. The right neighborhood matters more than the city's headline rank.

City-specific guides: For detailed neighborhood-level analysis, explore our city guides:

National guides:

How current is this ranking?

Rankings are updated quarterly. The current data reflects StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, with the next full dataset refresh scheduled for Q3 2026. As market conditions shift across major metros, individual city scores can move meaningfully between updates: particularly for Barber Shops, where local competition density and consumer spending patterns respond quickly to new entrants and neighborhood change. For the most current score at any specific address, use StreetSpring's live survivability tool rather than the static ranking above.

Can a Barber Shop succeed in cities not ranked in the top 10?

Yes, our top 10 ranking reflects cities with the strongest average conditions, but lower-ranked metros can still contain exceptional individual neighborhoods. Many operators successfully open Barber Shops in cities that don't appear in our top 10. Barber Shops in particular can find strong performance in secondary markets where the right demographic concentration, household income, and limited direct competition within walking distance align, even outside our highest-ranked cities. StreetSpring's neighborhood-level data surfaces these pockets of opportunity in every city we analyze, regardless of where the city as a whole ranks nationally.

What tools can help me choose the right city for a Barber Shop?

StreetSpring's Survivability Score tool provides address-level predictions for Barber Shops across all 24 metros we track. For this category specifically, the tool surfaces competition density, consumer spending index for Barber Shops, and commercial vacancy rates: the factors that most consistently predict whether a Barber Shop will still be operating after two years. You can check any specific address before signing a lease and compare multiple neighborhoods side by side to identify the highest-survivability site within your target city.

Try the Survivability Score tool →

Which US city has the best survivability for Barber Shops?

Dallas ranks as the #1 city in the US for Barber Shops survivability in StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, with an average 73% chance of lasting two or more years. This means that across well-selected neighborhoods in Dallas, a Barber Shop has approximately a 73% chance of still operating after two years, above the national average for this category. San Antonio ranks second, followed by Orlando. The full ranking reflects data across 24 major US metro areas: see the complete list above for all scores and neighborhood-level links.

Last reviewed: September 2026 by Robert Koons, Founder & CEO, StreetSpring

Technical note: Aggregated national survivability rankings across all 24 metros are available in machine-readable format for research and integration purposes.

View national technical data

StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data, so the live score may differ from the static ranges shown here.

Methodology: City rankings aggregate neighborhood-level Survivability Scores (max, average, and min) across all analyzed neighborhoods in each metro area. Rankings reflect average conditions but do not account for variation within cities. Coverage includes 24 major US metropolitan areas: Dallas, San Antonio, Orlando, Charlotte, Portland, St Louis, San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, Tampa Bay, Denver, Boston, Washington DC, Atlanta, New York City, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Seattle, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia. StreetSpring scores 500+ business types: 153 base business types, most of them at 5 price points, which is 569 type-and-price combinations you can choose in the tool.