City Survivability Rankings for Deli

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

•16 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 Deli is Portland: 82.23% average survivability
  • 24 of 24 analyzed US metros score above 70% for Deli survivability
  • The lowest-ranked city is New York City at 80.00%
  • National average chance of lasting two or more years for Deli: 81.0%
  • Data reflects 2026 StreetSpring survivability analysis across 24 US metro areas · Full methodology →

Table of Contents

Summary

According to StreetSpring's 2026 nationwide analysis, Portland ranks as the #1 city for opening a Deli in the United States, with an average 82.23% chance of surviving more than 2 years. Following close behind are St Louis with 82.07%, and San Antonio with 82.06%. Across 24 metros, Delis average 81.0% survivability, with 24 cities offering conditions conducive to long-term success in this category. Still, specific site selection matters: some of the best-performing blocks can be found in cities that might not look ideal on average. Market conditions shift frequently: use StreetSpring's live tool to confirm the current picture before committing to a location.

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

Delis city survivability range chart: San Antonio vs Dallas (2026)

Best-to-worst Deli survivability within individual metros: San Antonio, Detroit, Orlando, Boston and Dallas. Each box spans the middle of that metro's range; whiskers are its best and worst locations (2026).

All 24 Cities Ranked for Delis

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

#MetroMetro areaChance of lasting two or more years
1PortlandPortland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA82.23%
2St Louis82.07%
3San AntonioSan Antonio-New Braunfels, TX82.06%
4CharlotteCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC81.75%
5OrlandoOrlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL81.66%
6DetroitDetroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI81.53%
7PhoenixPhoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ81.52%
8Tampa BayTampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL81.48%
9AtlantaAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA81.32%
10BaltimoreBaltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD81.30%
11San DiegoSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA81.23%
12MinneapolisMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI81.16%
13San FranciscoSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA81.12%
14Los AngelesLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA81.10%
15HoustonHouston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX81.08%
16ChicagoChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN81.03%
17SeattleSeattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA81.02%
18MiamiMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL80.96%
19DenverDenver-Aurora-Centennial, CO80.86%
20Washington DCWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV80.67%
21BostonBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH80.62%
22PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD80.61%
23DallasDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX80.54%
24New York CityNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ80.00%

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

2. St Louis

  • Best locations: 84.0% to 84.0%
  • Average locations: 80.0% to 83.0%
  • Challenging locations: 68.0% to 78.0%

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

  • Best locations: 84.0% to 84.0%
  • Average locations: 80.0% to 83.0%
  • Challenging locations: 68.0% to 78.0%

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

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

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

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

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

  • Best locations: 83.0% to 84.0%
  • Average locations: 80.0% to 82.0%
  • Challenging locations: 68.0% to 77.0%

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

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

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

  • Best locations: 83.0% to 84.0%
  • Average locations: 80.0% to 82.0%
  • Challenging locations: 69.0% to 77.0%

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

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

  • Best locations: 83.0% to 84.0%
  • Average locations: 80.0% to 82.0%
  • Challenging locations: 68.0% to 77.0%

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

  • Best locations: 83.0% to 84.0%
  • Average locations: 79.0% to 82.0%
  • Challenging locations: 67.0% to 77.0%

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Best locations: 83.0% to 84.0%
  • Average locations: 79.0% to 81.0%
  • Challenging locations: 67.0% to 77.0%

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

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

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

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

  • Best locations: 83.0% to 84.0%
  • Average locations: 79.0% to 81.0%
  • Challenging locations: 69.0% to 77.0%

Key Insights

Cities cluster tightly: The difference between the #1 city (Portland at 82.23%) and the #24 city (New York City at 80.00%) is 2.23 percentage points. At 0.2 points apart, Portland and St Louis are effectively tied for Delis. The survivability difference that matters shows up block by block.

Strong performers: 24 cities show Survivability Scores above 80%, indicating highly favorable conditions for Delis.

National average: Across all 24 analyzed cities, the average survivability for a Deli is 81.0%.

What Makes These Cities Stand Out?

The top-ranked cities share several characteristics that favor Delis:

  • Strong survivability signals: Portland leads with a 82% average chance of lasting two or more years for Delis: significantly above the national average for this business category.
  • Competition density: The top cities show favorable competitor-to-opportunity ratios for Delis, meaning lower saturation and higher odds of capturing an underserved customer base.
  • Neighborhood diversity: Within each top city, high-survivability zones appear across multiple neighborhood types, from dense urban cores to established suburban strips.
  • Foot traffic infrastructure: High-scoring cities combine transit access, walkable commercial corridors, and anchor tenants that drive consistent daily traffic past storefronts.

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. Our forecasting engine processes data from over 24 metro areas covering 180+ million consumers. Every forecast is powered by StreetSpring's private data models.

Best Neighborhoods Across the Spectrum

Strong opportunities for Delis aren't limited to the highest-ranked cities. Here are top neighborhoods at different points in the national spectrum:

Portland: ranked #1 nationally: the strongest market for Delis

  • Ogden (88% survivability)
  • Kenton (87% survivability)
  • Multnomah (87% survivability)
  • Gresham (86% survivability)
  • Woodlawn (85% survivability)

See full neighborhood rankings for Portland →

San Francisco: ranked #13 of 24: a middle-of-the-pack national market

  • Mission-Bay (86% survivability)
  • South-Beach (84% survivability)
  • Santa-Fe (84% survivability)
  • Marina (84% survivability)
  • Twin-Peaks (84% survivability)

See full neighborhood rankings for San Francisco →

New York City: ranked #24 of 24: among the lower-ranked national markets

  • Rockaway-Park (89% survivability)
  • Coney-Island (86% survivability)
  • Brighton-Beach (86% survivability)
  • Newark (86% survivability)
  • Clinton-Hill (84% survivability)

See full neighborhood rankings for New York City →

These examples show that a city's national rank for Delis is a starting signal: neighborhood-level data is what drives an actual location decision.

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 Delis, 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 Deli 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 Delis in cities that don't appear in our top 10. Delis 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 Deli?

StreetSpring's Survivability Score tool provides address-level predictions for Delis across all 24 metros we track. For this category specifically, the tool surfaces competition density, consumer spending index for Delis, and commercial vacancy rates: the factors that most consistently predict whether a Deli 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 Delis?

Portland ranks as the #1 city in the US for Delis survivability in StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, with an average 82% chance of lasting two or more years. This means that across well-selected neighborhoods in Portland, a Deli has approximately a 82% chance of still operating after two years, above the national average for this category. St Louis ranks second, followed by San Antonio. 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: Portland, St Louis, San Antonio, Charlotte, Orlando, Detroit, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Baltimore, San Diego, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Seattle, Miami, Denver, Washington DC, Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas, New York City. 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.