Rich Americans' Favorite Grocery Stores Revealed

Rich Americans' favorite grocery stores have been revealed in a recent YouGov study, highlighting distinct shopping patterns among higher-income households compared to middle- and lower-income families. According to the survey, which examined grocery habits of U.S. residents over a period spanning late 2025 to early 2026, higher-income Americans are more likely to shop at Costco, while middle- and lower-income shoppers favor Walmart and its supercenters. The study, published on June 10, analyzed responses from a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged 18 and older. It compared shopping behaviors between higher-income households, defined as those earning $150,000 or more annually, and those in middle- and lower-income brackets. The data was collected on a rolling basis during the specified timeframe and adjusted for demographic factors such as age, gender, education, region, and race. Costco stood out as the preferred choice for higher-income shoppers, with 11 percent identifying it as their primary grocery store. This contrasts sharply with the 5 percent of middle- and lower-income respondents who selected Costco similarly. Trader Joe's also showed a notable preference among affluent shoppers, with 5 percent citing it as their main destination, compared to 2 percent from other income groups. Other retailers like Safeway and Publix saw relatively higher engagement from wealthy consumers, while Kroger and H-E-B attracted similar levels of interest across all income tiers. In contrast, Walmart and Walmart Supercenters were far more popular among middle- and lower-income shoppers. Twenty percent of these individuals indicated that Walmart Supercenter was their primary grocery store, compared to just 8 percent of higher-income shoppers. Similarly, 12 percent of middle- and lower-income shoppers relied on Walmart as their main store, whereas only 4 percent of wealthier consumers did so. The study further broke down the distribution of grocery store preferences among different income groups. For higher-income Americans, the top choices were Costco, Kroger, Walmart Supercenter, Aldi, Trader Joe's, Safeway, Publix, H-E-B, and Walmart. In contrast, middle- and lower-income shoppers predominantly chose Walmart Supercenter, followed by Walmart, Kroger, and other retailers. The frequency of grocery shopping also varied between income groups. Affluent Americans tended to visit grocery stores more often, with 34 percent making multiple trips each week. This compares to 25 percent of middle- and lower-income shoppers. Additionally, 39 percent of higher-income shoppers made weekly visits, slightly ahead of the 36 percent rate among others. Conversely, fewer affluent shoppers opted for monthly shopping, with 18 percent choosing this option, versus 24 percent of other shoppers. Spending habits reflected these differences as well. The study noted a significant gap in grocery expenditures between income groups. About 51 percent of higher-income households spent more than $150 per week on groceries, compared to just 28 percent of middle- and lower-income households. These figures underscore the financial capacity and potential divergent priorities of wealthier consumers. The methodology behind the study relied on YouGov Profiles data, which is continuously updated and weighted to ensure representativeness. The dataset includes U.S. adults aged 18 and older, with adjustments made for demographic variables. YouGov estimated that higher-income Americans constitute roughly 10 percent of the population.