Furniture Stores Revenue Benchmarks
The average furniture stores business in the United States generates $5.5M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 12,802 furniture stores businesses in the U.S., employing 196,524 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Furniture Stores Business Actually Do?
Retailers selling furniture for home and office — sofas, beds, dining sets, casegoods, decorative items. Range from big-box (Ashley, Rooms To Go) to specialty and custom retailers.
Who buys: Consumers furnishing a new home, replacing worn-out pieces, or moving.
Average Revenue
$5.5M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$357K
per year
Total Businesses
12,802
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$219K
small business avg
Labor Cost
14.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
3.9
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Furniture Stores Charge?
Furniture stores mark up wholesale cost 50–150% depending on price tier and delivery.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Budget furniture markup | 50–100% over wholesale |
Mid-tier furniture markup | 80–150% over wholesale |
Delivery fee (local) | $75–250 |
White-glove delivery + assembly | $150–500 |
Warranty / protection plan (upsell) | 10–20% of sale price |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete furniture stores business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a furniture stores business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the furniture stores industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $61 | $3.4M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $14 | $767K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $449K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $225K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $449K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $219K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
6.06%
openings/year
Closure Rate
7.07%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-1.15%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,064
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Furniture Stores Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
13 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a furniture stores business do?
- Retailers selling furniture for home and office — sofas, beds, dining sets, casegoods, decorative items. Range from big-box (Ashley, Rooms To Go) to specialty and custom retailers. Consumers furnishing a new home, replacing worn-out pieces, or moving.
- How much do furniture stores charge?
- Furniture stores mark up wholesale cost 50–150% depending on price tier and delivery. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average furniture stores make per year?
- The average furniture stores business generates $5.5M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $219K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many furniture stores businesses are there in the US?
- There are 12,802 furniture stores businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 196,524 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a furniture stores business?
- Startup costs for a furniture stores business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The furniture stores industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -1.2%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 6.1% and 7.1% respectively.
Approximately 69% of furniture stores businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 1,064 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The furniture stores industry has declined 42% since 2000 (from 19,811 to 11,433 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Furniture Stores revenue with other industries: