CoStar Group Inc. has identified Charlotte and Tampa as two of the top-performing retail markets in 2025. According to CoStar's analysis of 43 U.S. retail markets with at least 100 million square feet of inventory, Charlotte ranked first, driven by a 7.4% increase in asking rent growth and an 11.6% total return. The rankings were determined using five equally weighted indicators: percent of inventory leased, availability rate, market rent growth, change in sales volume, and total return for retail properties. The report highlights that Sunbelt cities, particularly Charlotte, continue to benefit from demographic growth, business-friendly conditions, and a disciplined supply pipeline. Charlotte's robust white-collar job growth and suburban housing development have made newly built, grocery-anchored retail centers attractive for brand expansion. Tampa and Orlando also performed strongly, supported by population inflows and limited retail space availability.