40.3%
of U.S. adults had obesity
The age-adjusted prevalence among adults age 20 and older was 40.3% during August 2021 to August 2023.
Source: CDC National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, September 2024Industry facts
Plus-size fashion and apparel shopping statistics.
Current U.S. figures on body-size context, household apparel spending, and the way people shop for clothes. Every statistic links to its original source.
Browse the statisticsPlus-size shoppers deserve more than a narrow rack and a vague promise of inclusion. This reference brings together publicly available data that helps explain the U.S. apparel market around them. It is designed for writers, retailers, students, and anyone looking for a source they can check for themselves.
Data about bodies is not data about worth, health, or clothing size. The health-survey figures below are context only. Fit, style, and size labels vary widely across brands.
The numbers
8 current U.S. apparel and shopping facts.
41.4%
of U.S. adult women had obesity
The CDC's age-adjusted estimate for women age 20 and older was 41.4% during August 2021 to August 2023.
Source: CDC National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, September 202446.4%
of adults ages 40 to 59 had obesity
Adults ages 40 to 59 had the highest reported prevalence of obesity among the age groups in the CDC's August 2021 to August 2023 data.
Source: CDC National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, September 2024$655
average 2023 household spend on women's apparel
U.S. households spent an average of $655 on apparel for women age 16 and older in 2023. The figure is an average across all households, not only households that bought the category.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2025$208
average 2023 household spend on women's footwear
U.S. households spent an average of $208 on women's footwear in 2023.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2025$340.2B
in U.S. retail e-commerce sales in Q2 2026
Seasonally adjusted U.S. retail e-commerce sales reached $340.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, August 18, 202617.1%
of U.S. retail sales came from e-commerce in Q2 2026
E-commerce accounted for 17.1% of seasonally adjusted U.S. retail sales in the second quarter of 2026.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, August 18, 202652,909
U.S. clothing and accessories retail firms in 2022
The 2022 Economic Census counted 52,909 U.S. clothing and clothing accessories retail firms, down from 56,731 in 2017.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, July 2025What the data shows
Inclusive shopping is not a niche concern.
National data cannot tell one shopper's story, and it cannot tell a retailer what will fit every customer. It does show why more thoughtful fit, wider style choices, and a strong online experience matter. Shopping has to work for real people with different bodies, routines, and preferences.
Shop Extra stylesMethodology and sources
Where these figures come from.
Body-size context
The CDC estimates are health-survey measures, not clothing-size measures. They are included only to show the scale of the U.S. body-size conversation, not to define anyone's size, health, or style.
- Obesity and Severe Obesity Prevalence in Adults: United States, August 2021 to August 2023 National Center for Health Statistics, CDC, September 2024
Household apparel spending
The labor statistics figures are annual household averages, so they include households that did not make a purchase in every category.
- Apparel data in fashion U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 5, 2025
Retail and online shopping
Retail figures are national totals and do not isolate apparel sales. They show the larger shopping environment in which apparel retailers operate.
- Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, Second Quarter 2026 U.S. Census Bureau, August 18, 2026
- While Brick-and-Mortar Stores Closed, New Electronic Shopping Firms Created Jobs U.S. Census Bureau, July 8, 2025
Cite this page
Extra Plus Clothing House. “Plus-Size Fashion and Apparel Shopping Statistics.” Updated August 21, 2026. https://shopextra.store/plus-size-fashion-statistics
For a specific figure, cite the original source linked with that statistic whenever possible.