Updated October 13, 2026, 12:16 p.m. ET
By any measure, Adam Staley’s dedication to Costco is next level. He visits his local warehouse at least four days a week for samples, deals and hot dogs. His wardrobe is proudly Kirkland Signature and he freely admits that Costco is his favorite place on earth.
So when it came time for her family to look for a rental home in Kansas City, Missouri, Staley chose one just five blocks from her personal mecca.
“That was one of the main reasons we wanted to choose this house,” Staley said. “To walk out the door, get in the car and be there in three minutes was a huge plus.”
When looking for housing, most renters and buyers come up with a familiar checklist: good school districts, safe neighborhoods, short commutes, enough bedrooms. But for some Americans, another priority has quietly emerged: living just minutes from a Costco.
The lure of bulk paper towels, rotisserie chickens and discounted gasoline has created what real estate watchers call the “Costco effect” — close to the giant, wholesale forms where people root.
Home is where the executive members are
On Reddit, users openly exchange tips for getting closer to a Costco.
“Is anyone else only looking for houses close enough to a Costco? » asked one user who obsessively checks Redfin maps against warehouse locations.
Another buyer moving to Austin created a dedicated spreadsheet column with the distance to the nearest warehouse.
A third, weighing two neighborhoods in a state with only one Costco, admitted, “I’m embarrassed to say how real consideration of distance to Costco is in my deliberations.” »
For members, proximity comes with perks like late-night gas runs just before closing when the lines dissipate or easy, cheap weekday dinners in the food court. In Los Angeles, developers are capitalizing on the trend by building hundreds of apartments directly on top of a Costco warehouse.
A major case of “Costco envy”
If living close is the dream of some, living too far creates its own frustration.
Kathy Spangler and her husband live in a golf community in Pinehurst, North Carolina, more than an hour from the nearest Costco.
Retired school administrators and English teachers make a day trip to visit the warehouse club two or three times a year.
It was during these rare hikes that Spangler coined the term “Costco envy” to describe the pang of jealousy she felt pushing two fully loaded shopping carts past locals who came for a quick errand.
“Every time we’re up there and I see someone walking out with just a rotisserie chicken or some rolls of toilet paper, I say I envy Costco because they obviously live so close they can come here and buy one or two items,” Spangler said.
How nearby Costco became essential
Real estate agents say the sweet spot is usually between 5 and 15 minutes away — close enough for a quick run but far enough to avoid traffic jams and the noise of delivery trucks.
Although proximity to a warehouse rarely replaces traditional factors like school zones, it has become a powerful selling point.
“Buyers have asked me where the closest Costco is when they’re considering an area,” said Arizona real estate agent Lisa Bayless.
According to a Zillow analysis of active listings in 606 ZIP codes with a Costco warehouse, about 3% explicitly highlight the store in their descriptions.
“Sellers are actively marketing the proximity to the warehouse club as a selling point, treating it more like a lifestyle amenity,” Amanda Pendleton, home trends expert at Zillow, told USA TODAY.
In Pensacola, Florida, a recent listing for a three-bedroom cul-de-sac home touted its 20-minute drive to downtown and 30-minute commute to the beaches, while Pensacola’s first-ever Costco opened just 2.6 miles away.
In Austin, Sean McCormack has turned his 21 years of membership into a core marketing strategy.
Broker-owner Nice Move Realty offers personalized searches on its website filtering homes by radius to local Costcos and regional grocery giant HEB.
For McCormack, it’s not just a business ploy. A Costco within 10 minutes of his family home is a necessity with three boys ages 9 to 17.
“I thought it would be a good idea to differentiate myself,” he said. “It’s for people who want to save time and money.”
That balance is why the loss of his local warehouse hit Staley so hard.
His Kansas City Costco recently closed to become a Costco Business Center that caters to business buyers rather than domestic shoppers, so no more food court or free samples, he says. The nearest traditional warehouse is a 25-minute drive from the bustling metropolitan area. So, at least for now, Staley will have to trade in her near-daily Costco habit for more long-term planning, because moving again is not on the table.
“If it was just us and we didn’t have kids to think about, that might be a different consideration,” he said, citing local schools for keeping his family in place. “I’m going to have to go through some withdrawal there and improve to make sure I have everything I need on this one trip.”
Can’t get enough of our Costco coverage? Here’s more:
USA TODAY covers Costco’s culture, from how it entices shoppers to splurge to why the $1.50 hot dog is the kind of deal they appreciate. Do you have a Costco story to share? Email Jessica Guynn.
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