America’s malls are in the middle of a major reset. Once dominated by department stores and weekend foot traffic, the country’s largest shopping complexes are transforming into multi-dimensional, entertainment-driven destinations. This report analyzes the Top 10 Largest US Shopping Malls (2025), uncovering the strategies keeping them relevant in an e-commerce-first world.
The findings highlight three defining forces reshaping the sector: the rise of Retailtainment and Experiential Retail, the acceleration of Mixed-Use Repositioning, and the Diversification of Tenant Mix beyond traditional anchors. The modern mega-mall isn’t just a shopping space; it’s evolving into a fully integrated “live, work, play” ecosystem.
The Scale of Spectacle: America’s Biggest Malls, Ranked
The ranking of the largest shopping malls is often complicated by the distinction between Gross Leasable Area (GLA), the space available for rent, and the Total Area of the entire complex. The list below uses the most commonly cited figures for the largest complexes, which often reflect the total size, as this metric best captures the scale of the modern mega-mall, especially those focused on entertainment.
| Rank | Mall Name | Location | Primary Size Metric | Area (Square Feet) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mall of America | Bloomington, Minnesota | Total Area | 5,600,000 |
| 2 | American Dream | East Rutherford, New Jersey | Total Area/GLA | 3,000,000 |
| 3 | The Galleria | Houston, Texas | GLA | 3,000,000 |
| 4 | King of Prussia Mall | King of Prussia, Pennsylvania | GLA | 2,793,200 |
| 5 | South Coast Plaza | Costa Mesa, California | GLA | 2,738,730 |
| 6 | Aventura Mall | Aventura, Florida | GLA | 2,700,000 |
| 7 | Del Amo Fashion Center | Torrance, California | GLA | 2,517,765 |
| 8 | Ala Moana Center | Honolulu, Hawaii | GLA | 2,400,000 |
| 9 | Tysons Corner Center | Tysons, Virginia | GLA | 2,400,000 |
| 10 | Destiny USA | Syracuse, New York | GLA | 2,400,000 |
Note: The Mall of America’s 5.6M sq ft includes non-retail attractions, with retail GLA at about 2.87M sq ft. American Dream’s 3.0M sq ft largely targets entertainment.
From Stores to Experiences: The Retailtainment Revolution
The most defining trend among the largest malls is the transformation from transactional spaces into experiential destinations. Rather than competing with online shopping, these complexes now emphasize entertainment, leisure, and sensory engagement.
- Mall of America (MOA) and American Dream lead the pack with extraordinary attractions, MOA’s 7-acre Nickelodeon Universe and SEA LIFE Aquarium, versus American Dream’s ski slope, water park, and amusement parks.
- Destiny USA in New York amplifies its entertainment positioning as a “shopping, dining, and adventure” hub.
- With the experiential retail market forecast to exceed $130 billion by 2035, malls are leaning into immersive design and recreation to drive traffic and dwell time.
Blueprint for Survival: The Rise of Mixed-Use Megacenters
Facing retail headwinds, mall developers have embraced a mixed-use transformation, turning single-function shopping centers into multi-purpose, urban ecosystems.
- The “live, work, play” model is redefining suburban sprawl: aging department stores are being replaced by apartments, coworking hubs, hotels, and healthcare facilities.
- These ‘Mall 2.0 developments’ are now positioned as Mini-Town Centers, blending lifestyle amenities with retail to strengthen repeat visitation and daily relevance.
- The result? Resilient, self-sustaining communities that counterbalance e-commerce disruption with convenience and local integration.
Beyond Department Stores: Rewriting the Tenant Mix
Anchors aren’t what they used to be, and that’s a good thing. The tenant blueprint of 2025’s mega-malls reflects a diversified, experience-led model designed to attract traffic across demographics.
Three pillars are driving the new mix:
- Dining as Destination: Restaurants and food halls are the new anchors, rewarding malls with dwell time that retail alone can’t match.
- Services That Stick: Fitness clubs, med spas, and on-site pet care fill daily needs while resisting digital disruption.
- Luxury and Flagship Focus: Malls like South Coast Plaza and The Galleria thrive on exclusivity, luxury labels, and immersive flagship boutiques, experiences that online can’t imitate.
The Final Words
The top 10 largest U.S. malls aren’t remnants of the 20th century; they’re prototypes for the future of retail real estate. Their expansive footprints allow for reinvention at scale, blending entertainment, retail, wellness, hospitality, and residential living.
The modern mega-mall doesn’t just sell, it curates community, culture, and experience.
