Knowing where to buy a mattress in the USA can help you save time and money while avoiding unnecessary frustration. Mattress shoppers in the United States can buy from many types of retailers, such as local mattress stores, national chains, furniture stores, warehouse clubs, department stores, manufacturer showrooms, and online mattress companies. Which retailer works best for you will depend on several factors, including price range, preferred construction, location, and whether you value an in-person mattress test.
Mattress buying differs from most routine home purchases because comfort is highly personal. A low price can be attractive, but the least expensive mattress is not necessarily the best choice. Before deciding where to buy, compare factors such as mattress construction, firmness, return policies, sleep trials, warranties, delivery charges, financing options, and old mattress removal.
This guide explains the main places to buy mattresses throughout the United States and what to consider before choosing a store.
Where to Buy a Mattress in the United States
Mattresses are sold through several types of retailers across the country. While certain stores are specialty mattress retailers, others sell mattresses alongside a larger selection of furniture and household goods.
Among the most common mattress retailers are:
- Local independent mattress stores
- Large national and regional mattress retailers
- Furniture stores
- Warehouse retailers
- Department store retailers
- Large big-box stores
- Manufacturer-owned mattress stores and showrooms
- Online mattress companies
- Large online marketplaces
- Mattress factory-direct retailers
Each option has its own benefits and drawbacks. A mattress showroom can be especially useful for shoppers who prefer trying different mattresses before buying. Buyers who already know the mattress denver mattress stores type and firmness they want may find online shopping more convenient.
Independent Local Mattress Retailers
Independent mattress stores can be found in cities, suburbs, and smaller communities across the United States. An independent mattress retailer might run a single store or maintain multiple locations across a state or metro region.
Independent mattress retailers often give shoppers access to more than one manufacturer. Depending on the store, you may find traditional innerspring mattresses, memory foam beds, latex mattresses, hybrids, adjustable bases, foundations, pillows, mattress protectors, and other sleep products.
Shopping locally can provide access to staff familiar with the products they sell. In many local showrooms, you can test several firmness levels and mattress constructions during one visit.
Local retailers may also compete with larger chains by offering services such as local delivery, mattress setup, old mattress removal, flexible pricing, or package deals that combine a mattress with a foundation or adjustable bed.
Before buying from an independent retailer, make sure you understand its return and comfort exchange rules. Return and exchange terms are not the same at every mattress store.
National and Regional Mattress Retailers
U.S. shoppers can also buy from specialty mattress chains operating across national or regional markets. Companies such as Mattress Firm operate stores in many markets, while other chains serve specific states or regions.
Mattress chains typically devote most of their inventory to mattresses and other sleep-focused products. Many chain showrooms carry multiple well-known manufacturers, as well as adjustable bases, bed frames, foundations, pillows, and bedding accessories.
Specialty chains can be useful if you want to compare several mattresses in one location. You may also be able to review models and store inventory online before your visit.
Major mattress chains often promote sales around Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Black Friday, and other holiday weekends. However, shoppers should compare the final purchase price rather than assuming every advertised sale represents the lowest available price.
Mattress Departments at Furniture Stores
Many American furniture retailers have dedicated mattress departments. You can find mattresses at furniture retailers including Ashley, Rooms To Go, and various regional chains, where beds are sold alongside bedroom furniture, sofas, dining sets, and other home furnishings.
Buying from a furniture retailer may make sense when you need more than just a mattress, since one store may carry the mattress, bed frame, headboard, dresser, and nightstands.
The main drawback is that mattress selection can vary by location. Shoppers looking for more mattress-specific help may find more options at a specialty mattress retailer than at a general furniture store.
Even so, furniture retailers can be worth comparing, particularly when you want a complete bedroom package or plan to have multiple large household items delivered together.
Buying Mattresses From Warehouse Clubs
Many Americans also purchase mattresses through large warehouse retailers. Retailers such as copyright and Sam's Club sell mattresses from a variety of manufacturers online and in their warehouse locations.
Although warehouse clubs may offer competitive mattress prices, their in-store mattress selection can be more limited than the inventory at a specialty showroom. Some mattresses are displayed for inspection, while others may be packaged or available primarily through the retailer's website.
If you already understand memory foam, innerspring, and hybrid mattresses and are comfortable buying without testing numerous beds, a warehouse club may be a practical choice.
When comparing warehouse clubs, factor in the cost and convenience of membership and delivery, as well as return procedures and local mattress removal services.
Mattresses at Department Stores and Big-Box Stores
Another place to shop for a mattress is through large general merchandise stores. Stores including Macy's, Walmart, Target, and other large retail chains may offer mattresses, although selection varies by location.
The number and type of mattresses available are not consistent across every location. Some retailers maintain showroom displays for mattress testing, while others mainly sell boxed mattresses for online ordering or store pickup.
A big-box retailer may be a practical choice for an affordable mattress, a guest-room mattress, a child's mattress, a dorm-room mattress, or a convenient bed-in-a-box product.
Do not base your comparison on the mattress brand alone, check the exact model and specifications before buying. Mattresses from the same manufacturer can vary greatly in materials, coil systems, foam layers, height, and firmness.
Manufacturer Showrooms and Brand Stores
Some mattress brands have manufacturer-operated retail locations. For brands without their own stores, authorized dealers may provide showroom space for selected product lines.
Well-known mattress brands available in the United States include Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, Stearns & Foster, Serta, Beautyrest, Purple, Casper, among many others.
If you already prefer a particular manufacturer, shopping at its branded store can simplify your search. This can let you compare several models and firmness levels from the same manufacturer without evaluating unrelated mattresses.
Unlike a multi-brand mattress retailer, a brand-specific showroom does not make it as easy to compare competing manufacturers.
Where to Buy a Mattress Online
Online retailers have become a significant sales channel in the U.S. mattress market. Consumers can buy directly from many mattress brands online and have beds delivered across a large portion of the United States.
Depending on the mattress, delivery may involve a compressed bed in a box or a full-size mattress delivered without compression. Certain companies also offer room-of-choice or white-glove delivery services.
One advantage of online mattress shopping is that you can research a broad selection from your home. Online shopping can also make it easier to compare specifications, pricing, policies, and construction details side by side.
Unlike showroom shopping, buying online generally means choosing a mattress before physically testing it. For that reason, the sleep trial and return policy become especially important.
Understand the Sleep Trial Before Ordering
With a sleep trial, you have a defined period to evaluate the mattress in your own home. Trial lengths vary by company.
Before you purchase, read the full sleep trial and return policy. Some companies require a minimum adjustment period before a mattress can be returned. Others may charge pickup, transportation, restocking, or processing fees.
A lengthy advertised sleep trial does not necessarily mean returns are completely free. Pay closer attention to the complete return policy than to the headline trial length.
Common Mattress Types Sold in the United States
Understanding the major mattress types can simplify the buying process. Mattress stores typically organize products by common construction categories.
Innerspring Mattress Construction
Innerspring beds combine metal coils for support with comfort materials on top. Designs range from basic traditional beds to premium mattresses with thick cushioning and individually wrapped coils.
Memory Foam Beds
Rather than using a traditional spring support system, memory foam mattresses are built with foam layers. Memory foam is known for its close-conforming feel and ability to reduce movement across the bed.
Hybrid Mattress Construction
A hybrid mattress combines a coil support system with substantial foam or latex comfort layers. Hybrids are common in American mattress showrooms because they combine characteristics of both foam and innerspring beds.
Mattresses Made With Latex
Latex beds may contain natural latex, synthetic latex, or a blend of the two. They tend to have a responsive feel rather than the deep contouring associated with some memory foam beds.
Adjustable Air-Chamber Mattresses
With some premium air mattresses, sleepers can adjust the firmness of separate sides of the bed. Adjustable air-chamber mattresses should not be confused with temporary portable air beds.
How to Choose a Mattress Store
Choosing a mattress store should involve more than distance or the size of an advertised discount. Compare the complete buying experience before making your decision.
Key factors to compare include:
- Product selection: Choose a retailer with enough options to compare different materials and firmness levels.
- Transparent pricing: Ask what is included in the advertised price and whether delivery or setup costs extra.
- Returns: Check whether returns are handled through refunds, exchanges, store credit, or comfort exchanges.
- Sleep trial: Review how long the mattress can be tested and what return charges may apply.
- Warranty: Read the manufacturer's warranty and the list of covered defects.
- Mattress delivery: Find out whether the mattress is shipped, delivered to your door, or installed in your bedroom.
- Mattress haul-away: Ask whether your existing mattress can be hauled away.
- Payment financing: Evaluate the full cost of financing, not just the monthly payment.
It is also useful to check whether the mattress you tested in the showroom is the exact model listed on your receipt. Retailer-specific model names or product lines can complicate side-by-side mattress comparisons.
What Does a Mattress Cost in the USA?
Mattress prices in the United States range from a few hundred dollars for basic models to several thousand dollars for luxury mattresses and adjustable sleep systems.
Price depends on mattress size, materials, construction, brand, thickness, features, and retailer. For the same model, you can generally expect a queen to be priced above a twin but below a king.
Lower-priced foam and innerspring mattresses are often available from several value-oriented mattress retailers. In the mid-range, shoppers generally see a broader variety of materials and construction features. Luxury and premium mattresses can incorporate specialty foam, latex, advanced support systems, cooling technology, handcrafted details, and adjustable features.
Rather than focusing only on the purchase price, consider expected lifespan, support for your sleeping position, and the retailer's return protections.
Should You Try a Mattress Before You Buy It?
Trying a mattress in a showroom can make it easier to narrow your choices, but a few seconds of sitting on the bed is not a useful test.
When testing a mattress, try to lie in your usual sleeping position for several minutes. Side sleepers should pay attention to pressure around the shoulders and hips. Back sleepers should check whether the lower back feels supported while the body remains properly positioned. Stomach sleepers often prefer enough support to prevent the midsection from sinking too deeply.
Whenever possible, couples should test the bed together. Differences in body weight, sleep position, and firmness preference can affect which mattress works best.
Trying a mattress in-store provides useful information but only for a short period. That is why at-home trial periods and comfort exchanges are valuable.
How to Choose Mattress Firmness
Mattress firmness is usually described with terms such as soft, medium, medium-firm, firm, or extra firm. No one firmness level is right for every sleeper.
Your preferred firmness can depend on body weight, sleeping position, mattress construction, and personal comfort. Two mattresses labeled "medium-firm" may also feel different because manufacturers do not use one universal firmness scale.
Use firmness labels as a starting point rather than an exact measurement. To lower the risk of ending up with the wrong firmness, choose a retailer that provides useful comfort exchange protection.
How Mattress Delivery and Setup Work
Delivery services differ between mattress retailers. Ask in advance whether the mattress will be left outside, brought indoors, or placed in your room.
Typical mattress delivery choices include basic doorstep service, delivery inside the home, room-of-choice placement, setup, and white-glove delivery. Certain delivery services also include taking away packaging and the sleep products you are replacing.
Before purchasing a large mattress or adjustable base for a building with restricted access, verify hallway size, elevator requirements, loading rules, and delivery scheduling procedures.
Mattress Disposal and Recycling
Replacing a mattress also means deciding what to do with the old one. The rules for getting rid of a mattress are different depending on your state and municipality.
Some mattress stores provide haul-away service as part of delivery. Local waste services, transfer stations, recycling programs, and private junk removal companies may also accept mattresses.
Several states, including California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, have established mattress recycling programs. Requirements and recycling fees can vary, so shoppers should check local rules rather than assuming a mattress can be left with regular household trash.
If the mattress is still clean and usable, local charities or nonprofit organizations may accept it, but donation standards differ and many organizations do not take used mattresses.
Best Times of Year to Buy a Mattress
Although mattress promotions appear year-round, major U.S. holiday weekends are common sale periods. Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Black Friday are often associated with mattress promotions.
A major sale weekend may offer discounts, but you should not assume it is always the cheapest time to buy. Prices and promotions can change year-round, including bundle offers, financing deals, and free accessory promotions.
Look at the complete value of the offer. A mattress with a somewhat higher price can still provide more for your money when valuable services or accessories are part of the deal.
Buying a Mattress Near You
If you want to shop in person, searching for mattress stores near me can provide a useful starting point. In most U.S. metro areas, shoppers can choose from independent mattress stores, national chains, furniture retailers, and department stores.
In major U.S. markets including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, Denver, Boston, and Washington, D.C., shoppers may have dozens of mattress stores and showrooms within driving distance. People living in less populated areas may have fewer physical mattress stores nearby, increasing the importance of online sellers and regional retailers.
Before traveling between multiple showrooms, a mattress directory can help you see which stores operate in your area. After comparing store locations, retailer categories, brands, and services, verify directly with the retailer that your preferred models are in stock for testing.
What to Ask Before You Purchase a Mattress
Before paying for a new bed, ask the salesperson or online retailer a few important questions:
- Is this mattress currently in stock?
- What is the total price including delivery and other fees?
- Can I return or exchange the mattress if it is uncomfortable?
- Is there a required minimum period before a comfort exchange?
- Are there return, pickup, transportation, or restocking fees?
- If I have a warranty issue, do I contact the store or the manufacturer?
- Must the mattress be used with a particular foundation or bed frame to maintain warranty coverage?
- Does delivery include setup of the new mattress?
- Is old mattress and foundation haul-away available?
- How soon can the mattress be delivered?
Getting these answers before purchase can prevent misunderstandings later.
Finding the Right Place to Buy Your Next Mattress
There is no single best place to buy a mattress for every shopper. A local mattress store may be ideal if you want personal service and the ability to test several beds. A large chain can be useful when you want multiple mattress choices and easy-to-find retail locations. Warehouse clubs and big-box stores can be attractive for price-conscious buyers, while online mattress sellers provide convenient delivery and access to brands without nearby physical locations.
The key is to compare more than the mattress price. Your decision should account for the mattress itself and the policies surrounding the purchase.
Use our mattress store directory to find mattress stores across the United States, compare retailers in your area, and narrow your search before visiting a showroom or ordering a mattress online. Doing some research before purchase can make it easier to choose a mattress suited to your body, sleep style, budget, and home.