Market rankings · Iowa
Auto repair and car care businesses in Iowa
Markets across Iowa ranked by the Groundwork market score for auto repair and car care businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 5,496
- 1,345 chain locations (24%)
- Official establishments
- 2,356
- +0.9% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $1.5B
- On vehicle maintenance and repairs
- Listings per 10k households
- 41.8
- 17% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $271K
- In line with the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #37 of 51
- Market score 42 · Lower middle
A site report maps the auto repair and car care businesses on map listings around any address in Iowa by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
As of September 2026, map listings count 5,496 auto repair and car care businesses in Iowa. Chain locations make up 24% of them, against 24% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 41.8, 17% above the U.S. rate of 35.7.
Household spending on vehicle maintenance and repairs in Iowa comes to about $1.5B a year: $1,134 per household, 18% above the U.S. average. That is about $271K of household spending for each business on map listings, in line with the U.S. figure of $269K.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers in Iowa was 2,356 in 2023, up 0.9% from 2019. That is one for every 558 households, against one for every 681 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 4.1% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 78 SBA-backed loans worth $25.7M have gone to businesses classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers in Iowa.
Among the 50 states and DC, Iowa ranks #37 for auto repair and car care businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 42 (lower middle). Of the 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Iowa, the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area scores highest (76). Of the 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Iowa, the Storm Lake area scores highest (71).
Every market in Iowa for auto repair and car care businesses
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Iowa, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 76 | 1,040 | 35.3 | $319K | +6.7% | #23 of 387 |
| 2Iowa City, IA | 74 | 230 | 31.8 | $327K | +4.1% | #33 of 387 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 70 | 1,321 | 33.9 | $326K | +4.2% | #52 of 387 |
| 3Ames, IA | 62 | 177 | 35.5 | $314K | +2.2% | #101 of 387 |
| 4Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 55 | 262 | 37.8 | $292K | +0.5% | #159 of 387 |
| 5Cedar Rapids, IA | 53 | 435 | 38.2 | $295K | +1.0% | #179 of 387 |
| 6Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 49 | 580 | 35.9 | $289K | −0.9% | #208 of 387 |
| 7Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 47 | 225 | 40.6 | $284K | +1.0% | #225 of 387 |
| 8Dubuque, IA | 40 | 165 | 40.3 | $269K | +0.1% | #270 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Storm Lake, IA | 71 | 33 | 43.7 | $272K | −1.7% | #76 of 538 |
| 2Pella, IA | 69 | 63 | 47.3 | $268K | +2.3% | #92 of 538 |
| 3Spirit Lake, IA | 66 | 36 | 40.7 | $294K | +1.7% | #115 of 538 |
| 4Marshalltown, IA | 66 | 67 | 43.2 | $272K | −0.5% | #117 of 538 |
| 5Muscatine, IA | 60 | 72 | 41.5 | $273K | −3.0% | #182 of 538 |
| 6Spencer, IA | 53 | 35 | 48.1 | $220K | −0.8% | #243 of 538 |
| 7Burlington, IA-IL | 50 | 80 | 40.2 | $267K | −2.5% | #269 of 538 |
| 8Le Mars, IA | 49 | 53 | 51.4 | $245K | 0.0% | #281 of 538 |
| 9Ottumwa, IA | 47 | 79 | 56.4 | $191K | −0.3% | #310 of 538 |
| 10Oskaloosa, IA | 45 | 42 | 48.0 | $251K | −1.2% | #318 of 538 |
| 11Fort Madison, IA | 45 | 77 | 53.8 | $213K | −3.6% | #328 of 538 |
| 12Clinton, IA | 42 | 94 | 48.2 | $234K | −0.9% | #348 of 538 |
| 13Mason City, IA | 36 | 114 | 50.2 | $218K | −1.5% | #409 of 538 |
| 14Fort Dodge, IA | 33 | 80 | 52.0 | $210K | −0.4% | #427 of 538 |
| 15Carroll, IA | 25 | 48 | 54.5 | $198K | −2.0% | #486 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Dallas County, IA | 93 | 117 | 27.5 | $437K | +17.8% | #9 of 2,401 |
| 2Johnson County, IA | 75 | 175 | 27.6 | $370K | +4.6% | #228 of 2,401 |
| 3Buchanan County, IA | 75 | 33 | 40.0 | $314K | +1.3% | #236 of 2,401 |
| 4Tama County, IA | 74 | 24 | 35.7 | $338K | −1.5% | #254 of 2,401 |
| 5Warren County, IA | 72 | 84 | 40.6 | $310K | +9.0% | #316 of 2,401 |
| 6Polk County, IA | 68 | 707 | 34.4 | $313K | +4.8% | #435 of 2,401 |
| 7Bremer County, IA | 65 | 37 | 38.1 | $321K | +1.1% | #532 of 2,401 |
| 8Harrison County, IA | 64 | 28 | 46.0 | $279K | +0.4% | #594 of 2,401 |
| 9Story County, IA | 63 | 135 | 34.7 | $310K | +2.7% | #625 of 2,401 |
| 10Buena Vista County, IA | 62 | 33 | 43.7 | $272K | −1.7% | #676 of 2,401 |
| 11Grundy County, IA | 62 | 25 | 48.9 | $259K | +0.2% | #680 of 2,401 |
| 12Hamilton County, IA | 59 | 23 | 35.7 | $348K | −0.5% | #770 of 2,401 |
| 13Boone County, IA | 59 | 42 | 38.4 | $327K | +0.4% | #775 of 2,401 |
| 14Iowa County, IA | 58 | 24 | 34.7 | $365K | −1.0% | #820 of 2,401 |
| 15Marion County, IA | 58 | 63 | 47.3 | $268K | +2.3% | #854 of 2,401 |
| 16Mills County, IA | 57 | 25 | 46.3 | $287K | +2.6% | #880 of 2,401 |
| 17Dickinson County, IA | 56 | 36 | 40.7 | $294K | +1.7% | #927 of 2,401 |
| 18Crawford County, IA | 55 | 25 | 39.5 | $308K | −1.5% | #962 of 2,401 |
| 19Linn County, IA | 55 | 348 | 36.4 | $301K | +0.7% | #966 of 2,401 |
| 20Benton County, IA | 55 | 50 | 49.0 | $280K | +1.8% | #979 of 2,401 |
| 21Marshall County, IA | 55 | 67 | 43.2 | $272K | −0.5% | #985 of 2,401 |
| 22Madison County, IA | 55 | 32 | 47.8 | $271K | +3.8% | #989 of 2,401 |
| 23Scott County, IA | 54 | 259 | 35.4 | $299K | +0.4% | #1,025 of 2,401 |
| 24Black Hawk County, IA | 54 | 200 | 36.7 | $291K | +0.4% | #1,029 of 2,401 |
| 25Clayton County, IA | 53 | 36 | 47.9 | $238K | −1.1% | #1,110 of 2,401 |
Show all 99 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Poweshiek County, IA | 52 | 27 | 34.6 | $319K | −1.4% | #1,116 of 2,401 |
| 27Union County, IA | 52 | 19 | 37.1 | $285K | −2.5% | #1,129 of 2,401 |
| 28Lyon County, IA | 52 | 22 | 49.1 | $270K | +3.6% | #1,134 of 2,401 |
| 29Jasper County, IA | 52 | 70 | 46.6 | $256K | +0.9% | #1,145 of 2,401 |
| 30Muscatine County, IA | 51 | 72 | 41.5 | $273K | −3.0% | #1,184 of 2,401 |
| 31Jones County, IA | 51 | 37 | 45.1 | $263K | +2.9% | #1,190 of 2,401 |
| 32Jackson County, IA | 50 | 36 | 43.7 | $290K | −0.8% | #1,224 of 2,401 |
| 33Winneshiek County, IA | 47 | 35 | 43.0 | $288K | −1.6% | #1,324 of 2,401 |
| 34Shelby County, IA | 47 | 26 | 53.3 | $236K | −0.2% | #1,342 of 2,401 |
| 35Butler County, IA | 46 | 31 | 52.9 | $253K | −2.0% | #1,385 of 2,401 |
| 36Fayette County, IA | 46 | 39 | 46.8 | $245K | −2.1% | #1,392 of 2,401 |
| 37Clay County, IA | 46 | 35 | 48.1 | $220K | −0.8% | #1,402 of 2,401 |
| 38Wright County, IA | 45 | 23 | 43.0 | $277K | −0.9% | #1,411 of 2,401 |
| 39Woodbury County, IA | 44 | 169 | 41.5 | $269K | +0.7% | #1,461 of 2,401 |
| 40Pottawattamie County, IA | 44 | 156 | 41.4 | $264K | −0.7% | #1,464 of 2,401 |
| 41Allamakee County, IA | 44 | 29 | 48.7 | $255K | +1.2% | #1,469 of 2,401 |
| 42Chickasaw County, IA | 44 | 29 | 58.0 | $219K | −2.8% | #1,484 of 2,401 |
| 43Dubuque County, IA | 43 | 165 | 40.3 | $269K | +0.1% | #1,497 of 2,401 |
| 44Wapello County, IA | 43 | 79 | 56.4 | $191K | −0.3% | #1,533 of 2,401 |
| 45Louisa County, IA | 42 | 21 | 49.6 | $264K | −3.7% | #1,544 of 2,401 |
| 46Plymouth County, IA | 41 | 53 | 51.4 | $245K | 0.0% | #1,606 of 2,401 |
| 47Sioux County, IA | 41 | 76 | 59.9 | $223K | +2.5% | #1,621 of 2,401 |
| 48Des Moines County, IA | 39 | 72 | 41.9 | $254K | −2.0% | #1,700 of 2,401 |
| 49Lee County, IA | 39 | 77 | 53.8 | $213K | −3.6% | #1,720 of 2,401 |
| 50Mahaska County, IA | 38 | 42 | 48.0 | $251K | −1.2% | #1,729 of 2,401 |
| 51Cedar County, IA | 38 | 40 | 52.5 | $244K | −0.7% | #1,732 of 2,401 |
| 52Winnebago County, IA | 38 | 29 | 62.5 | $170K | −3.8% | #1,761 of 2,401 |
| 53Delaware County, IA | 37 | 42 | 57.0 | $218K | +1.3% | #1,783 of 2,401 |
| 54Guthrie County, IA | 37 | 30 | 65.2 | $205K | +1.6% | #1,787 of 2,401 |
| 55Clinton County, IA | 36 | 94 | 48.2 | $234K | −0.9% | #1,801 of 2,401 |
| 56Appanoose County, IA | 35 | 28 | 53.9 | $204K | −1.7% | #1,858 of 2,401 |
| 57Floyd County, IA | 34 | 32 | 49.2 | $244K | −4.4% | #1,878 of 2,401 |
| 58Cherokee County, IA | 34 | 28 | 55.5 | $212K | −2.4% | #1,888 of 2,401 |
| 59Mitchell County, IA | 34 | 29 | 63.1 | $204K | +0.6% | #1,892 of 2,401 |
| 60Hancock County, IA | 32 | 25 | 53.5 | $226K | −2.2% | #1,950 of 2,401 |
| 61Henry County, IA | 30 | 35 | 45.8 | $246K | −5.4% | #2,020 of 2,401 |
| 62Washington County, IA | 30 | 55 | 61.3 | $192K | +0.6% | #2,036 of 2,401 |
| 63O’Brien County, IA | 30 | 38 | 65.4 | $187K | +0.5% | #2,038 of 2,401 |
| 64Page County, IA | 29 | 34 | 54.4 | $194K | −2.3% | #2,064 of 2,401 |
| 65Webster County, IA | 28 | 80 | 52.0 | $210K | −0.4% | #2,084 of 2,401 |
| 66Jefferson County, IA | 27 | 34 | 48.9 | $206K | −2.5% | #2,114 of 2,401 |
| 67Cerro Gordo County, IA | 27 | 102 | 52.2 | $202K | −1.5% | #2,116 of 2,401 |
| 68Kossuth County, IA | 26 | 39 | 59.6 | $204K | −3.2% | #2,145 of 2,401 |
| 69Montgomery County, IA | 26 | 27 | 58.9 | $186K | −3.2% | #2,152 of 2,401 |
| 70Carroll County, IA | 23 | 48 | 54.5 | $198K | −2.0% | #2,210 of 2,401 |
| 71Hardin County, IA | 21 | 44 | 62.5 | $178K | −2.2% | #2,261 of 2,401 |
| 72Cass County, IA | 20 | 43 | 73.6 | $152K | −1.2% | #2,278 of 2,401 |
| Franklin County, IA | Not scored | 30 | 71.5 | $163K | −1.2% | |
| Keokuk County, IA | Not scored | 30 | 73.7 | $167K | −2.0% | |
| Calhoun County, IA | Not scored | 22 | 55.1 | $211K | −3.4% | |
| Sac County, IA | Not scored | 13 | 30.2 | $392K | −2.7% | |
| Clarke County, IA | Not scored | 21 | 51.6 | $216K | −1.6% | |
| Humboldt County, IA | Not scored | 23 | 54.5 | $223K | −2.0% | |
| Howard County, IA | Not scored | 17 | 45.1 | $273K | −0.8% | |
| Emmet County, IA | Not scored | 30 | 73.8 | $150K | −2.5% | |
| Davis County, IA | Not scored | 17 | 53.1 | $240K | +1.3% | |
| Palo Alto County, IA | Not scored | 16 | 42.3 | $276K | −1.0% | |
| Lucas County, IA | Not scored | 16 | 43.1 | $268K | +2.6% | |
| Greene County, IA | Not scored | 19 | 48.4 | $229K | −1.0% | |
| Monona County, IA | Not scored | 16 | 41.3 | $298K | −2.4% | |
| Decatur County, IA | Not scored | 16 | 52.4 | $222K | −0.9% | |
| Monroe County, IA | Not scored | 15 | 48.6 | $264K | −2.5% | |
| Adair County, IA | Not scored | 21 | 64.9 | $201K | −1.3% | |
| Worth County, IA | Not scored | 12 | 37.8 | $356K | −1.3% | |
| Van Buren County, IA | Not scored | 11 | 38.0 | $309K | −1.2% | |
| Pocahontas County, IA | Not scored | 14 | 46.7 | $264K | −3.5% | |
| Ida County, IA | Not scored | 12 | 39.3 | $300K | −3.4% | |
| Wayne County, IA | Not scored | 19 | 74.1 | $156K | +3.6% | |
| Fremont County, IA | Not scored | 21 | 74.4 | $176K | −0.8% | |
| Osceola County, IA | Not scored | 12 | 45.6 | $284K | −3.6% | |
| Taylor County, IA | Not scored | 16 | 64.3 | $191K | −0.5% | |
| Audubon County, IA | Not scored | 13 | 50.1 | $219K | −3.0% | |
| Ringgold County, IA | Not scored | 12 | 63.2 | $203K | 0.0% | |
| Adams County, IA | Not scored | 8 | 51.9 | $234K | −2.5% |
Markets with fewer than 5 auto repair and car care businesses on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many auto repair and car care businesses are in Iowa?
Iowa has 5,496 auto repair and car care businesses on map listings as of September 2026. 1,345 of them (24%) are chain locations. The listings count repair shops, body shops, tire shops, car washes, oil change and parts stores. Official counts show 2,356 businesses with payroll classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers in 2023, up 0.9% from 2019. Official counts list 3,501 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Iowa spend on vehicle maintenance and repairs?
About $1.5B a year, or $1,134 per household. That is 18% above the U.S. average (an index of 118, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 5,496 auto repair and car care businesses on map listings, it comes to $271K per business. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,315,707 households in Iowa and national spending patterns by income.
How does Iowa compare with the U.S. for auto repair and car care businesses?
Iowa has 41.8 auto repair and car care businesses per 10,000 households, 17% above the U.S. rate of 35.7. Spending per business is $271K, in line with the U.S. figure of $269K. At the national ratio of auto repair and car care businesses to household spending, Iowa would have about 5,554, against 5,496 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 558 households, against one for every 681 across the U.S. The official count rose 0.9% from 2019 to 2023, against +4.1% for the U.S.
Which market in Iowa has the highest market score for auto repair and car care businesses?
Among 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Iowa, the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area scores highest, at 76 (high). Among 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Iowa, the Storm Lake area scores highest, at 71 (upper middle). Among 72 scored counties in Iowa, Dallas County scores highest, at 93 (very high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Iowa scores 42 for auto repair and car care businesses (lower middle), #37 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Iowa. It maps the auto repair and car care businesses on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
Auto repair and car care in other states
All 51 states
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- District of Columbia
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- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
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- Iowa
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- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
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- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for auto repair and car care businesses across the U.S. · All business types in Iowa
Related business types in Iowa
- Auto repair shops3,172 listings
- Collision repair and body shops511 listings
- Car washes and detailing671 listings
- Tire shops578 listings
- Oil change and quick lube59 listings
- Gas stations1,367 listings
- Insurance agencies2,325 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Iowa?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.