Market rankings · Kentucky
Auto repair and car care businesses in Kentucky
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Kentucky, ranked by the Groundwork market score for auto repair and car care businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 6,623
- 1,658 chain locations (25%)
- Official establishments
- 2,216
- +0.7% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $1.6B
- On vehicle maintenance and repairs
- Listings per 10k households
- 36.5
- 2% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $243K
- 9% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #33 of 51
- Market score 45 · Lower middle
A site report maps the auto repair and car care businesses on map listings around any address in Kentucky 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
There are 6,623 auto repair and car care businesses on map listings in Kentucky as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 25% of them, against 24% across the U.S. That is 36.5 per 10,000 households, 2% above the U.S. rate of 35.7.
At $889 per household (7% below the U.S. average), households in Kentucky spend about $1.6B a year on vehicle maintenance and repairs. Spread across 6,623 auto repair and car care businesses, that is $243K per business, 9% below the U.S. figure of $269K.
In 2023, official counts showed 2,216 businesses with payroll in Kentucky classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers, up 0.7% from 2019. That is one for every 819 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, 82 SBA-backed loans worth $38.2M have gone to businesses classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers in Kentucky.
Among the 50 states and DC, Kentucky ranks #33 for auto repair and car care businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 45 (lower middle). Of the 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Cincinnati metro area scores highest (76). Of the 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Mount Sterling area scores highest (65).
Every market in Kentucky for auto repair and car care businesses
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Kentucky, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 76 | 2,808 | 31.0 | $340K | +2.7% | #22 of 387 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 63 | 433 | 34.7 | $267K | +8.5% | #98 of 387 |
| 1Bowling Green, KY | 57 | 270 | 36.8 | $246K | +9.5% | #149 of 387 |
| 2Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 55 | 1,940 | 34.7 | $265K | +2.9% | #165 of 387 |
| 3Lexington-Fayette, KY | 55 | 715 | 33.1 | $259K | +3.4% | #166 of 387 |
| 4Elizabethtown, KY | 48 | 183 | 36.2 | $249K | +2.4% | #220 of 387 |
| 5Owensboro, KY | 46 | 157 | 34.7 | $259K | +1.3% | #236 of 387 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 43 | 519 | 34.1 | $255K | −2.6% | #253 of 387 |
| 6Paducah, KY-IL | 13 | 211 | 50.6 | $182K | −1.2% | #380 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Mount Sterling, KY | 65 | 69 | 38.0 | $242K | +3.1% | #127 of 538 |
| 2Richmond-Berea, KY | 64 | 180 | 36.3 | $250K | +7.0% | #140 of 538 |
| 3Frankfort, KY | 58 | 120 | 37.1 | $246K | +3.1% | #199 of 538 |
| 4Henderson, KY | 57 | 75 | 32.0 | $271K | −0.9% | #202 of 538 |
| 5Danville, KY | 54 | 86 | 39.5 | $226K | +3.6% | #230 of 538 |
| 6Mayfield, KY | 51 | 55 | 38.9 | $230K | +1.4% | #262 of 538 |
| 7Somerset, KY | 51 | 120 | 45.8 | $200K | +3.5% | #267 of 538 |
| 8Madisonville, KY | 50 | 69 | 37.5 | $236K | −0.5% | #274 of 538 |
| 9Campbellsville, KY | 48 | 63 | 42.9 | $211K | +3.4% | #296 of 538 |
| 10Glasgow, KY | 47 | 94 | 42.5 | $210K | +2.6% | #307 of 538 |
| 11Franklin, KY | 42 | 56 | 69.8 | $141K | +5.9% | #360 of 538 |
| 12Corbin, KY | 38 | 249 | 44.0 | $193K | +0.1% | #398 of 538 |
| 13Pikeville, KY | 33 | 152 | 39.0 | $205K | −5.4% | #429 of 538 |
| 14Murray, KY | 27 | 83 | 54.5 | $154K | +4.9% | #475 of 538 |
| 15Middlesborough, KY | 24 | 41 | 41.3 | $173K | −4.8% | #494 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Spencer County, KY | 95 | 17 | 23.3 | $563K | +7.7% | #2 of 2,401 |
| 2Oldham County, KY | 85 | 69 | 30.0 | $396K | +4.9% | #53 of 2,401 |
| 3Allen County, KY | 84 | 18 | 22.4 | $437K | +9.5% | #63 of 2,401 |
| 4Garrard County, KY | 82 | 18 | 26.9 | $366K | +7.3% | #95 of 2,401 |
| 5Edmonson County, KY | 78 | 9 | 17.7 | $550K | +5.0% | #152 of 2,401 |
| 6Green County, KY | 78 | 15 | 33.9 | $312K | +4.6% | #172 of 2,401 |
| 7Owen County, KY | 77 | 8 | 18.8 | $517K | +2.6% | #174 of 2,401 |
| 8Pendleton County, KY | 77 | 14 | 25.7 | $410K | +1.1% | #180 of 2,401 |
| 9Trigg County, KY | 77 | 15 | 24.8 | $384K | +3.1% | #183 of 2,401 |
| 10Lincoln County, KY | 73 | 25 | 25.8 | $362K | +4.6% | #271 of 2,401 |
| 11Breckinridge County, KY | 72 | 29 | 35.9 | $293K | +5.2% | #320 of 2,401 |
| 12Bath County, KY | 71 | 12 | 25.5 | $377K | +3.6% | #334 of 2,401 |
| 13Kenton County, KY | 69 | 161 | 23.9 | $378K | +3.9% | #379 of 2,401 |
| 14Larue County, KY | 69 | 22 | 36.7 | $291K | +2.1% | #396 of 2,401 |
| 15Jackson County, KY | 67 | 11 | 21.5 | $424K | +2.8% | #449 of 2,401 |
| 16Campbell County, KY | 67 | 93 | 23.7 | $378K | +2.5% | #450 of 2,401 |
| 17Scott County, KY | 67 | 76 | 33.6 | $297K | +8.2% | #473 of 2,401 |
| 18Greenup County, KY | 66 | 36 | 24.4 | $386K | −1.9% | #489 of 2,401 |
| 19Woodford County, KY | 66 | 28 | 25.9 | $363K | +3.7% | #492 of 2,401 |
| 20Meade County, KY | 66 | 39 | 35.4 | $287K | +2.2% | #513 of 2,401 |
| 21Nelson County, KY | 66 | 68 | 35.5 | $285K | +4.8% | #515 of 2,401 |
| 22Rockcastle County, KY | 63 | 20 | 30.6 | $299K | +0.6% | #629 of 2,401 |
| 23Wayne County, KY | 62 | 23 | 28.5 | $309K | +0.3% | #664 of 2,401 |
| 24Harrison County, KY | 62 | 31 | 42.5 | $243K | +4.9% | #683 of 2,401 |
| 25Bullitt County, KY | 61 | 130 | 40.9 | $252K | +5.0% | #714 of 2,401 |
Show all 120 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Boone County, KY | 60 | 177 | 34.7 | $290K | +6.5% | #742 of 2,401 |
| 27Anderson County, KY | 60 | 38 | 39.4 | $270K | +5.5% | #755 of 2,401 |
| 28McCreary County, KY | 59 | 16 | 27.3 | $292K | +1.7% | #791 of 2,401 |
| 29Lewis County, KY | 58 | 12 | 23.9 | $395K | −1.4% | #817 of 2,401 |
| 30Lawrence County, KY | 58 | 16 | 25.2 | $352K | −3.3% | #821 of 2,401 |
| 31Shelby County, KY | 57 | 66 | 35.7 | $291K | +6.2% | #876 of 2,401 |
| 32Morgan County, KY | 54 | 18 | 36.9 | $259K | +5.0% | #1,046 of 2,401 |
| 33Madison County, KY | 54 | 141 | 38.1 | $240K | +9.4% | #1,054 of 2,401 |
| 34Webster County, KY | 53 | 17 | 34.5 | $295K | −0.7% | #1,075 of 2,401 |
| 35Bourbon County, KY | 53 | 27 | 33.2 | $270K | −0.3% | #1,090 of 2,401 |
| 36Fayette County, KY | 52 | 428 | 30.6 | $265K | +2.2% | #1,136 of 2,401 |
| 37Clark County, KY | 52 | 51 | 33.9 | $261K | +2.3% | #1,140 of 2,401 |
| 38Grayson County, KY | 52 | 45 | 44.4 | $218K | +3.6% | #1,157 of 2,401 |
| 39Ohio County, KY | 51 | 32 | 35.1 | $285K | +0.8% | #1,176 of 2,401 |
| 40Henry County, KY | 51 | 22 | 35.8 | $276K | +4.8% | #1,183 of 2,401 |
| 41Casey County, KY | 51 | 25 | 38.6 | $229K | +1.8% | #1,207 of 2,401 |
| 42Todd County, KY | 51 | 22 | 48.3 | $201K | +5.6% | #1,211 of 2,401 |
| 43Logan County, KY | 51 | 54 | 49.1 | $199K | +4.2% | #1,212 of 2,401 |
| 44Breathitt County, KY | 50 | 13 | 23.8 | $309K | −8.3% | #1,217 of 2,401 |
| 45Estill County, KY | 50 | 19 | 31.8 | $273K | −1.4% | #1,230 of 2,401 |
| 46Muhlenberg County, KY | 50 | 49 | 40.4 | $248K | −0.9% | #1,247 of 2,401 |
| 47Grant County, KY | 49 | 34 | 36.9 | $265K | +4.7% | #1,267 of 2,401 |
| 48Daviess County, KY | 48 | 143 | 34.3 | $259K | +1.5% | #1,303 of 2,401 |
| 49Warren County, KY | 47 | 219 | 39.4 | $224K | +10.6% | #1,345 of 2,401 |
| 50Montgomery County, KY | 47 | 51 | 46.3 | $197K | +2.5% | #1,355 of 2,401 |
| 51Hart County, KY | 47 | 36 | 48.8 | $183K | +4.3% | #1,358 of 2,401 |
| 52Hardin County, KY | 45 | 161 | 36.1 | $243K | +2.4% | #1,427 of 2,401 |
| 53Clay County, KY | 44 | 22 | 30.2 | $260K | −4.1% | #1,467 of 2,401 |
| 54Pulaski County, KY | 44 | 120 | 45.8 | $200K | +3.5% | #1,487 of 2,401 |
| 55Henderson County, KY | 43 | 58 | 31.3 | $264K | −0.9% | #1,499 of 2,401 |
| 56Hopkins County, KY | 43 | 69 | 37.5 | $236K | −0.5% | #1,513 of 2,401 |
| 57Franklin County, KY | 43 | 82 | 36.1 | $235K | +2.0% | #1,514 of 2,401 |
| 58Adair County, KY | 43 | 39 | 54.7 | $174K | +2.9% | #1,534 of 2,401 |
| 59Metcalfe County, KY | 42 | 16 | 39.0 | $236K | +2.9% | #1,562 of 2,401 |
| 60Marshall County, KY | 42 | 68 | 51.5 | $197K | −0.1% | #1,584 of 2,401 |
| 61Butler County, KY | 42 | 24 | 52.6 | $184K | +1.6% | #1,585 of 2,401 |
| 62Carroll County, KY | 42 | 27 | 64.6 | $145K | +2.9% | #1,589 of 2,401 |
| 63Harlan County, KY | 41 | 35 | 32.6 | $250K | −7.6% | #1,604 of 2,401 |
| 64Graves County, KY | 41 | 55 | 38.9 | $230K | +1.4% | #1,617 of 2,401 |
| 65Carter County, KY | 40 | 46 | 42.6 | $236K | −1.7% | #1,666 of 2,401 |
| 66Monroe County, KY | 40 | 23 | 49.5 | $194K | −1.1% | #1,690 of 2,401 |
| 67Jefferson County, KY | 39 | 1,144 | 34.5 | $231K | +1.6% | #1,711 of 2,401 |
| 68Caldwell County, KY | 39 | 22 | 43.8 | $212K | −0.3% | #1,721 of 2,401 |
| 69Perry County, KY | 38 | 33 | 29.8 | $277K | −6.4% | #1,724 of 2,401 |
| 70Marion County, KY | 38 | 34 | 44.0 | $218K | +2.7% | #1,750 of 2,401 |
| 71Mercer County, KY | 38 | 43 | 46.8 | $201K | +4.8% | #1,756 of 2,401 |
| 72Simpson County, KY | 38 | 56 | 69.8 | $141K | +5.9% | #1,762 of 2,401 |
| 73Rowan County, KY | 36 | 45 | 46.9 | $187K | −1.0% | #1,823 of 2,401 |
| 74Laurel County, KY | 34 | 124 | 51.7 | $179K | +1.6% | #1,903 of 2,401 |
| 75Russell County, KY | 34 | 40 | 52.9 | $171K | +3.4% | #1,905 of 2,401 |
| 76Leslie County, KY | 33 | 12 | 28.4 | $290K | −8.0% | #1,906 of 2,401 |
| 77Washington County, KY | 33 | 22 | 45.3 | $222K | +2.7% | #1,917 of 2,401 |
| 78Union County, KY | 33 | 25 | 48.1 | $198K | −5.9% | #1,930 of 2,401 |
| 79Barren County, KY | 32 | 78 | 43.3 | $205K | +2.6% | #1,960 of 2,401 |
| 80Knox County, KY | 32 | 48 | 41.0 | $184K | −2.2% | #1,966 of 2,401 |
| 81Pike County, KY | 31 | 90 | 37.1 | $217K | −6.4% | #1,996 of 2,401 |
| 82Whitley County, KY | 30 | 55 | 40.6 | $206K | +1.6% | #2,028 of 2,401 |
| 83Jessamine County, KY | 30 | 105 | 52.7 | $176K | +7.8% | #2,042 of 2,401 |
| 84Floyd County, KY | 29 | 62 | 42.2 | $187K | −3.9% | #2,068 of 2,401 |
| 85Taylor County, KY | 29 | 48 | 46.8 | $180K | +2.9% | #2,071 of 2,401 |
| 86Mason County, KY | 29 | 34 | 47.7 | $175K | −1.2% | #2,072 of 2,401 |
| 87Fleming County, KY | 28 | 28 | 47.8 | $182K | +4.6% | #2,096 of 2,401 |
| 88Boyle County, KY | 28 | 61 | 50.6 | $170K | +2.9% | #2,098 of 2,401 |
| 89Johnson County, KY | 25 | 41 | 45.4 | $181K | −2.6% | #2,175 of 2,401 |
| 90Magoffin County, KY | 25 | 23 | 48.6 | $158K | −4.3% | #2,180 of 2,401 |
| 91Letcher County, KY | 24 | 29 | 34.3 | $248K | −7.0% | #2,184 of 2,401 |
| 92Martin County, KY | 24 | 14 | 36.3 | $240K | −4.9% | #2,185 of 2,401 |
| 93Calloway County, KY | 24 | 83 | 54.5 | $154K | +4.9% | #2,201 of 2,401 |
| 94Knott County, KY | 23 | 17 | 30.8 | $255K | −5.9% | #2,204 of 2,401 |
| 95Boyd County, KY | 23 | 84 | 43.5 | $191K | −0.9% | #2,215 of 2,401 |
| 96Christian County, KY | 23 | 111 | 43.1 | $187K | −3.6% | #2,219 of 2,401 |
| 97Powell County, KY | 21 | 19 | 39.7 | $219K | −2.2% | #2,252 of 2,401 |
| 98Bell County, KY | 21 | 41 | 41.3 | $173K | −4.8% | #2,263 of 2,401 |
| 99McCracken County, KY | 14 | 154 | 55.8 | $157K | −0.5% | #2,358 of 2,401 |
| Clinton County, KY | Not scored | 11 | 28.5 | $314K | −1.0% | |
| McLean County, KY | Not scored | 14 | 38.5 | $260K | −0.8% | |
| Hancock County, KY | Not scored | 16 | 44.0 | $240K | −0.6% | |
| Crittenden County, KY | Not scored | 24 | 67.7 | $139K | −2.2% | |
| Livingston County, KY | Not scored | 9 | 25.0 | $382K | −0.1% | |
| Lyon County, KY | Not scored | 12 | 35.1 | $255K | +5.2% | |
| Gallatin County, KY | Not scored | 10 | 30.6 | $311K | +1.9% | |
| Trimble County, KY | Not scored | 8 | 23.7 | $439K | +2.8% | |
| Bracken County, KY | Not scored | 19 | 56.5 | $191K | +1.3% | |
| Nicholas County, KY | Not scored | 6 | 21.6 | $441K | +5.4% | |
| Ballard County, KY | Not scored | 17 | 53.0 | $189K | −1.5% | |
| Lee County, KY | Not scored | 8 | 30.8 | $275K | −0.9% | |
| Elliott County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 4.1 | $2.1M | −0.9% | |
| Wolfe County, KY | Not scored | 6 | 22.4 | $354K | −4.0% | |
| Fulton County, KY | Not scored | 13 | 51.0 | $124K | −4.5% | |
| Menifee County, KY | Not scored | 6 | 24.2 | $360K | +4.8% | |
| Cumberland County, KY | Not scored | 6 | 22.8 | $354K | +2.3% | |
| Carlisle County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 21.4 | $471K | −1.2% | |
| Hickman County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 11.6 | $830K | −3.4% | |
| Owsley County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 12.8 | $572K | −2.5% | |
| Robertson County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 12.3 | $773K | +6.6% |
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 Kentucky?
As of September 2026, map listings count 6,623 auto repair and car care businesses in Kentucky. 1,658 of them (25%) are chain locations. The listings count repair shops, body shops, tire shops, car washes, oil change and parts stores. Official counts show 2,216 businesses with payroll classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers in 2023, up 0.7% from 2019. Official counts also show 6,054 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Kentucky spend on vehicle maintenance and repairs?
About $1.6B a year, or $889 per household. That is 7% below the U.S. average (an index of 93, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 6,623 auto repair and car care businesses on map listings, it comes to $243K per business. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,814,469 households in Kentucky and national spending patterns by income.
How does Kentucky compare with the U.S. for auto repair and car care businesses?
Kentucky has 36.5 auto repair and car care businesses per 10,000 households, 2% above the U.S. rate of 35.7. Spending per business is $243K, 9% below the U.S. figure of $269K. At the U.S. ratio of auto repair and car care businesses to household spending, Kentucky would have about 6,002, against 6,623 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 819 households, against one for every 681 across the U.S. The official count rose 0.7% from 2019 to 2023, against +4.1% for the U.S.
Which market in Kentucky has the highest market score for auto repair and car care businesses?
Among 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Cincinnati metro area scores highest, at 76 (high). Among 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Mount Sterling area scores highest, at 65 (upper middle). Among 99 scored counties in Kentucky, Spencer County scores highest, at 95 (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. Kentucky scores 45 for auto repair and car care businesses (lower middle), #33 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 Kentucky. 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
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Top markets for auto repair and car care businesses across the U.S. · All business types in Kentucky
Related business types in Kentucky
- Auto repair shops3,835 listings
- Collision repair and body shops514 listings
- Car washes and detailing721 listings
- Tire shops727 listings
- Oil change and quick lube167 listings
- Gas stations2,753 listings
- Insurance agencies2,697 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Kentucky?
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.