Market rankings · Montana
Auto repair and car care businesses in Montana
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Montana, ranked by the Groundwork market score for auto repair and car care businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 2,005
- 510 chain locations (25%)
- Official establishments
- 1,049
- +9.6% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $530.7M
- On vehicle maintenance and repairs
- Listings per 10k households
- 43.7
- 22% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $265K
- In line with the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #29 of 51
- Market score 47 · Lower middle
A site report maps the auto repair and car care businesses on map listings around any address in Montana 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
Montana has 2,005 auto repair and car care businesses on map listings as of September 2026. 510 of them (25%) are chain locations, against 24% across the U.S. That comes to 43.7 for every 10,000 households, 22% above the U.S. rate of 35.7.
At $1,157 per household (21% above the U.S. average), households in Montana spend about $530.7M a year on vehicle maintenance and repairs. That is about $265K 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 Montana was 1,049 in 2023, up 9.6% from 2019. That is one for every 437 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, 43 SBA-backed loans worth $35.6M have gone to businesses classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers in Montana.
Among the 50 states and DC, Montana ranks #29 for auto repair and car care businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 47 (lower middle). Of the 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Montana, the Helena metro area scores highest (61). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Montana, the Butte-Silver Bow area scores highest (61).
Every market in Montana for auto repair and car care businesses
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Montana, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Helena, MT | 61 | 156 | 40.0 | $296K | +7.7% | #116 of 387 |
| 2Bozeman, MT | 58 | 223 | 43.5 | $281K | +7.7% | #134 of 387 |
| 3Missoula, MT | 57 | 189 | 34.5 | $310K | +4.7% | #141 of 387 |
| 4Billings, MT | 43 | 382 | 48.7 | $237K | +4.8% | #255 of 387 |
| 5Great Falls, MT | 34 | 160 | 44.9 | $242K | +0.7% | #310 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Butte-Silver Bow, MT | 61 | 61 | 39.6 | $259K | +2.6% | #171 of 538 |
| 2Kalispell, MT | 51 | 226 | 51.1 | $225K | +10.1% | #265 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Jefferson County, MT | 94 | 13 | 26.0 | $584K | +9.8% | #7 of 2,401 |
| 2Sanders County, MT | 85 | 17 | 31.2 | $382K | +12.9% | #55 of 2,401 |
| 3Carbon County, MT | 74 | 16 | 34.3 | $384K | +9.1% | #247 of 2,401 |
| 4Big Horn County, MT | 73 | 11 | 28.7 | $395K | −2.5% | #264 of 2,401 |
| 5Lake County, MT | 68 | 43 | 34.2 | $362K | +6.9% | #421 of 2,401 |
| 6Ravalli County, MT | 60 | 82 | 43.9 | $282K | +9.4% | #747 of 2,401 |
| 7Gallatin County, MT | 59 | 223 | 43.5 | $281K | +7.7% | #800 of 2,401 |
| 8Glacier County, MT | 56 | 15 | 35.0 | $292K | −2.0% | #929 of 2,401 |
| 9Missoula County, MT | 55 | 183 | 34.7 | $306K | +4.4% | #963 of 2,401 |
| 10Park County, MT | 54 | 35 | 41.8 | $278K | +5.7% | #1,034 of 2,401 |
| 11Silver Bow County, MT | 52 | 61 | 39.6 | $259K | +2.6% | #1,142 of 2,401 |
| 12Lewis and Clark County, MT | 51 | 130 | 41.6 | $268K | +5.8% | #1,185 of 2,401 |
| 13Lincoln County, MT | 48 | 43 | 47.3 | $226K | +13.1% | #1,312 of 2,401 |
| 14Flathead County, MT | 46 | 226 | 51.1 | $225K | +10.1% | #1,400 of 2,401 |
| 15Roosevelt County, MT | 43 | 12 | 38.8 | $257K | −5.2% | #1,503 of 2,401 |
| 16Yellowstone County, MT | 41 | 356 | 50.9 | $222K | +4.5% | #1,622 of 2,401 |
| 17Fergus County, MT | 39 | 29 | 54.7 | $215K | +3.1% | #1,719 of 2,401 |
| 18Cascade County, MT | 38 | 160 | 44.9 | $242K | +0.7% | #1,733 of 2,401 |
| 19Custer County, MT | 38 | 27 | 53.6 | $218K | +1.5% | #1,749 of 2,401 |
| 20Hill County, MT | 31 | 30 | 48.3 | $225K | −0.5% | #1,988 of 2,401 |
| 21Richland County, MT | 24 | 30 | 67.8 | $176K | −1.3% | #2,198 of 2,401 |
| Beaverhead County, MT | Not scored | 20 | 47.6 | $258K | +7.1% | |
| Deer Lodge County, MT | Not scored | 14 | 31.3 | $323K | +3.0% | |
| Madison County, MT | Not scored | 17 | 45.5 | $301K | +15.8% | |
| Stillwater County, MT | Not scored | 10 | 26.2 | $518K | +5.0% |
Show all 56 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson County, MT | Not scored | 20 | 55.3 | $201K | −2.6% | |
| Rosebud County, MT | Not scored | 8 | 26.1 | $451K | −0.7% | |
| Broadwater County, MT | Not scored | 13 | 46.1 | $287K | +23.8% | |
| Valley County, MT | Not scored | 15 | 50.8 | $260K | −2.4% | |
| Powell County, MT | Not scored | 7 | 28.8 | $427K | +3.1% | |
| Blaine County, MT | Not scored | 10 | 43.9 | $274K | −2.1% | |
| Teton County, MT | Not scored | 7 | 28.4 | $448K | +3.9% | |
| Pondera County, MT | Not scored | 17 | 75.0 | $163K | +3.2% | |
| Chouteau County, MT | Not scored | 9 | 41.7 | $288K | −0.8% | |
| Musselshell County, MT | Not scored | 10 | 46.6 | $251K | +17.6% | |
| Toole County, MT | Not scored | 14 | 75.6 | $161K | +4.9% | |
| Mineral County, MT | Not scored | 6 | 27.9 | $444K | +13.5% | |
| Phillips County, MT | Not scored | 7 | 39.7 | $321K | −0.1% | |
| Sweet Grass County, MT | Not scored | 10 | 64.4 | $216K | +2.4% | |
| Sheridan County, MT | Not scored | 4 | 27.1 | $459K | −2.9% | |
| Granite County, MT | Not scored | 2 | 13.2 | $1M | +10.6% | |
| Fallon County, MT | Not scored | 12 | 101.9 | $125K | −2.3% | |
| Judith Basin County, MT | Not scored | 4 | 43.6 | $346K | +6.8% | |
| Wheatland County, MT | Not scored | 6 | 68.0 | $201K | +1.2% | |
| Meagher County, MT | Not scored | 3 | 32.4 | $448K | +11.2% | |
| Liberty County, MT | Not scored | 4 | 55.2 | $197K | +0.1% | |
| Powder River County, MT | Not scored | 1 | 14.1 | $1M | +5.1% | |
| McCone County, MT | Not scored | 3 | 37.6 | $371K | −0.6% | |
| Daniels County, MT | Not scored | 6 | 81.7 | $139K | −2.3% | |
| Carter County, MT | Not scored | 2 | 33.3 | $398K | −1.6% | |
| Prairie County, MT | Not scored | 1 | 18.3 | $630K | +1.7% | |
| Wibaux County, MT | Not scored | 1 | 21.7 | $659K | −5.4% | |
| Garfield County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.9% | |
| Golden Valley County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.7% | |
| Treasure County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.0% | |
| Petroleum County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.2% |
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 Montana?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 2,005 auto repair and car care businesses in Montana. 510 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 1,049 businesses with payroll classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers in 2023, up 9.6% from 2019. Official counts list 1,476 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Montana spend on vehicle maintenance and repairs?
About $530.7M a year, or $1,157 per household. That is 21% above the U.S. average (an index of 121, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 2,005 auto repair and car care businesses on map listings, it comes to $265K per business. It is estimated from the incomes of the 458,859 households in Montana and national spending patterns by income.
How does Montana compare with the U.S. for auto repair and car care businesses?
Montana has 43.7 auto repair and car care businesses per 10,000 households, 22% above the U.S. rate of 35.7. Spending per business is $265K, in line with the U.S. figure of $269K. At the U.S. ratio of auto repair and car care businesses to household spending, Montana would have about 1,976, against 2,005 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 437 households, against one for every 681 across the U.S. The official count rose 9.6% from 2019 to 2023, against +4.1% for the U.S.
Which market in Montana has the highest market score for auto repair and car care businesses?
Among 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Montana, the Helena metro area scores highest, at 61 (upper middle). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Montana, the Butte-Silver Bow area scores highest, at 61 (upper middle). Among 21 scored counties in Montana, Jefferson County scores highest, at 94 (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. Montana scores 47 for auto repair and car care businesses (lower middle), #29 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 Montana. 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
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- 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
- Oklahoma
- 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 Montana
Related business types in Montana
- Auto repair shops1,199 listings
- Collision repair and body shops187 listings
- Car washes and detailing174 listings
- Tire shops187 listings
- Oil change and quick lube42 listings
- Gas stations809 listings
- Insurance agencies759 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Montana?
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.