Market rankings · Washington
Auto repair and car care businesses in Washington
Markets across Washington ranked by the Groundwork market score for auto repair and car care businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 8,541
- 2,447 chain locations (29%)
- Official establishments
- 3,995
- +1.6% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $3.4B
- On vehicle maintenance and repairs
- Listings per 10k households
- 27.9
- 22% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $396K
- 48% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #1 of 51
- Market score 84 · High
A site report maps the auto repair and car care businesses on map listings around any address in Washington 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
Map listings as of September 2026 show 8,541 auto repair and car care businesses in Washington. Of those, 2,447 are chain locations, or 29%, against 24% across the U.S. That is 27.9 per 10,000 households, 22% below the U.S. rate of 35.7.
Households in Washington spend about $3.4B a year on vehicle maintenance and repairs, or $1,104 per household, 15% above the U.S. average. Spread across 8,541 auto repair and car care businesses, that is $396K per business, 48% above the U.S. figure of $269K.
In 2023, official counts showed 3,995 businesses with payroll in Washington classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers, up 1.6% from 2019. That is one for every 767 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, 247 SBA-backed loans worth $123.5M have gone to businesses classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers in Washington.
Among the 50 states and DC, Washington ranks #1 for auto repair and car care businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 84 (high). Of the 13 scored metro areas in or partly in Washington, the Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard metro area scores highest (85). Of the 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in Washington, the Shelton area scores highest (96).
Every market in Washington for auto repair and car care businesses
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Washington, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 85 | 255 | 23.5 | $504K | +2.7% | #2 of 387 |
| 2Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 85 | 311 | 26.2 | $429K | +2.8% | #3 of 387 |
| 3Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 82 | 4,082 | 25.4 | $418K | +3.3% | #5 of 387 |
| 4Bellingham, WA | 79 | 273 | 29.0 | $383K | +3.9% | #13 of 387 |
| 5Walla Walla, WA | 79 | 68 | 29.0 | $382K | −0.4% | #14 of 387 |
| 6Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 74 | 171 | 36.0 | $328K | +5.0% | #32 of 387 |
| 7Longview-Kelso, WA | 73 | 146 | 33.2 | $345K | +3.5% | #35 of 387 |
| 8Kennewick-Richland, WA | 72 | 386 | 35.8 | $334K | +6.5% | #42 of 387 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 71 | 2,932 | 29.0 | $361K | +1.0% | #46 of 387 |
| 9Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 69 | 183 | 35.0 | $353K | +2.4% | #59 of 387 |
| 10Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 66 | 802 | 33.7 | $322K | +3.5% | #78 of 387 |
| 11Yakima, WA | 57 | 361 | 41.2 | $288K | +1.0% | #142 of 387 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | 48 | 113 | 42.2 | $276K | +1.5% | #219 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Shelton, WA | 96 | 65 | 25.0 | $514K | +7.8% | #1 of 538 |
| 2Port Townsend, WA | 88 | 28 | 17.1 | $634K | +2.7% | #5 of 538 |
| 3Ellensburg, WA | 88 | 63 | 31.5 | $377K | +4.2% | #7 of 538 |
| 4Aberdeen, WA | 83 | 84 | 27.4 | $400K | +3.0% | #12 of 538 |
| 5Oak Harbor, WA | 81 | 67 | 18.6 | $630K | −1.5% | #19 of 538 |
| 6Pullman, WA | 78 | 41 | 21.9 | $439K | +1.5% | #30 of 538 |
| 7Moses Lake, WA | 78 | 142 | 40.1 | $300K | +6.3% | #31 of 538 |
| 8Port Angeles, WA | 74 | 93 | 26.5 | $399K | +1.1% | #47 of 538 |
| 9Centralia, WA | 72 | 145 | 44.1 | $277K | +6.7% | #70 of 538 |
| 10Othello, WA | 67 | 26 | 41.3 | $303K | +4.3% | #106 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Douglas County, WA | 96 | 37 | 23.2 | $547K | +8.0% | #1 of 2,401 |
| 2Skamania County, WA | 94 | 9 | 17.9 | $756K | +5.2% | #5 of 2,401 |
| 3Pend Oreille County, WA | 94 | 12 | 20.2 | $612K | +7.1% | #6 of 2,401 |
| 4Klickitat County, WA | 92 | 18 | 18.2 | $673K | +6.6% | #10 of 2,401 |
| 5Mason County, WA | 92 | 65 | 25.0 | $514K | +7.8% | #13 of 2,401 |
| 6San Juan County, WA | 89 | 20 | 22.2 | $526K | +4.2% | #25 of 2,401 |
| 7Stevens County, WA | 87 | 52 | 26.8 | $480K | +6.6% | #34 of 2,401 |
| 8Pacific County, WA | 86 | 24 | 21.9 | $502K | +3.6% | #44 of 2,401 |
| 9Jefferson County, WA | 84 | 28 | 17.1 | $634K | +2.7% | #61 of 2,401 |
| 10Kitsap County, WA | 81 | 255 | 23.5 | $504K | +2.7% | #101 of 2,401 |
| 11Snohomish County, WA | 81 | 891 | 28.2 | $425K | +4.9% | #102 of 2,401 |
| 12Lincoln County, WA | 80 | 13 | 27.0 | $466K | +9.7% | #117 of 2,401 |
| 13Clark County, WA | 80 | 528 | 26.9 | $434K | +5.3% | #119 of 2,401 |
| 14Kittitas County, WA | 80 | 63 | 31.5 | $377K | +4.2% | #123 of 2,401 |
| 15Island County, WA | 79 | 67 | 18.6 | $630K | −1.5% | #134 of 2,401 |
| 16Thurston County, WA | 79 | 311 | 26.2 | $429K | +2.8% | #141 of 2,401 |
| 17Benton County, WA | 78 | 237 | 30.4 | $379K | +6.9% | #163 of 2,401 |
| 18King County, WA | 76 | 2,125 | 22.6 | $434K | +3.1% | #196 of 2,401 |
| 19Grays Harbor County, WA | 76 | 84 | 27.4 | $400K | +3.0% | #200 of 2,401 |
| 20Whatcom County, WA | 75 | 273 | 29.0 | $383K | +3.9% | #225 of 2,401 |
| 21Walla Walla County, WA | 73 | 68 | 29.0 | $382K | −0.4% | #266 of 2,401 |
| 22Pierce County, WA | 73 | 1,066 | 30.3 | $381K | +2.5% | #267 of 2,401 |
| 23Whitman County, WA | 72 | 41 | 21.9 | $439K | +1.5% | #291 of 2,401 |
| 24Cowlitz County, WA | 70 | 146 | 33.2 | $345K | +3.5% | #360 of 2,401 |
| 25Skagit County, WA | 69 | 183 | 35.0 | $353K | +2.4% | #383 of 2,401 |
Show all 39 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Clallam County, WA | 68 | 93 | 26.5 | $399K | +1.1% | #418 of 2,401 |
| 27Grant County, WA | 68 | 142 | 40.1 | $300K | +6.3% | #441 of 2,401 |
| 28Okanogan County, WA | 64 | 67 | 38.2 | $314K | +7.3% | #577 of 2,401 |
| 29Asotin County, WA | 63 | 34 | 35.8 | $326K | +1.0% | #619 of 2,401 |
| 30Lewis County, WA | 63 | 145 | 44.1 | $277K | +6.7% | #636 of 2,401 |
| 31Spokane County, WA | 62 | 750 | 34.3 | $311K | +3.2% | #663 of 2,401 |
| 32Adams County, WA | 59 | 26 | 41.3 | $303K | +4.3% | #786 of 2,401 |
| 33Yakima County, WA | 58 | 361 | 41.2 | $288K | +1.0% | #842 of 2,401 |
| 34Franklin County, WA | 55 | 149 | 49.8 | $264K | +5.6% | #995 of 2,401 |
| 35Chelan County, WA | 52 | 134 | 42.5 | $268K | +3.3% | #1,135 of 2,401 |
| Ferry County, WA | Not scored | 11 | 34.7 | $343K | +4.4% | |
| Wahkiakum County, WA | Not scored | 2 | 9.5 | $1.1M | +9.6% | |
| Columbia County, WA | Not scored | 8 | 43.0 | $254K | +4.7% | |
| Garfield County, WA | Not scored | 3 | 29.1 | $410K | +5.2% |
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 Washington?
There are 8,541 auto repair and car care businesses on map listings in Washington as of September 2026. 2,447 of them (29%) are chain locations. The listings count repair shops, body shops, tire shops, car washes, oil change and parts stores. Official counts show 3,995 businesses with payroll classed as automotive repair and maintenance, and tire dealers in 2023, up 1.6% from 2019. Official counts list 4,344 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Washington spend on vehicle maintenance and repairs?
About $3.4B a year, or $1,104 per household. That is 15% above the U.S. average (an index of 115, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 8,541 auto repair and car care businesses on map listings, it comes to $396K per business. It is estimated from the incomes of the 3,064,820 households in Washington and national spending patterns by income.
How does Washington compare with the U.S. for auto repair and car care businesses?
Washington has 27.9 auto repair and car care businesses per 10,000 households, 22% below the U.S. rate of 35.7. Spending per business is $396K, 48% above the U.S. figure of $269K. At the national ratio of auto repair and car care businesses to household spending, Washington would have about 12,598, against 8,541 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 767 households, against one for every 681 across the U.S. The official count rose 1.6% from 2019 to 2023, against +4.1% for the U.S.
Which market in Washington has the highest market score for auto repair and car care businesses?
Among 13 scored metro areas in or partly in Washington, the Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard metro area scores highest, at 85 (high). Among 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in Washington, the Shelton area scores highest, at 96 (very high). Among 35 scored counties in Washington, Douglas County scores highest, at 96 (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. Washington scores 84 for auto repair and car care businesses (high), #1 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 Washington. 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 Washington
Related business types in Washington
- Auto repair shops5,039 listings
- Collision repair and body shops654 listings
- Car washes and detailing866 listings
- Tire shops809 listings
- Oil change and quick lube218 listings
- Gas stations2,917 listings
- Insurance agencies3,847 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Washington?
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.