Groundwork

Market rankings · Auto

Top markets for auto repair shops

Every U.S. metro area, small-town market and county, ranked by the Groundwork market score for auto repair shops. The score weighs household spending per shop, households per business, population growth and spending power.

Listings in the U.S.
278,355
45,385 chain locations (16%)
Official establishments
135,312
+2.1% since 2019
Household spending a year
$123.8B
On vehicle maintenance and repairs
Listings per 10k households
21.5
Spending per listing: $445K

A site report maps the auto repair shops on map listings around the address by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

There are 278,355 auto repair shops on map listings in the U.S. as of September 2026. Of those, 45,385 are chain locations, or 16%. That is 21.5 per 10,000 households.

Households in the U.S. spend about $123.8B a year on vehicle maintenance and repairs, or $958 per household. Spread across 278,355 auto repair shops, that is $445K per shop. The spending figure covers all vehicle maintenance and repairs, not only auto repair shops.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as mechanical, body and glass repair in the U.S. was 135,312 in 2023, up 2.1% from 2019. They employ 720,341 people, with $39.9B in annual payroll. Official counts also show 274,819 one-person businesses without payroll.

The Corvallis, OR metro area has the highest market score for auto repair shops among 387 scored metro areas, at 86. In the 10 highest-scoring metro areas, the median spending per shop is 44% above the U.S. figure, and the median rate of listings per household is 26% below the U.S. rate.

Ranked by the Groundwork market score, which weighs household spending per competitor, households per business with payroll, population growth and spending power against every other market of the same kind. How the score works.

Top metro areas of 1 million people or more

Highest Groundwork market scores for auto repair shops among metro areas of 1 million people or more
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growth
5Columbus, OH841,54917.9$588K+4.7%
13Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA792,47815.4$689K+3.3%
19Kansas City, MO-KS781,65718.5$590K+3.4%
24Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN771,66719.8$540K+5.4%
35Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN741,67618.5$569K+2.7%
39Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN741,61219.4$500K+8.7%
46Urban Honolulu, HI7249014.5$718K−2.3%
48Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI722,53117.1$636K+2.6%
49Raleigh-Cary, NC721,06118.5$525K+12.6%
58Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV693,92216.5$546K+3.3%
66Salt Lake City-Murray, UT681,03523.0$498K+3.8%
68Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA671,77117.5$597K+1.0%
80Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV661,74820.3$476K+5.8%
81Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX661,95519.8$463K+14.0%
84Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO652,65321.7$502K+4.1%

Top 50 metro areas

Top 50 metro areas for auto repair shops, by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growth
1Corvallis, OR864611.9$875K+4.4%
2Warner Robins, GA8612216.4$601K+8.2%
3Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA8518215.3$733K+2.8%
4Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA8414713.5$875K+2.7%
5Columbus, OH841,54917.9$588K+4.7%
6Huntsville, AL8137018.0$543K+12.5%
7Wildwood-The Villages, FL80466.5$1.1M+21.1%
8Charlottesville, VA8013014.4$681K+3.1%
9Boise City, ID8060519.9$594K+12.2%
10Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL8016817.0$568K+14.8%
11Auburn-Opelika, AL8012716.6$561K+7.1%
12Walla Walla, WA793314.1$786K−0.4%
13Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA792,47815.4$689K+3.3%
14Durham-Chapel Hill, NC7937615.1$592K+7.5%
15Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA7959420.1$558K+6.7%
16Columbus, IN797422.2$524K+4.3%
17Monroe, MI789715.4$729K+0.7%
18Lawrence, KS787915.7$660K+1.8%
19Kansas City, MO-KS781,65718.5$590K+3.4%
20Merced, CA7818020.9$531K+5.1%
21Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT7746122.3$587K+14.5%
22Madison, WI7753517.7$575K+4.1%
23Kennewick-Richland, WA7722921.2$564K+6.5%
24Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN771,66719.8$540K+5.4%
25Knoxville, TN7769618.4$528K+6.9%
26Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR7741519.3$505K+13.1%
27Bellingham, WA7616317.3$642K+3.9%
28Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA769820.7$573K+5.0%
29Albany, OR7610320.3$563K+3.0%
30Ann Arbor, MI7518612.4$828K−0.4%
31Las Cruces, NM7516319.2$527K+4.1%
32Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC7516116.9$527K+12.0%
33Longview-Kelso, WA748419.1$599K+3.5%
34Lexington Park, MD7415019.8$589K+2.1%
35Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN741,67618.5$569K+2.7%
36Columbia, MO7416719.3$557K+3.9%
37Greeley, CO7429723.9$523K+14.2%
38Johnson City, TN7415917.9$522K+4.3%
39Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN741,61219.4$500K+8.7%
40Midland, MI735916.9$652K+0.3%
41Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC737116.1$599K+10.3%
42Lansing-East Lansing, MI7333917.5$575K+1.4%
43Salem, OR7331019.4$559K+2.7%
44Charleston-North Charleston, SC7359417.7$516K+10.7%
45Morristown, TN739219.2$504K+7.9%
46Urban Honolulu, HI7249014.5$718K−2.3%
47Bloomington, IN7210515.5$636K+2.0%
48Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI722,53117.1$636K+2.6%
49Raleigh-Cary, NC721,06118.5$525K+12.6%
50Iowa City, IA7113618.8$553K+4.1%

Top 25 small-town markets

Top small-town markets for auto repair shops, by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growth
1Shelton, WA943714.2$903K+7.8%
2Heber, UT934616.1$856K+5.3%
3Pahrump, NV933114.0$802K+10.3%
4Mountain Home, ID881917.2$658K+2.8%
5Ellensburg, WA883718.5$642K+4.2%
6Port Townsend, WA871811.0$986K+2.7%
7Warrensburg, MO874119.4$588K+4.9%
8Moscow, ID852314.1$770K+5.6%
9Winchester, TN852715.5$642K+6.4%
10Bedford, IN853719.3$612K+1.2%
11Moses Lake, WA857019.8$609K+6.3%
12Van Wert, OH841714.7$778K+0.3%
13Española, NM83127.7$1.5M−1.0%
14Los Alamos, NM831315.8$768K0.0%
15Aberdeen, WA835116.7$658K+3.0%
16Hilo-Kailua, HI8314619.7$573K+4.6%
17Seaford, DE8217716.6$572K+16.1%
18Oak Harbor, WA81349.5$1.2M−1.5%
19Taos, NM811610.3$1.1M+0.3%
20Brigham City, UT-ID814420.5$671K+12.6%
21Athens, TN815520.8$495K+8.2%
22Safford, AZ802217.3$710K+4.0%
23Shawano, WI803820.4$557K+1.4%
24Nogales, AZ792313.6$794K+4.8%
25Pella, IA792821.0$603K+2.3%

Top 25 counties

Top counties for auto repair shops, by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growth
1Jefferson County, MT96714.0$1.1M+9.8%
2Douglas County, WA962012.6$1M+8.0%
3Spencer County, KY961013.7$957K+7.7%
4Fluvanna County, VA9587.7$1.6M+6.2%
5Dallas County, IA955312.5$964K+17.8%
6Klickitat County, WA941111.1$1.1M+6.6%
7Hamilton County, IN9415611.4$1.1M+10.9%
8Pike County, GA941116.4$757K+10.5%
9Banks County, GA93710.2$1.1M+17.3%
10Delaware County, OH9311714.2$896K+12.5%
11Wasatch County, UT932217.1$809K+9.9%
12Oconee County, GA911610.7$1.2M+6.9%
13Sandoval County, NM916912.1$966K+6.9%
14Warren County, OH9112813.9$920K+5.7%
15Pickaway County, OH913114.2$828K+7.4%
16Pend Oreille County, WA911016.8$734K+7.1%
17Harris County, GA9096.9$1.7M+6.8%
18Leelanau County, MI901111.4$1.1M+3.0%
19Mason County, WA903714.2$903K+7.8%
20Nye County, NV903114.0$802K+10.3%
21Valencia County, NM904114.9$781K+7.2%
22Caroline County, VA901815.0$768K+11.3%
23Chambers County, TX902514.5$745K+22.6%
24Pinal County, AZ9024315.0$733K+25.4%
25San Juan County, WA89910.0$1.2M+4.2%

Scored: 387 metro areas, 538 small-town markets and 2,378 counties, each with at least 5 auto repair shops on map listings (counties: 10,000 people or more). Spending per listing is all household spending on vehicle maintenance and repairs over the listings: demand for each competitor, not revenue. Each market has its own page, reached from its state below.

Excel · free with an account

Every market in one Excel file

Auto repair shops figures for all 387 metro areas, 538 small-town markets, 3,144 counties and 51 states: the Groundwork market score and rank, map listings and chains, household spending, businesses with payroll, employees and payroll, one-person businesses, SBA-backed loans, population, income and home value, each linked to its page. Sorted, filterable and ready to screen.

Download the Excel fileFree with an account · no card

Auto repair shops by state

Every market in each state ranked, with the state’s highest-scoring metro area.

  • AlabamaTop metro area: Huntsville metro area · 81
  • AlaskaTop metro area: Anchorage metro area · 59
  • ArizonaTop metro area: Sierra Vista-Douglas metro area · 68
  • ArkansasTop metro area: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area · 77
  • CaliforniaTop metro area: Merced metro area · 78
  • ColoradoTop metro area: Greeley metro area · 74
  • ConnecticutTop metro area: Norwich-New London-Willimantic metro area · 67
  • DelawareTop metro area: Dover metro area · 66
  • District of ColumbiaTop metro area: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area · 69
  • FloridaTop metro area: Wildwood-The Villages metro area · 80
  • GeorgiaTop metro area: Warner Robins metro area · 86
  • HawaiiTop metro area: Urban Honolulu metro area · 72
  • IdahoTop metro area: Boise City metro area · 80
  • IllinoisTop metro area: Bloomington metro area · 67
  • IndianaTop metro area: Columbus metro area · 79
  • IowaTop metro area: Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area · 79
  • KansasTop metro area: Lawrence metro area · 78
  • KentuckyTop metro area: Louisville/Jefferson County metro area · 56
  • LouisianaTop metro area: Slidell-Mandeville-Covington metro area · 54
  • MaineTop metro area: Portland-South Portland metro area · 36
  • MarylandTop metro area: Lexington Park metro area · 74
  • MassachusettsTop metro area: Amherst Town-Northampton metro area · 54
  • MichiganTop metro area: Monroe metro area · 78
  • MinnesotaTop metro area: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metro area · 72
  • MississippiTop metro area: Gulfport-Biloxi metro area · 51
  • MissouriTop metro area: Kansas City metro area · 78
  • MontanaTop metro area: Bozeman metro area · 62
  • NebraskaTop metro area: Omaha metro area · 70
  • NevadaTop metro area: Reno metro area · 69
  • New HampshireTop metro area: Manchester-Nashua metro area · 26
  • New JerseyTop metro area: Trenton-Princeton metro area · 56
  • New MexicoTop metro area: Las Cruces metro area · 75
  • New YorkTop metro area: Ithaca metro area · 59
  • North CarolinaTop metro area: Durham-Chapel Hill metro area · 79
  • North DakotaTop metro area: Fargo metro area · 66
  • OhioTop metro area: Columbus metro area · 84
  • OklahomaTop metro area: Oklahoma City metro area · 46
  • OregonTop metro area: Corvallis metro area · 86
  • PennsylvaniaTop metro area: State College metro area · 53
  • Rhode IslandTop metro area: Providence-Warwick metro area · 31
  • South CarolinaTop metro area: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal metro area · 75
  • South DakotaTop metro area: Sioux Falls metro area · 68
  • TennesseeTop metro area: Knoxville metro area · 77
  • TexasTop metro area: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro area · 66
  • UtahTop metro area: Provo-Orem-Lehi metro area · 77
  • VermontTop metro area: Burlington-South Burlington metro area · 15
  • VirginiaTop metro area: Charlottesville metro area · 80
  • WashingtonTop metro area: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater metro area · 85
  • West VirginiaTop metro area: Weirton-Steubenville metro area · 53
  • WisconsinTop metro area: Madison metro area · 77
  • WyomingTop metro area: Cheyenne metro area · 70

Questions

Which metro areas have the highest market score for auto repair shops?

The top 5 are Corvallis, OR (86); Warner Robins, GA (86); Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA (85); Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA (84); and Columbus, OH (84). The score compares each of 387 scored metro areas with the others for auto repair shops.

How many auto repair shops are in the U.S.?

As of September 2026, map listings count 278,355 auto repair shops in the U.S. 45,385 of them (16%) are chain locations. The listings count general, specialty, body and glass repair shops. Official counts show 135,312 businesses with payroll classed as mechanical, body and glass repair in 2023, up 2.1% from 2019. Another 274,819 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.

How much do U.S. households spend on vehicle maintenance and repairs?

About $123.8B a year, or $958 per household. Spread across the 278,355 auto repair shops on map listings, it comes to $445K per shop. That spending covers all vehicle maintenance and repairs, which auto repair shops share with other businesses in the trade. It is estimated from the incomes of the 129,209,336 households in the U.S. and national spending patterns by income.

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. Markets with fewer than 5 map listings of the type, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored, since a few businesses can swing their figures.

How can I see the market around a specific site?

Run a Groundwork site report on an address anywhere in the U.S. It maps the auto repair shops 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.

All business types and every U.S. market · How we measure

Screening a site or an acquisition?

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.