Auto repair shops in Kentucky

As of September 2026, map listings count 3,835 auto repair shops in Kentucky. Of those, 530 are chain locations, or 14%, against 16% across the U.S. That comes to 21.1 for every 10,000 households, 2% below the U.S. rate of 21.5.

Households in Kentucky spend about $1.6B a year on vehicle maintenance and repairs, or $889 per household, 7% below the U.S. average. That works out to $420K per shop, 5% below the U.S. figure of $445K. That spending covers all vehicle maintenance and repairs, which auto repair shops share with other businesses in the trade.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as mechanical, body and glass repair in Kentucky was 1,505 in 2023, down 1.2% from 2019. That is one for every 1,206 households, against one for every 955 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 2.1% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 46 SBA-backed loans worth $17.4M have gone to businesses classed as mechanical, body and glass repair in Kentucky.

Among the 50 states and DC, Kentucky ranks #33 for auto repair shops, with a Groundwork market score of 46 (lower middle). Of the 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Cincinnati metro area scores highest (74). Of the 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Richmond-Berea area scores highest (65).