Market rankings · California
Car washes and detailers in California
Markets across California ranked by the Groundwork market score for car washes and detailers, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 4,444
- 823 chain locations (19%)
- Official establishments
- 2,231
- +10.2% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $15.2B
- On vehicle maintenance and repairs
- Listings per 10k households
- 3.3
- 13% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $3.4M
- 36% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #14 of 51
- Market score 60 · Upper middle
A site report maps the car washes and detailers on map listings around any address in California 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
As of September 2026, map listings count 4,444 car washes and detailers in California. Of those, 823 are chain locations, or 19%, against 23% across the U.S. That comes to 3.3 for every 10,000 households, 13% below the U.S. rate of 3.8.
Household spending on vehicle maintenance and repairs in California comes to about $15.2B a year: $1,122 per household, 17% above the U.S. average. That works out to $3.4M per location, 36% above the U.S. figure of $2.5M. That spending covers all vehicle maintenance and repairs, which car washes and detailers share with other businesses in the trade.
In 2023, official counts showed 2,231 businesses with payroll in California classed as car washes, up 10.2% from 2019. That is one for every 6,073 households, against one for every 6,523 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 16.7% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 180 SBA-backed loans worth $301.4M have gone to businesses classed as car washes in California.
Among the 50 states and DC, California ranks #14 for car washes and detailers, with a Groundwork market score of 60 (upper middle). Of the 25 scored metro areas in or partly in California, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area scores highest (78). Of the 7 scored small-town markets in or partly in California, the Truckee-Grass Valley area scores highest (78).
Every market in California for car washes and detailers
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in California, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 78 | 158 | 2.3 | $5.2M | −0.6% | #6 of 387 |
| 2Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 76 | 15 | 1.5 | $7.9M | −4.7% | #16 of 387 |
| 3Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 74 | 263 | 3.0 | $3.8M | +3.2% | #25 of 387 |
| 4Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 71 | 50 | 2.6 | $4.5M | −0.4% | #41 of 387 |
| 5Stockton-Lodi, CA | 71 | 95 | 3.9 | $3.2M | +5.5% | #42 of 387 |
| 6San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 70 | 389 | 2.2 | $4.7M | −2.4% | #44 of 387 |
| 7Salinas, CA | 70 | 42 | 3.2 | $3.8M | −1.5% | #45 of 387 |
| 8Merced, CA | 70 | 25 | 2.9 | $3.8M | +5.1% | #46 of 387 |
| 9Chico, CA | 69 | 27 | 3.2 | $3.2M | −0.5% | #50 of 387 |
| 10Yuba City, CA | 68 | 19 | 3.1 | $3.8M | +3.3% | #53 of 387 |
| 11Vallejo, CA | 68 | 54 | 3.4 | $3.6M | +0.6% | #54 of 387 |
| 12Napa, CA | 67 | 12 | 2.4 | $5M | −3.3% | #63 of 387 |
| 13San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 67 | 44 | 4.0 | $3M | 0.0% | #67 of 387 |
| 14Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 65 | 603 | 4.2 | $3M | +3.5% | #78 of 387 |
| 15Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 64 | 85 | 3.0 | $4.1M | −1.5% | #83 of 387 |
| 16San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 64 | 409 | 3.5 | $3.2M | −0.6% | #86 of 387 |
| 17Fresno, CA | 64 | 152 | 4.1 | $2.7M | +3.2% | #88 of 387 |
| 18Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 61 | 41 | 2.7 | $4.2M | −1.4% | #112 of 387 |
| 19Visalia, CA | 58 | 67 | 4.7 | $2.5M | +2.4% | #136 of 387 |
| 20Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 57 | 121 | 4.2 | $2.5M | +2.3% | #147 of 387 |
| 21Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 54 | 1,504 | 3.3 | $3.2M | −2.6% | #168 of 387 |
| 22Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 52 | 18 | 4.1 | $2.7M | +1.0% | #178 of 387 |
| 23Modesto, CA | 46 | 90 | 5.1 | $2.3M | +0.7% | #230 of 387 |
| 24El Centro, CA | 45 | 23 | 4.6 | $2.2M | +1.1% | #240 of 387 |
| 25Redding, CA | 42 | 37 | 5.2 | $2.1M | −0.3% | #263 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Truckee-Grass Valley, CA | 78 | 11 | 2.6 | $4.6M | −0.4% | #22 of 441 |
| Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA | 70 | 8 | 3.7 | $3.4M | +0.9% | #71 of 441 |
| 2Ukiah, CA | 69 | 7 | 2.0 | $5.2M | −3.5% | #78 of 441 |
| 3Clearlake, CA | 66 | 11 | 4.1 | $2.8M | −0.6% | #96 of 441 |
| 4Sonora, CA | 65 | 9 | 4.0 | $2.9M | −4.0% | #102 of 441 |
| 5Red Bluff, CA | 61 | 9 | 3.6 | $3M | −1.7% | #131 of 441 |
| 6Eureka-Arcata, CA | 47 | 24 | 4.4 | $2.3M | −3.4% | #240 of 441 |
| Susanville, CA | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $10.1M | −13.1% | |
| Crescent City, CA | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $9.8M | −4.4% | |
| Bishop, CA | Not scored | 2 | 2.5 | $4.3M | −4.4% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1San Benito County, CA | 89 | 6 | 2.9 | $5M | +8.6% | #9 of 1,451 |
| 2Madera County, CA | 89 | 15 | 3.3 | $3.6M | +7.4% | #14 of 1,451 |
| 3Yuba County, CA | 86 | 6 | 2.1 | $5.4M | +8.2% | #24 of 1,451 |
| 4Calaveras County, CA | 86 | 6 | 3.3 | $4M | +2.8% | #26 of 1,451 |
| 5Placer County, CA | 85 | 51 | 3.2 | $3.7M | +8.9% | #36 of 1,451 |
| 6Contra Costa County, CA | 82 | 96 | 2.3 | $5.3M | +0.3% | #47 of 1,451 |
| 7Santa Clara County, CA | 78 | 152 | 2.3 | $5.2M | −0.9% | #73 of 1,451 |
| 8Santa Cruz County, CA | 77 | 15 | 1.5 | $7.9M | −4.7% | #86 of 1,451 |
| 9El Dorado County, CA | 76 | 20 | 2.6 | $4.9M | +0.6% | #105 of 1,451 |
| 10Nevada County, CA | 75 | 11 | 2.6 | $4.6M | −0.4% | #117 of 1,451 |
| 11Yolo County, CA | 74 | 25 | 3.3 | $3.4M | +3.1% | #137 of 1,451 |
| 12Riverside County, CA | 74 | 301 | 3.9 | $3.2M | +5.0% | #139 of 1,451 |
| 13Sonoma County, CA | 73 | 50 | 2.6 | $4.5M | −0.4% | #154 of 1,451 |
| 14Marin County, CA | 72 | 23 | 2.2 | $5.1M | −2.9% | #170 of 1,451 |
| 15San Mateo County, CA | 72 | 75 | 2.8 | $4.2M | −2.5% | #174 of 1,451 |
| 16San Joaquin County, CA | 72 | 95 | 3.9 | $3.2M | +5.5% | #179 of 1,451 |
| 17Monterey County, CA | 71 | 42 | 3.2 | $3.8M | −1.5% | #198 of 1,451 |
| 18Merced County, CA | 71 | 25 | 2.9 | $3.8M | +5.1% | #199 of 1,451 |
| 19Sacramento County, CA | 70 | 167 | 2.9 | $3.7M | +2.0% | #227 of 1,451 |
| 20Solano County, CA | 70 | 54 | 3.4 | $3.6M | +0.6% | #228 of 1,451 |
| 21Mendocino County, CA | 69 | 7 | 2.0 | $5.2M | −3.5% | #246 of 1,451 |
| 22Butte County, CA | 69 | 27 | 3.2 | $3.2M | −0.5% | #252 of 1,451 |
| 23San Luis Obispo County, CA | 69 | 44 | 4.0 | $3M | 0.0% | #254 of 1,451 |
| 24Napa County, CA | 68 | 12 | 2.4 | $5M | −3.3% | #270 of 1,451 |
| 25Ventura County, CA | 67 | 85 | 3.0 | $4.1M | −1.5% | #293 of 1,451 |
Show all 58 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Alameda County, CA | 67 | 155 | 2.6 | $4.1M | −2.6% | #294 of 1,451 |
| 27San Diego County, CA | 65 | 409 | 3.5 | $3.2M | −0.6% | #339 of 1,451 |
| 28Santa Barbara County, CA | 64 | 41 | 2.7 | $4.2M | −1.4% | #355 of 1,451 |
| 29Tuolumne County, CA | 63 | 9 | 4.0 | $2.9M | −4.0% | #390 of 1,451 |
| 30Lake County, CA | 62 | 11 | 4.1 | $2.8M | −0.6% | #411 of 1,451 |
| 31Tulare County, CA | 61 | 67 | 4.7 | $2.5M | +2.4% | #443 of 1,451 |
| 32San Francisco County, CA | 60 | 40 | 1.1 | $6M | −5.6% | #451 of 1,451 |
| 33Fresno County, CA | 60 | 137 | 4.2 | $2.6M | +2.6% | #466 of 1,451 |
| 34Kern County, CA | 60 | 121 | 4.2 | $2.5M | +2.3% | #468 of 1,451 |
| 35San Bernardino County, CA | 59 | 302 | 4.5 | $2.7M | +1.9% | #484 of 1,451 |
| 36Tehama County, CA | 58 | 9 | 3.6 | $3M | −1.7% | #512 of 1,451 |
| 37Los Angeles County, CA | 56 | 1,052 | 3.1 | $3.4M | −3.0% | #555 of 1,451 |
| 38Orange County, CA | 56 | 452 | 4.2 | $2.9M | −1.1% | #560 of 1,451 |
| 39Sutter County, CA | 54 | 13 | 3.9 | $3M | −0.7% | #621 of 1,451 |
| 40Kings County, CA | 54 | 18 | 4.1 | $2.7M | +1.0% | #625 of 1,451 |
| 41Stanislaus County, CA | 49 | 90 | 5.1 | $2.3M | +0.7% | #748 of 1,451 |
| 42Imperial County, CA | 48 | 23 | 4.6 | $2.2M | +1.1% | #778 of 1,451 |
| 43Siskiyou County, CA | 47 | 8 | 4.2 | $2.5M | −4.5% | #796 of 1,451 |
| 44Shasta County, CA | 47 | 37 | 5.2 | $2.1M | −0.3% | #806 of 1,451 |
| 45Humboldt County, CA | 42 | 24 | 4.4 | $2.3M | −3.4% | #929 of 1,451 |
| Amador County, CA | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | $4.8M | +3.2% | |
| Lassen County, CA | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $10.1M | −13.1% | |
| Glenn County, CA | Not scored | 4 | 4.1 | $2.8M | −2.6% | |
| Del Norte County, CA | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $9.8M | −4.4% | |
| Colusa County, CA | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $9.1M | −0.1% | |
| Plumas County, CA | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $8.4M | −5.9% | |
| Inyo County, CA | Not scored | 2 | 2.5 | $4.3M | −4.4% | |
| Mariposa County, CA | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $8.6M | −1.2% | |
| Trinity County, CA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.3% | |
| Mono County, CA | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $6.7M | −5.4% | |
| Modoc County, CA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.9% | |
| Sierra County, CA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.0% | |
| Alpine County, CA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −11.6% |
Markets with fewer than 5 car washes and detailers on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many car washes and detailers are in California?
California has 4,444 car washes and detailers on map listings as of September 2026. 823 of them (19%) are chain locations. The listings count car washes and detailers. Official counts show 2,231 businesses with payroll classed as car washes in 2023, up 10.2% from 2019.
How much do households in California spend on vehicle maintenance and repairs?
About $15.2B a year, or $1,122 per household. That is 17% above the U.S. average (an index of 117, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 4,444 car washes and detailers on map listings, it comes to $3.4M per location. The spending figure covers all vehicle maintenance and repairs, not only car washes and detailers. It is estimated from the incomes of the 13,548,091 households in California and national spending patterns by income.
How does California compare with the U.S. for car washes and detailers?
California has 3.3 car washes and detailers per 10,000 households, 13% below the U.S. rate of 3.8. Spending per location is $3.4M, 36% above the U.S. figure of $2.5M. At the national ratio of car washes and detailers to household spending, California would have about 6,035, against 4,444 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 6,073 households, against one for every 6,523 across the U.S. The official count rose 10.2% from 2019 to 2023, against +16.7% for the U.S.
Which market in California has the highest market score for car washes and detailers?
Among 25 scored metro areas in or partly in California, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area scores highest, at 78 (high). Among 7 scored small-town markets in or partly in California, the Truckee-Grass Valley area scores highest, at 78 (high). Among 45 scored counties in California, San Benito County scores highest, at 89 (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. California scores 60 for car washes and detailers (upper middle), #14 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 California. It maps the car washes and detailers 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.
Car washes and detailing in other states
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Top markets for car washes and detailers across the U.S. · All business types in California
Related business types in California
- Auto repair and car care52,949 listings
- Auto repair shops33,404 listings
- Collision repair and body shops5,166 listings
- Tire shops5,228 listings
- Oil change and quick lube759 listings
- Gas stations10,937 listings
- Insurance agencies23,237 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in California?
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.