Market rankings · Wisconsin
Car washes and detailers in Wisconsin
Markets across Wisconsin ranked by the Groundwork market score for car washes and detailers, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 829
- 152 chain locations (18%)
- Official establishments
- 261
- +22.0% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $2.6B
- On vehicle maintenance and repairs
- Listings per 10k households
- 3.3
- 13% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $3.2M
- 26% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #3 of 51
- Market score 74 · Upper middle
A site report maps the car washes and detailers on map listings around any address in Wisconsin 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 829 car washes and detailers in Wisconsin. Of those, 152 are chain locations, or 18%, against 23% across the U.S. That is 3.3 per 10,000 households, 13% below the U.S. rate of 3.8.
Household spending on vehicle maintenance and repairs in Wisconsin comes to about $2.6B a year: $1,061 per household, 11% above the U.S. average. That works out to $3.2M per location, 26% 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.
Official counts show 261 businesses with payroll classed as car washes in Wisconsin in 2023, up 22.0% from 2019. That is one for every 9,500 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, 22 SBA-backed loans worth $29M have gone to businesses classed as car washes in Wisconsin.
Among the 50 states and DC, Wisconsin ranks #3 for car washes and detailers, with a Groundwork market score of 74 (upper middle). Of the 15 scored metro areas in or partly in Wisconsin, the Duluth metro area scores highest (77). Of the 13 scored small-town markets in or partly in Wisconsin, the Whitewater-Elkhorn area scores highest (88).
Every market in Wisconsin for car washes and detailers
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Wisconsin, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, MN-WI | 77 | 35 | 2.9 | $3.7M | +0.2% | #12 of 387 |
| 1Madison, WI | 77 | 91 | 3.0 | $3.4M | +4.1% | #13 of 387 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 77 | 518 | 3.5 | $3.1M | +2.6% | #14 of 387 |
| 2La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 76 | 23 | 3.2 | $3.3M | +0.4% | #18 of 387 |
| 3Wausau, WI | 76 | 21 | 3.6 | $3.1M | +1.0% | #19 of 387 |
| 4Kenosha, WI | 75 | 23 | 3.3 | $3.3M | −0.4% | #21 of 387 |
| 5Janesville-Beloit, WI | 75 | 25 | 3.7 | $2.9M | +1.7% | #22 of 387 |
| 6Eau Claire, WI | 71 | 31 | 4.3 | $2.6M | +2.6% | #43 of 387 |
| 7Green Bay, WI | 69 | 52 | 3.8 | $2.9M | +2.5% | #51 of 387 |
| 8Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | 68 | 32 | 4.0 | $2.7M | +0.4% | #60 of 387 |
| 9Fond du Lac, WI | 68 | 18 | 4.2 | $2.6M | +0.5% | #61 of 387 |
| 10Appleton, WI | 62 | 39 | 3.9 | $2.9M | +2.7% | #109 of 387 |
| 11Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 61 | 218 | 3.3 | $2.9M | 0.0% | #115 of 387 |
| 12Sheboygan, WI | 55 | 24 | 4.8 | $2.2M | 0.0% | #166 of 387 |
| 13Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 49 | 31 | 4.3 | $2.4M | +1.4% | #200 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI | 88 | 11 | 2.6 | $4.7M | +0.8% | #4 of 441 |
| 2Stevens Point-Plover, WI | 84 | 8 | 2.7 | $4.2M | +2.2% | #8 of 441 |
| 3Menomonie, WI | 83 | 6 | 3.4 | $3.4M | +1.7% | #11 of 441 |
| 4Baraboo, WI | 80 | 9 | 3.2 | $3.5M | +1.3% | #17 of 441 |
| 5Manitowoc, WI | 79 | 10 | 2.8 | $3.8M | +0.4% | #19 of 441 |
| 6Beaver Dam, WI | 76 | 7 | 1.9 | $5.8M | −0.3% | #29 of 441 |
| 7Rice Lake, WI | 76 | 5 | 2.5 | $4.6M | −0.5% | #31 of 441 |
| 8Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI | 76 | 12 | 3.4 | $3.3M | +0.3% | #36 of 441 |
| 9Sparta, WI | 74 | 6 | 3.3 | $3.4M | +0.6% | #53 of 441 |
| 10Marinette, WI-MI | 63 | 13 | 4.4 | $2.4M | +0.3% | #117 of 441 |
| 11Platteville, WI | 60 | 10 | 5.0 | $2.2M | +0.9% | #140 of 441 |
| 12Wisconsin Rapids-Marshfield, WI | 52 | 16 | 5.0 | $2.2M | −0.2% | #204 of 441 |
| Iron Mountain, MI-WI | 45 | 7 | 5.0 | $2M | +0.4% | #260 of 441 |
| Shawano, WI | Not scored | 4 | 2.1 | $5.3M | +1.4% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Walworth County, WI | 84 | 11 | 2.6 | $4.7M | +0.8% | #39 of 1,451 |
| 2Oconto County, WI | 84 | 6 | 3.6 | $3.5M | +2.9% | #40 of 1,451 |
| 3Portage County, WI | 80 | 8 | 2.7 | $4.2M | +2.2% | #56 of 1,451 |
| 4Washington County, WI | 80 | 19 | 3.3 | $3.5M | +1.8% | #58 of 1,451 |
| 5Dane County, WI | 78 | 73 | 2.9 | $3.4M | +4.9% | #77 of 1,451 |
| 6Manitowoc County, WI | 77 | 10 | 2.8 | $3.8M | +0.4% | #92 of 1,451 |
| 7Dunn County, WI | 77 | 6 | 3.4 | $3.4M | +1.7% | #95 of 1,451 |
| 8Sauk County, WI | 75 | 9 | 3.2 | $3.5M | +1.3% | #119 of 1,451 |
| 9Marathon County, WI | 75 | 21 | 3.6 | $3.1M | +1.0% | #127 of 1,451 |
| 10Rock County, WI | 75 | 25 | 3.7 | $2.9M | +1.7% | #128 of 1,451 |
| 11Dodge County, WI | 74 | 7 | 1.9 | $5.8M | −0.3% | #132 of 1,451 |
| 12Kenosha County, WI | 74 | 23 | 3.3 | $3.3M | −0.4% | #138 of 1,451 |
| 13Ozaukee County, WI | 74 | 15 | 3.9 | $2.9M | +3.0% | #143 of 1,451 |
| 14Barron County, WI | 73 | 5 | 2.5 | $4.6M | −0.5% | #153 of 1,451 |
| 15Jefferson County, WI | 73 | 12 | 3.4 | $3.3M | +0.3% | #162 of 1,451 |
| 16Trempealeau County, WI | 73 | 5 | 4.0 | $3M | +1.1% | #164 of 1,451 |
| 17St. Croix County, WI | 70 | 14 | 3.7 | $3.5M | +4.7% | #230 of 1,451 |
| 18Monroe County, WI | 70 | 6 | 3.3 | $3.4M | +0.6% | #234 of 1,451 |
| 19Waukesha County, WI | 70 | 66 | 3.9 | $3M | +2.4% | #236 of 1,451 |
| 20Eau Claire County, WI | 70 | 18 | 4.0 | $2.6M | +3.0% | #242 of 1,451 |
| 21Racine County, WI | 68 | 32 | 4.0 | $2.7M | +0.4% | #286 of 1,451 |
| 22Fond du Lac County, WI | 68 | 18 | 4.2 | $2.6M | +0.5% | #287 of 1,451 |
| 23La Crosse County, WI | 66 | 20 | 3.9 | $2.6M | +0.3% | #323 of 1,451 |
| 24Oneida County, WI | 65 | 5 | 2.9 | $3.7M | +0.7% | #333 of 1,451 |
| 25Brown County, WI | 64 | 44 | 4.0 | $2.7M | +2.6% | #370 of 1,451 |
Show all 72 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Marinette County, WI | 63 | 8 | 4.2 | $2.6M | +1.6% | #395 of 1,451 |
| 27Chippewa County, WI | 63 | 13 | 4.8 | $2.4M | +1.9% | #401 of 1,451 |
| 28Douglas County, WI | 59 | 7 | 3.7 | $2.9M | −0.8% | #480 of 1,451 |
| 29Outagamie County, WI | 59 | 36 | 4.6 | $2.4M | +2.6% | #493 of 1,451 |
| 30Sheboygan County, WI | 57 | 24 | 4.8 | $2.2M | 0.0% | #548 of 1,451 |
| 31Columbia County, WI | 56 | 11 | 4.6 | $2.7M | −0.7% | #564 of 1,451 |
| 32Green County, WI | 55 | 6 | 3.8 | $3.1M | +0.5% | #583 of 1,451 |
| 33Winnebago County, WI | 53 | 31 | 4.3 | $2.4M | +1.4% | #651 of 1,451 |
| 34Grant County, WI | 53 | 10 | 5.0 | $2.2M | +0.9% | #657 of 1,451 |
| 35Milwaukee County, WI | 52 | 118 | 3.0 | $2.8M | −1.5% | #672 of 1,451 |
| 36Wood County, WI | 46 | 16 | 5.0 | $2.2M | −0.2% | #828 of 1,451 |
| Calumet County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 1.4 | $8.5M | +2.9% | |
| Waupaca County, WI | Not scored | 4 | 1.8 | $6.5M | −0.6% | |
| Polk County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 1.5 | $8.1M | +1.7% | |
| Pierce County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $6.9M | +3.1% | |
| Shawano County, WI | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $4.9M | +1.7% | |
| Clark County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $5M | +1.2% | |
| Vernon County, WI | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $6.8M | +2.4% | |
| Door County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 2.0 | $5.7M | +1.6% | |
| Lincoln County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $4.6M | −0.1% | |
| Juneau County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $4.1M | −0.5% | |
| Waushara County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 2.8 | $4.2M | +2.8% | |
| Iowa County, WI | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $11.9M | +1.0% | |
| Vilas County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $3.9M | +2.9% | |
| Adams County, WI | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $10.6M | +5.2% | |
| Jackson County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 3.6 | $3.2M | −0.5% | |
| Kewaunee County, WI | Not scored | 2 | 2.4 | $5.4M | +1.0% | |
| Taylor County, WI | Not scored | 2 | 2.5 | $4.7M | +0.9% | |
| Langlade County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 3.4 | $3M | +0.4% | |
| Green Lake County, WI | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $8.9M | +1.5% | |
| Sawyer County, WI | Not scored | 2 | 2.3 | $4.5M | +4.0% | |
| Richland County, WI | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.4% | |
| Lafayette County, WI | Not scored | 3 | 4.4 | $2.8M | +5.2% | |
| Burnett County, WI | Not scored | 1 | 1.4 | $8.3M | +3.9% | |
| Washburn County, WI | Not scored | 2 | 2.6 | $4.3M | +2.8% | |
| Bayfield County, WI | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $4.4M | +3.4% | |
| Ashland County, WI | Not scored | 2 | 2.9 | $3.5M | +1.1% | |
| Crawford County, WI | Not scored | 2 | 3.0 | $3.6M | −1.1% | |
| Marquette County, WI | Not scored | 1 | 1.4 | $8.1M | +2.1% | |
| Rusk County, WI | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.2% | |
| Price County, WI | Not scored | 1 | 1.5 | $6.9M | −0.3% | |
| Buffalo County, WI | Not scored | 2 | 3.5 | $3.5M | −0.1% | |
| Forest County, WI | Not scored | 2 | 5.0 | $2.2M | +4.4% | |
| Pepin County, WI | Not scored | 1 | 3.3 | $3.8M | +2.2% | |
| Iron County, WI | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.3% | |
| Florence County, WI | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.0% | |
| Menominee County, WI | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.4% |
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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has 829 car washes and detailers on map listings as of September 2026. 152 of them (18%) are chain locations. The listings count car washes and detailers. Official counts show 261 businesses with payroll classed as car washes in 2023, up 22.0% from 2019.
How much do households in Wisconsin spend on vehicle maintenance and repairs?
About $2.6B a year, or $1,061 per household. That is 11% above the U.S. average (an index of 111, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 829 car washes and detailers on map listings, it comes to $3.2M 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 2,479,480 households in Wisconsin and national spending patterns by income.
How does Wisconsin compare with the U.S. for car washes and detailers?
Wisconsin has 3.3 car washes and detailers per 10,000 households, 13% below the U.S. rate of 3.8. Spending per location is $3.2M, 26% above the U.S. figure of $2.5M. At the national ratio of car washes and detailers to household spending, Wisconsin would have about 1,044, against 829 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 9,500 households, against one for every 6,523 across the U.S. The official count rose 22.0% from 2019 to 2023, against +16.7% for the U.S.
Which market in Wisconsin has the highest market score for car washes and detailers?
Among 15 scored metro areas in or partly in Wisconsin, the Duluth metro area scores highest, at 77 (high). Among 13 scored small-town markets in or partly in Wisconsin, the Whitewater-Elkhorn area scores highest, at 88 (high). Among 36 scored counties in Wisconsin, Walworth County scores highest, at 84 (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. Wisconsin scores 74 for car washes and detailers (upper middle), #3 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 Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin
Related business types in Wisconsin
- Auto repair and car care8,556 listings
- Auto repair shops5,142 listings
- Collision repair and body shops793 listings
- Tire shops625 listings
- Oil change and quick lube203 listings
- Gas stations2,792 listings
- Insurance agencies3,395 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Wisconsin?
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.