Market rankings · North Carolina
Optometrists and eye clinics in North Carolina
Every metro area, small-town market and county in North Carolina, ranked by the Groundwork market score for optometrists and eye clinics, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,533
- 436 chain locations (28%)
- Official establishments
- 661
- −0.3% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $4.8B
- On medical and dental services
- Listings per 10k households
- 3.6
- 12% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $3.1M
- In line with the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #18 of 51
- Market score 56 · Upper middle
A site report maps the optometrists and eye clinics on map listings around any address in North Carolina 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
North Carolina has 1,533 optometrists and eye clinics on map listings as of September 2026. 436 of them (28%) are chain locations, against 20% across the U.S. That comes to 3.6 for every 10,000 households, 12% below the U.S. rate of 4.1.
At $1,116 per household (13% below the U.S. average), households in North Carolina spend about $4.8B a year on medical and dental services. That is about $3.1M of household spending for each practice on map listings, in line with the U.S. figure of $3.1M. The spending figure covers all medical and dental services, not only optometrists and eye clinics.
In 2023, official counts showed 661 businesses with payroll in North Carolina classed as offices of optometrists, down 0.3% from 2019. That is one for every 6,479 households, against one for every 5,742 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 0.2% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 7 SBA-backed loans worth $12M have gone to businesses classed as offices of optometrists in North Carolina.
Among the 50 states and DC, North Carolina ranks #18 for optometrists and eye clinics, with a Groundwork market score of 56 (upper middle). Of the 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Pinehurst-Southern Pines metro area scores highest (67). Of the 18 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest (81).
Every market in North Carolina for optometrists and eye clinics
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in North Carolina, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 67 | 15 | 3.4 | $3.4M | +10.3% | #70 of 386 |
| 2Jacksonville, NC | 65 | 18 | 2.4 | $4.4M | +6.0% | #78 of 386 |
| 3Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 65 | 40 | 2.7 | $3.8M | +3.2% | #79 of 386 |
| 4Burlington, NC | 65 | 21 | 3.0 | $3.5M | +8.5% | #83 of 386 |
| 5Greenville, NC | 60 | 21 | 2.8 | $3.6M | +5.4% | #103 of 386 |
| 6Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 58 | 97 | 3.9 | $3.1M | +7.5% | #120 of 386 |
| 7Greensboro-High Point, NC | 54 | 101 | 3.2 | $3.3M | +4.1% | #155 of 386 |
| 8Rocky Mount, NC | 54 | 18 | 3.1 | $3.2M | +2.8% | #157 of 386 |
| 9Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 54 | 423 | 3.9 | $3.1M | +10.1% | #161 of 386 |
| 10Raleigh-Cary, NC | 53 | 244 | 4.2 | $3.1M | +12.6% | #170 of 386 |
| 11Goldsboro, NC | 52 | 14 | 2.9 | $3.4M | +3.8% | #177 of 386 |
| 12Winston-Salem, NC | 43 | 103 | 3.7 | $2.9M | +5.3% | #265 of 386 |
| 13Wilmington, NC | 43 | 91 | 4.6 | $2.5M | +15.9% | #268 of 386 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 40 | 287 | 4.1 | $2.9M | +0.9% | #282 of 386 |
| 14Fayetteville, NC | 36 | 52 | 3.5 | $2.9M | +1.6% | #305 of 386 |
| 15Asheville, NC | 31 | 75 | 4.7 | $2.4M | +3.6% | #328 of 386 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Anderson Creek, NC | 81 | 13 | 2.6 | $4.1M | +12.3% | #16 of 400 |
| 2Kill Devil Hills, NC | 69 | 6 | 3.6 | $3.4M | +3.3% | #64 of 400 |
| 3Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC | 67 | 11 | 2.8 | $3.5M | +3.4% | #75 of 400 |
| 4New Bern, NC | 65 | 18 | 3.4 | $3M | +3.6% | #85 of 400 |
| 5Waynesville, NC | 63 | 9 | 3.3 | $3.1M | +1.9% | #104 of 400 |
| 6Wilson, NC | 62 | 7 | 2.1 | $4.6M | +1.7% | #107 of 400 |
| 7Albemarle, NC | 57 | 9 | 3.6 | $2.9M | +9.8% | #146 of 400 |
| 8Lumberton, NC | 55 | 11 | 2.6 | $3.4M | +3.4% | #161 of 400 |
| 9Morehead City, NC | 54 | 12 | 3.8 | $2.9M | +4.1% | #170 of 400 |
| 10North Wilkesboro, NC | 53 | 7 | 2.6 | $3.6M | +0.6% | #179 of 400 |
| 11Elizabeth City, NC | 52 | 6 | 3.8 | $2.7M | +4.5% | #192 of 400 |
| 12Boone, NC | 47 | 9 | 4.2 | $2.4M | +0.6% | #236 of 400 |
| 13Roanoke Rapids, NC | 45 | 5 | 1.8 | $5.2M | −4.3% | #245 of 400 |
| 14Mount Airy, NC | 45 | 10 | 3.3 | $2.9M | +1.3% | #246 of 400 |
| 15Henderson, NC | 39 | 6 | 3.7 | $2.5M | +0.2% | #295 of 400 |
| 16Washington, NC | 37 | 10 | 5.2 | $1.9M | 0.0% | #308 of 400 |
| 17Laurinburg, NC | 18 | 6 | 4.8 | $1.9M | −0.3% | #381 of 400 |
| 18Rockingham, NC | 10 | 9 | 5.3 | $1.7M | −1.6% | #392 of 400 |
| Sanford, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.2 | $8.6M | +10.8% | |
| Forest City, NC | Not scored | 4 | 1.5 | $6.3M | +2.1% | |
| Kinston, NC | Not scored | 4 | 1.7 | $5.4M | +1.4% | |
| Marion, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.1 | $9.1M | +1.5% | |
| Brevard, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $7.7M | +2.9% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Chatham County, NC | 88 | 6 | 1.8 | $7.1M | +11.0% | #8 of 1,302 |
| 2Harnett County, NC | 78 | 13 | 2.6 | $4.1M | +12.3% | #84 of 1,302 |
| 3Union County, NC | 78 | 28 | 3.3 | $4M | +11.7% | #86 of 1,302 |
| 4Davidson County, NC | 75 | 16 | 2.3 | $4.5M | +6.6% | #120 of 1,302 |
| 5Randolph County, NC | 74 | 9 | 1.6 | $6.4M | +3.5% | #128 of 1,302 |
| 6Johnston County, NC | 74 | 26 | 3.0 | $3.8M | +17.9% | #140 of 1,302 |
| 7Brunswick County, NC | 73 | 23 | 3.3 | $3.3M | +26.5% | #154 of 1,302 |
| 8Moore County, NC | 69 | 15 | 3.4 | $3.4M | +10.3% | #220 of 1,302 |
| 9Onslow County, NC | 68 | 18 | 2.4 | $4.4M | +6.0% | #230 of 1,302 |
| 10Alamance County, NC | 67 | 21 | 3.0 | $3.5M | +8.5% | #264 of 1,302 |
| 11Orange County, NC | 65 | 22 | 3.8 | $3.3M | +6.1% | #304 of 1,302 |
| 12Granville County, NC | 64 | 5 | 2.2 | $4.9M | +2.1% | #314 of 1,302 |
| 13Rowan County, NC | 63 | 16 | 2.7 | $3.8M | +5.6% | #343 of 1,302 |
| 14Gaston County, NC | 63 | 27 | 2.9 | $3.7M | +7.8% | #344 of 1,302 |
| 15Pitt County, NC | 63 | 21 | 2.8 | $3.6M | +5.4% | #345 of 1,302 |
| 16Henderson County, NC | 63 | 18 | 3.5 | $3.1M | +5.0% | #352 of 1,302 |
| 17Burke County, NC | 61 | 5 | 1.4 | $7.1M | +1.6% | #384 of 1,302 |
| 18Rockingham County, NC | 61 | 10 | 2.5 | $3.8M | +3.3% | #390 of 1,302 |
| 19Dare County, NC | 61 | 6 | 3.6 | $3.4M | +3.3% | #397 of 1,302 |
| 20Cleveland County, NC | 59 | 11 | 2.8 | $3.5M | +3.4% | #438 of 1,302 |
| 21Lincoln County, NC | 59 | 15 | 4.1 | $2.9M | +13.2% | #451 of 1,302 |
| 22Sampson County, NC | 58 | 5 | 2.3 | $4.1M | +4.1% | #459 of 1,302 |
| 23Durham County, NC | 58 | 61 | 4.3 | $2.8M | +7.7% | #480 of 1,302 |
| 24Wayne County, NC | 57 | 14 | 2.9 | $3.4M | +3.8% | #486 of 1,302 |
| 25Wake County, NC | 57 | 214 | 4.7 | $2.9M | +11.2% | #498 of 1,302 |
Show all 100 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Wilson County, NC | 56 | 7 | 2.1 | $4.6M | +1.7% | #504 of 1,302 |
| 27Nash County, NC | 56 | 14 | 3.6 | $2.8M | +3.9% | #531 of 1,302 |
| 28Mecklenburg County, NC | 56 | 219 | 4.7 | $2.6M | +10.5% | #537 of 1,302 |
| 29Cabarrus County, NC | 55 | 32 | 3.8 | $3.2M | +9.9% | #556 of 1,302 |
| 30Haywood County, NC | 54 | 9 | 3.3 | $3.1M | +1.9% | #588 of 1,302 |
| 31Guilford County, NC | 54 | 82 | 3.7 | $2.9M | +4.4% | #594 of 1,302 |
| 32Iredell County, NC | 54 | 32 | 4.2 | $2.8M | +12.9% | #596 of 1,302 |
| 33Stokes County, NC | 52 | 6 | 3.1 | $3.2M | +3.5% | #632 of 1,302 |
| 34Craven County, NC | 50 | 17 | 4.0 | $2.6M | +3.5% | #686 of 1,302 |
| 35Stanly County, NC | 49 | 9 | 3.6 | $2.9M | +9.8% | #707 of 1,302 |
| 36Catawba County, NC | 49 | 28 | 4.2 | $2.5M | +5.8% | #715 of 1,302 |
| 37Robeson County, NC | 48 | 11 | 2.6 | $3.4M | +3.4% | #727 of 1,302 |
| 38Wilkes County, NC | 45 | 7 | 2.6 | $3.6M | +0.6% | #788 of 1,302 |
| 39Carteret County, NC | 44 | 12 | 3.8 | $2.9M | +4.1% | #816 of 1,302 |
| 40Duplin County, NC | 44 | 7 | 3.4 | $2.8M | +6.0% | #819 of 1,302 |
| 41Columbus County, NC | 43 | 5 | 2.5 | $3.7M | 0.0% | #832 of 1,302 |
| 42Pasquotank County, NC | 42 | 6 | 3.8 | $2.7M | +4.5% | #866 of 1,302 |
| 43Forsyth County, NC | 39 | 73 | 4.6 | $2.4M | +5.0% | #930 of 1,302 |
| 44Watauga County, NC | 38 | 9 | 4.2 | $2.4M | +0.6% | #948 of 1,302 |
| 45Halifax County, NC | 36 | 5 | 2.5 | $3.7M | −3.9% | #980 of 1,302 |
| 46Cumberland County, NC | 36 | 51 | 3.9 | $2.6M | +0.4% | #984 of 1,302 |
| 47New Hanover County, NC | 36 | 64 | 6.1 | $1.9M | +8.6% | #992 of 1,302 |
| 48Person County, NC | 35 | 8 | 5.0 | $2.1M | +3.7% | #1,007 of 1,302 |
| 49Surry County, NC | 34 | 10 | 3.3 | $2.9M | +1.3% | #1,015 of 1,302 |
| 50Buncombe County, NC | 32 | 57 | 5.6 | $2M | +2.9% | #1,061 of 1,302 |
| 51Vance County, NC | 31 | 6 | 3.7 | $2.5M | +0.2% | #1,068 of 1,302 |
| 52Beaufort County, NC | 29 | 10 | 5.2 | $1.9M | 0.0% | #1,105 of 1,302 |
| 53Cherokee County, NC | 27 | 6 | 4.5 | $2.1M | +6.8% | #1,122 of 1,302 |
| 54Scotland County, NC | 13 | 6 | 4.8 | $1.9M | −0.3% | #1,260 of 1,302 |
| 55Richmond County, NC | 7 | 9 | 5.3 | $1.7M | −1.6% | #1,282 of 1,302 |
| 56Martin County, NC | 6 | 7 | 7.4 | $1.3M | −1.6% | #1,290 of 1,302 |
| Caldwell County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 0.9 | $10.6M | +0.7% | |
| Franklin County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 1.4 | $7.7M | +18.8% | |
| Lee County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.2 | $8.6M | +10.8% | |
| Pender County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 1.6 | $7.2M | +19.0% | |
| Rutherford County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 1.5 | $6.3M | +2.1% | |
| Lenoir County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 1.7 | $5.4M | +1.4% | |
| Hoke County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $20M | +9.0% | |
| Edgecombe County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.0 | $4.7M | +0.7% | |
| McDowell County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.1 | $9.1M | +1.5% | |
| Davie County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $4.9M | +6.9% | |
| Jackson County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.6 | $6.1M | +6.9% | |
| Macon County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.2 | $4.7M | +5.8% | |
| Yadkin County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $3.8M | +2.9% | |
| Alexander County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.8 | $3.5M | +1.5% | |
| Transylvania County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $7.7M | +2.9% | |
| Currituck County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +16.7% | |
| Bladen County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 3.4 | $2.7M | +1.3% | |
| Ashe County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $5.9M | +3.5% | |
| Montgomery County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $10.5M | +2.7% | |
| Caswell County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $8.4M | +0.4% | |
| Anson County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.3 | $3.8M | −2.1% | |
| Madison County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.9% | |
| Greene County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.4 | $6.2M | +1.3% | |
| Hertford County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 3.6 | $2.5M | −11.2% | |
| Polk County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 4.5 | $2.4M | +6.0% | |
| Yancey County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $8.2M | +3.2% | |
| Warren County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $7.5M | +1.6% | |
| Avery County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 4.4 | $2.4M | +1.1% | |
| Bertie County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.4 | $6.8M | −3.6% | |
| Northampton County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.4% | |
| Mitchell County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.0 | $3.2M | +1.1% | |
| Swain County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.6% | |
| Chowan County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 6.5 | $1.6M | +2.8% | |
| Perquimans County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.6% | |
| Pamlico County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.8 | $5.4M | +3.7% | |
| Clay County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.0 | $5.1M | +9.9% | |
| Alleghany County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.9 | $2.4M | +5.4% | |
| Camden County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +8.8% | |
| Washington County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −3.1% | |
| Gates County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.1% | |
| Jones County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.6% | |
| Graham County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.9% | |
| Hyde County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.0% | |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.3% |
Markets with fewer than 5 optometrists and eye clinics on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many optometrists and eye clinics are in North Carolina?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,533 optometrists and eye clinics in North Carolina. 436 of them (28%) are chain locations. The listings count optometrists and eye clinics. Official counts show 661 businesses with payroll classed as offices of optometrists in 2023, down 0.3% from 2019.
How much do households in North Carolina spend on medical and dental services?
About $4.8B a year, or $1,116 per household. That is 13% below the U.S. average (an index of 87, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,533 optometrists and eye clinics on map listings, it comes to $3.1M per practice. That spending covers all medical and dental services, which optometrists and eye clinics share with other businesses in the trade. It is estimated from the incomes of the 4,282,345 households in North Carolina and national spending patterns by income.
How does North Carolina compare with the U.S. for optometrists and eye clinics?
North Carolina has 3.6 optometrists and eye clinics per 10,000 households, 12% below the U.S. rate of 4.1. Spending per practice is $3.1M, in line with the U.S. figure of $3.1M. At the U.S. ratio of optometrists and eye clinics to household spending, North Carolina would have about 1,525, against 1,533 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 6,479 households, against one for every 5,742 across the U.S. The official count fell 0.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +0.2% for the U.S.
Which market in North Carolina has the highest market score for optometrists and eye clinics?
Among 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Pinehurst-Southern Pines metro area scores highest, at 67 (upper middle). Among 18 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest, at 81 (high). Among 56 scored counties in North Carolina, Chatham County scores highest, at 88 (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. North Carolina scores 56 for optometrists and eye clinics (upper middle), #18 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 North Carolina. It maps the optometrists and eye clinics 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.
Optometrists and eye care in other states
All 51 states
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- Iowa
- Kansas
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- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
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- New Hampshire
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- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
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- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for optometrists and eye clinics across the U.S. · All business types in North Carolina
Related business types in North Carolina
- Doctors, dentists and clinics35,686 listings
- Dentists and orthodontists4,737 listings
- Primary care and pediatrics3,079 listings
- Urgent care and walk-in clinics185 listings
- Chiropractors1,741 listings
- Physical therapy2,247 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in North Carolina?
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.