Market rankings · North Carolina
Gas stations in North Carolina
Every metro area, small-town market and county in North Carolina, ranked by the Groundwork market score for gas stations, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 5,244
- 4,428 chain locations (84%)
- Official establishments
- 4,256
- −5.6% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $12.9B
- On gasoline and other fuels
- Listings per 10k households
- 12.2
- 12% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $2.5M
- 3% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #14 of 51
- Market score 66 · Upper middle
A site report maps the gas stations 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
There are 5,244 gas stations on map listings in North Carolina as of September 2026. Of those, 4,428 are chain locations, or 84%, against 84% across the U.S. That comes to 12.2 for every 10,000 households, 12% above the U.S. rate of 10.9.
At $3,002 per household (16% above the U.S. average), households in North Carolina spend about $12.9B a year on gasoline and other fuels. That works out to $2.5M per station, 3% above the U.S. figure of $2.4M.
In 2023, official counts showed 4,256 businesses with payroll in North Carolina classed as gasoline stations, down 5.6% from 2019. That is one for every 1,006 households, against one for every 1,184 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count fell 3.1% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 63 SBA-backed loans worth $61.8M have gone to businesses classed as gasoline stations in North Carolina.
Among the 50 states and DC, North Carolina ranks #14 for gas stations, with a Groundwork market score of 66 (upper middle). Of the 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Raleigh-Cary metro area scores highest (83). Of the 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest (84).
Every market in North Carolina for gas stations
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Raleigh-Cary, NC | 83 | 527 | 9.2 | $3.3M | +12.6% | #10 of 387 |
| 2Wilmington, NC | 79 | 184 | 9.2 | $3.2M | +15.9% | #21 of 387 |
| 3Jacksonville, NC | 76 | 61 | 8.1 | $3.7M | +6.0% | #29 of 387 |
| 4Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 74 | 1,140 | 10.6 | $2.8M | +10.1% | #44 of 387 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 71 | 550 | 7.8 | $3.7M | +0.9% | #58 of 387 |
| 5Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 67 | 250 | 10.1 | $2.8M | +7.5% | #86 of 387 |
| 6Winston-Salem, NC | 62 | 351 | 12.5 | $2.5M | +5.3% | #115 of 387 |
| 7Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 62 | 61 | 13.9 | $2.2M | +10.3% | #117 of 387 |
| 8Burlington, NC | 58 | 100 | 14.3 | $2.1M | +8.5% | #142 of 387 |
| 9Greenville, NC | 56 | 82 | 11.0 | $2.4M | +5.4% | #159 of 387 |
| 10Asheville, NC | 56 | 199 | 12.3 | $2.4M | +3.6% | #160 of 387 |
| 11Goldsboro, NC | 54 | 65 | 13.7 | $2.3M | +3.8% | #168 of 387 |
| 12Greensboro-High Point, NC | 53 | 392 | 12.4 | $2.4M | +4.1% | #177 of 387 |
| 13Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 51 | 213 | 14.2 | $2.3M | +3.2% | #191 of 387 |
| 14Fayetteville, NC | 40 | 200 | 13.4 | $2.1M | +1.6% | #265 of 387 |
| 15Rocky Mount, NC | 40 | 97 | 16.6 | $1.9M | +2.8% | #268 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Anderson Creek, NC | 84 | 71 | 14.2 | $2.3M | +12.3% | #15 of 536 |
| 2Sanford, NC | 84 | 36 | 14.3 | $2.3M | +10.8% | #16 of 536 |
| 3Brevard, NC | 82 | 16 | 11.0 | $2.8M | +2.9% | #21 of 536 |
| 4New Bern, NC | 82 | 61 | 11.6 | $2.5M | +3.6% | #23 of 536 |
| 5Boone, NC | 79 | 17 | 8.0 | $3.7M | +0.6% | #30 of 536 |
| 6Waynesville, NC | 78 | 37 | 13.6 | $2.3M | +1.9% | #37 of 536 |
| 7Forest City, NC | 77 | 35 | 13.1 | $2.4M | +2.1% | #42 of 536 |
| 8Mount Airy, NC | 68 | 48 | 16.1 | $2.1M | +1.3% | #90 of 536 |
| 9Morehead City, NC | 68 | 47 | 14.7 | $2M | +4.1% | #91 of 536 |
| 10Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC | 67 | 54 | 13.9 | $2.3M | +3.4% | #99 of 536 |
| 11Washington, NC | 66 | 23 | 11.9 | $2.5M | 0.0% | #105 of 536 |
| 12Albemarle, NC | 66 | 53 | 21.0 | $1.6M | +9.8% | #109 of 536 |
| 13Marion, NC | 64 | 32 | 17.2 | $1.8M | +1.5% | #123 of 536 |
| 14Wilson, NC | 62 | 54 | 16.3 | $1.8M | +1.7% | #149 of 536 |
| 15Elizabeth City, NC | 58 | 28 | 17.7 | $1.8M | +4.5% | #187 of 536 |
| 16Kill Devil Hills, NC | 55 | 29 | 17.2 | $1.9M | +3.3% | #216 of 536 |
| 17North Wilkesboro, NC | 52 | 49 | 18.1 | $1.8M | +0.6% | #251 of 536 |
| 18Lumberton, NC | 42 | 102 | 23.6 | $1.3M | +3.4% | #361 of 536 |
| 19Kinston, NC | 40 | 50 | 21.4 | $1.3M | +1.4% | #380 of 536 |
| 20Roanoke Rapids, NC | 36 | 55 | 19.5 | $1.6M | −4.3% | #411 of 536 |
| 21Henderson, NC | 27 | 60 | 37.2 | $818K | +0.2% | #480 of 536 |
| 22Laurinburg, NC | 23 | 28 | 22.3 | $1.2M | −0.3% | #491 of 536 |
| 23Rockingham, NC | 18 | 42 | 24.7 | $1.1M | −1.6% | #513 of 536 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Pender County, NC | 91 | 24 | 9.5 | $3.5M | +19.0% | #22 of 2,358 |
| 2Clay County, NC | 89 | 5 | 9.8 | $3.3M | +9.9% | #39 of 2,358 |
| 3Franklin County, NC | 86 | 28 | 9.8 | $3.4M | +18.8% | #64 of 2,358 |
| 4Madison County, NC | 86 | 9 | 10.8 | $3M | +5.9% | #65 of 2,358 |
| 5Brunswick County, NC | 85 | 67 | 9.7 | $3.2M | +26.5% | #75 of 2,358 |
| 6Union County, NC | 85 | 114 | 13.5 | $2.6M | +11.7% | #79 of 2,358 |
| 7Wake County, NC | 83 | 381 | 8.3 | $3.5M | +11.2% | #94 of 2,358 |
| 8Alleghany County, NC | 81 | 5 | 9.7 | $3.3M | +5.4% | #133 of 2,358 |
| 9Cabarrus County, NC | 81 | 95 | 11.3 | $2.8M | +9.9% | #138 of 2,358 |
| 10Pamlico County, NC | 81 | 6 | 11.0 | $2.8M | +3.7% | #139 of 2,358 |
| 11Davidson County, NC | 80 | 91 | 13.0 | $2.6M | +6.6% | #155 of 2,358 |
| 12Yancey County, NC | 79 | 6 | 7.4 | $4.5M | +3.2% | #161 of 2,358 |
| 13Ashe County, NC | 79 | 9 | 7.4 | $4.3M | +3.5% | #163 of 2,358 |
| 14Onslow County, NC | 79 | 61 | 8.1 | $3.7M | +6.0% | #166 of 2,358 |
| 15Mecklenburg County, NC | 79 | 355 | 7.6 | $3.5M | +10.5% | #167 of 2,358 |
| 16Johnston County, NC | 77 | 118 | 13.8 | $2.5M | +17.9% | #225 of 2,358 |
| 17Chatham County, NC | 77 | 46 | 13.9 | $2.3M | +11.0% | #227 of 2,358 |
| 18Orange County, NC | 76 | 57 | 9.9 | $2.9M | +6.1% | #238 of 2,358 |
| 19New Hanover County, NC | 75 | 93 | 8.9 | $3.1M | +8.6% | #257 of 2,358 |
| 20Stokes County, NC | 75 | 28 | 14.3 | $2.4M | +3.5% | #267 of 2,358 |
| 21Iredell County, NC | 75 | 104 | 13.6 | $2.4M | +12.9% | #268 of 2,358 |
| 22Harnett County, NC | 74 | 71 | 14.2 | $2.3M | +12.3% | #304 of 2,358 |
| 23Lee County, NC | 74 | 36 | 14.3 | $2.3M | +10.8% | #305 of 2,358 |
| 24Durham County, NC | 73 | 122 | 8.6 | $3M | +7.7% | #323 of 2,358 |
| 25Lincoln County, NC | 73 | 56 | 15.2 | $2.2M | +13.2% | #329 of 2,358 |
Show all 100 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Caswell County, NC | 72 | 11 | 12.5 | $2.8M | +0.4% | #342 of 2,358 |
| 27Gaston County, NC | 72 | 112 | 12.0 | $2.5M | +7.8% | #348 of 2,358 |
| 28Moore County, NC | 72 | 61 | 13.9 | $2.2M | +10.3% | #354 of 2,358 |
| 29Henderson County, NC | 72 | 72 | 14.1 | $2.2M | +5.0% | #356 of 2,358 |
| 30Randolph County, NC | 71 | 82 | 14.2 | $2.4M | +3.5% | #385 of 2,358 |
| 31Hoke County, NC | 70 | 30 | 15.6 | $2M | +9.0% | #415 of 2,358 |
| 32Watauga County, NC | 69 | 17 | 8.0 | $3.7M | +0.6% | #423 of 2,358 |
| 33Transylvania County, NC | 69 | 16 | 11.0 | $2.8M | +2.9% | #429 of 2,358 |
| 34Forsyth County, NC | 69 | 175 | 10.9 | $2.6M | +5.0% | #431 of 2,358 |
| 35Rowan County, NC | 69 | 85 | 14.4 | $2.2M | +5.6% | #442 of 2,358 |
| 36Alexander County, NC | 69 | 23 | 16.3 | $2.2M | +1.5% | #443 of 2,358 |
| 37Alamance County, NC | 69 | 100 | 14.3 | $2.1M | +8.5% | #445 of 2,358 |
| 38Burke County, NC | 68 | 44 | 12.1 | $2.7M | +1.6% | #459 of 2,358 |
| 39Macon County, NC | 68 | 26 | 14.1 | $2.1M | +5.8% | #469 of 2,358 |
| 40Granville County, NC | 66 | 31 | 13.8 | $2.5M | +2.1% | #524 of 2,358 |
| 41Pitt County, NC | 66 | 82 | 11.0 | $2.4M | +5.4% | #527 of 2,358 |
| 42Wayne County, NC | 66 | 65 | 13.7 | $2.3M | +3.8% | #532 of 2,358 |
| 43Catawba County, NC | 66 | 98 | 14.8 | $2.2M | +5.8% | #535 of 2,358 |
| 44Perquimans County, NC | 66 | 9 | 16.0 | $1.9M | +3.6% | #538 of 2,358 |
| 45Polk County, NC | 66 | 15 | 16.7 | $1.9M | +6.0% | #541 of 2,358 |
| 46Guilford County, NC | 65 | 243 | 11.1 | $2.6M | +4.4% | #557 of 2,358 |
| 47Rutherford County, NC | 65 | 35 | 13.1 | $2.4M | +2.1% | #562 of 2,358 |
| 48Craven County, NC | 65 | 53 | 12.4 | $2.3M | +3.5% | #565 of 2,358 |
| 49Haywood County, NC | 65 | 37 | 13.6 | $2.3M | +1.9% | #567 of 2,358 |
| 50Currituck County, NC | 64 | 24 | 20.3 | $1.9M | +16.7% | #606 of 2,358 |
| 51Davie County, NC | 63 | 31 | 18.0 | $1.9M | +6.9% | #631 of 2,358 |
| 52Greene County, NC | 62 | 7 | 10.1 | $3.1M | +1.3% | #649 of 2,358 |
| 53Chowan County, NC | 61 | 5 | 8.2 | $3.4M | +2.8% | #695 of 2,358 |
| 54Buncombe County, NC | 61 | 118 | 11.6 | $2.5M | +2.9% | #707 of 2,358 |
| 55Person County, NC | 61 | 25 | 15.6 | $2.2M | +3.7% | #715 of 2,358 |
| 56Cherokee County, NC | 61 | 23 | 17.4 | $1.7M | +6.8% | #725 of 2,358 |
| 57Bladen County, NC | 60 | 15 | 12.7 | $2.6M | +1.3% | #741 of 2,358 |
| 58Yadkin County, NC | 60 | 26 | 17.3 | $2.1M | +2.9% | #764 of 2,358 |
| 59Duplin County, NC | 60 | 32 | 15.4 | $2.1M | +6.0% | #765 of 2,358 |
| 60Mitchell County, NC | 60 | 11 | 16.7 | $1.8M | +1.1% | #773 of 2,358 |
| 61Surry County, NC | 59 | 48 | 16.1 | $2.1M | +1.3% | #800 of 2,358 |
| 62Stanly County, NC | 59 | 53 | 21.0 | $1.6M | +9.8% | #810 of 2,358 |
| 63Cleveland County, NC | 58 | 54 | 13.9 | $2.3M | +3.4% | #835 of 2,358 |
| 64Carteret County, NC | 58 | 47 | 14.7 | $2M | +4.1% | #844 of 2,358 |
| 65Beaufort County, NC | 56 | 23 | 11.9 | $2.5M | 0.0% | #901 of 2,358 |
| 66Caldwell County, NC | 55 | 48 | 14.6 | $2.1M | +0.7% | #950 of 2,358 |
| 67Sampson County, NC | 55 | 38 | 17.6 | $1.8M | +4.1% | #962 of 2,358 |
| 68Jackson County, NC | 55 | 37 | 20.1 | $1.5M | +6.9% | #968 of 2,358 |
| 69Edgecombe County, NC | 53 | 26 | 13.2 | $2.2M | +0.7% | #1,026 of 2,358 |
| 70McDowell County, NC | 53 | 32 | 17.2 | $1.8M | +1.5% | #1,041 of 2,358 |
| 71Montgomery County, NC | 53 | 24 | 22.6 | $1.6M | +2.7% | #1,047 of 2,358 |
| 72Martin County, NC | 51 | 11 | 11.6 | $2.6M | −1.6% | #1,108 of 2,358 |
| 73Northampton County, NC | 51 | 10 | 12.7 | $2.5M | −5.4% | #1,111 of 2,358 |
| 74Wilson County, NC | 51 | 54 | 16.3 | $1.8M | +1.7% | #1,131 of 2,358 |
| 75Cumberland County, NC | 50 | 170 | 13.1 | $2.1M | +0.4% | #1,161 of 2,358 |
| 76Pasquotank County, NC | 50 | 28 | 17.7 | $1.8M | +4.5% | #1,170 of 2,358 |
| 77Nash County, NC | 50 | 71 | 18.3 | $1.7M | +3.9% | #1,173 of 2,358 |
| 78Warren County, NC | 49 | 13 | 16.0 | $1.9M | +1.6% | #1,223 of 2,358 |
| 79Rockingham County, NC | 49 | 67 | 16.9 | $1.8M | +3.3% | #1,226 of 2,358 |
| 80Dare County, NC | 47 | 29 | 17.2 | $1.9M | +3.3% | #1,314 of 2,358 |
| 81Swain County, NC | 45 | 8 | 13.3 | $2.3M | −0.6% | #1,388 of 2,358 |
| 82Avery County, NC | 45 | 11 | 16.2 | $1.9M | +1.1% | #1,397 of 2,358 |
| 83Wilkes County, NC | 45 | 49 | 18.1 | $1.8M | +0.6% | #1,404 of 2,358 |
| 84Washington County, NC | 40 | 5 | 10.5 | $2.6M | −3.1% | #1,573 of 2,358 |
| 85Columbus County, NC | 39 | 48 | 23.9 | $1.3M | 0.0% | #1,642 of 2,358 |
| 86Robeson County, NC | 36 | 102 | 23.6 | $1.3M | +3.4% | #1,762 of 2,358 |
| 87Lenoir County, NC | 34 | 50 | 21.4 | $1.3M | +1.4% | #1,836 of 2,358 |
| 88Anson County, NC | 30 | 22 | 25.7 | $1.3M | −2.1% | #1,962 of 2,358 |
| 89Hertford County, NC | 27 | 18 | 21.7 | $1.4M | −11.2% | #2,048 of 2,358 |
| 90Bertie County, NC | 26 | 16 | 22.4 | $1.4M | −3.6% | #2,078 of 2,358 |
| 91Halifax County, NC | 26 | 45 | 22.1 | $1.3M | −3.9% | #2,081 of 2,358 |
| 92Vance County, NC | 23 | 60 | 37.2 | $818K | +0.2% | #2,175 of 2,358 |
| 93Scotland County, NC | 21 | 28 | 22.3 | $1.2M | −0.3% | #2,203 of 2,358 |
| 94Richmond County, NC | 18 | 42 | 24.7 | $1.1M | −1.6% | #2,244 of 2,358 |
| Camden County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 10.0 | $3.5M | +8.8% | |
| Gates County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 9.5 | $3.7M | −2.1% | |
| Jones County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 4.8 | $6.8M | +4.6% | |
| Graham County, NC | Not scored | 10 | 28.4 | $982K | +1.9% | |
| Hyde County, NC | Not scored | 5 | 25.8 | $1M | +1.0% | |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Not scored | 6 | 38.8 | $696K | +9.3% |
Markets with fewer than 5 gas stations on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many gas stations are in North Carolina?
As of September 2026, map listings count 5,244 gas stations in North Carolina. 4,428 of them (84%) are chain locations. The listings count gas stations. Official counts show 4,256 businesses with payroll classed as gasoline stations in 2023, down 5.6% from 2019. Official counts also show 252 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in North Carolina spend on gasoline and other fuels?
About $12.9B a year, or $3,002 per household. That is 16% above the U.S. average (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 5,244 gas stations on map listings, it comes to $2.5M per station. 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 gas stations?
North Carolina has 12.2 gas stations per 10,000 households, 12% above the U.S. rate of 10.9. Spending per station is $2.5M, 3% above the U.S. figure of $2.4M. At the U.S. ratio of gas stations to household spending, North Carolina would have about 5,390, against 5,244 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,006 households, against one for every 1,184 across the U.S. The official count fell 5.6% from 2019 to 2023, against −3.1% for the U.S.
Which market in North Carolina has the highest market score for gas stations?
Among 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Raleigh-Cary metro area scores highest, at 83 (high). Among 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest, at 84 (high). Among 94 scored counties in North Carolina, Pender County scores highest, at 91 (very 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 66 for gas stations (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 North Carolina. It maps the gas stations 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.
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Top markets for gas stations across the U.S. · All business types in North Carolina
Related business types in North Carolina
- Auto repair and car care15,696 listings
- Auto repair shops9,304 listings
- Collision repair and body shops1,171 listings
- Car washes and detailing1,690 listings
- Tire shops2,010 listings
- Oil change and quick lube348 listings
- Insurance agencies5,580 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.