Market rankings · North Carolina
Gyms and studios in North Carolina
Markets across North Carolina ranked by the Groundwork market score for gyms and studios, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 5,994
- 1,132 chain locations (19%)
- Official establishments
- 2,556
- +6.5% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $3.2B
- On memberships, classes and admissions
- Listings per 10k households
- 14.0
- 6% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $531K
- 20% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #42 of 51
- Market score 40 · Lower middle
A site report maps the gyms and studios 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
Map listings as of September 2026 show 5,994 gyms and studios in North Carolina. 1,132 of them (19%) are chain locations, against 20% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 14.0, 6% below the U.S. rate of 14.9.
Households in North Carolina spend about $3.2B a year on memberships, classes and admissions, or $743 per household, 24% below the U.S. average. That is about $531K of household spending for each location on map listings, 20% below the U.S. figure of $662K.
Official counts show 2,556 businesses with payroll classed as fitness centers and recreation instruction in North Carolina in 2023, up 6.5% from 2019. That is one for every 1,675 households, against one for every 1,641 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 8.2% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 215 SBA-backed loans worth $124.8M have gone to businesses classed as fitness centers and recreation instruction in North Carolina.
Among the 50 states and DC, North Carolina ranks #42 for gyms and studios, with a Groundwork market score of 40 (lower middle). Of the 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Rocky Mount metro area scores highest (62). Of the 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest (70).
Every market in North Carolina for gyms and studios
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Rocky Mount, NC | 62 | 47 | 8.0 | $718K | +2.8% | #86 of 387 |
| 2Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 51 | 153 | 10.2 | $585K | +3.2% | #183 of 387 |
| 3Goldsboro, NC | 49 | 50 | 10.5 | $552K | +3.8% | #202 of 387 |
| 4Raleigh-Cary, NC | 48 | 1,010 | 17.6 | $568K | +12.6% | #209 of 387 |
| 5Winston-Salem, NC | 47 | 321 | 11.4 | $580K | +5.3% | #220 of 387 |
| 6Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 45 | 387 | 15.6 | $574K | +7.5% | #247 of 387 |
| 7Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 43 | 1,695 | 15.7 | $545K | +10.1% | #261 of 387 |
| 8Burlington, NC | 43 | 90 | 12.8 | $491K | +8.5% | #265 of 387 |
| 9Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 41 | 78 | 17.7 | $459K | +10.3% | #284 of 387 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 40 | 975 | 13.8 | $587K | +0.9% | #286 of 387 |
| 10Greensboro-High Point, NC | 37 | 398 | 12.6 | $523K | +4.1% | #310 of 387 |
| 11Jacksonville, NC | 37 | 97 | 12.9 | $481K | +6.0% | #312 of 387 |
| 12Greenville, NC | 36 | 82 | 11.0 | $543K | +5.4% | #315 of 387 |
| 13Wilmington, NC | 36 | 363 | 18.2 | $414K | +15.9% | #320 of 387 |
| 14Fayetteville, NC | 28 | 214 | 14.4 | $414K | +1.6% | #369 of 387 |
| 15Asheville, NC | 26 | 303 | 18.8 | $385K | +3.6% | #376 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Anderson Creek, NC | 70 | 44 | 8.8 | $744K | +12.3% | #53 of 535 |
| 2Forest City, NC | 66 | 19 | 7.1 | $722K | +2.1% | #86 of 535 |
| 3Henderson, NC | 65 | 7 | 4.3 | $1.2M | +0.2% | #89 of 535 |
| 4Lumberton, NC | 59 | 27 | 6.3 | $699K | +3.4% | #161 of 535 |
| 5Mount Airy, NC | 57 | 26 | 8.7 | $623K | +1.3% | #188 of 535 |
| 6Wilson, NC | 54 | 27 | 8.2 | $687K | +1.7% | #222 of 535 |
| 7Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC | 52 | 31 | 8.0 | $707K | +3.4% | #246 of 535 |
| 8Elizabeth City, NC | 51 | 18 | 11.4 | $535K | +4.5% | #278 of 535 |
| 9Rockingham, NC | 50 | 11 | 6.5 | $701K | −1.6% | #282 of 535 |
| 10Washington, NC | 45 | 19 | 9.8 | $593K | 0.0% | #337 of 535 |
| 11Marion, NC | 44 | 18 | 9.7 | $558K | +1.5% | #347 of 535 |
| 12North Wilkesboro, NC | 44 | 25 | 9.2 | $515K | +0.6% | #352 of 535 |
| 13Laurinburg, NC | 43 | 9 | 7.2 | $693K | −0.3% | #355 of 535 |
| 14Albemarle, NC | 43 | 29 | 11.5 | $520K | +9.8% | #359 of 535 |
| 15Morehead City, NC | 40 | 53 | 16.6 | $440K | +4.1% | #391 of 535 |
| 16Waynesville, NC | 39 | 31 | 11.4 | $527K | +1.9% | #401 of 535 |
| 17Roanoke Rapids, NC | 37 | 19 | 6.7 | $732K | −4.3% | #416 of 535 |
| 18Sanford, NC | 37 | 35 | 13.9 | $434K | +10.8% | #421 of 535 |
| 19New Bern, NC | 36 | 76 | 14.5 | $417K | +3.6% | #430 of 535 |
| 20Kill Devil Hills, NC | 36 | 46 | 27.3 | $323K | +3.3% | #432 of 535 |
| 21Brevard, NC | 35 | 19 | 13.0 | $501K | +2.9% | #436 of 535 |
| 22Kinston, NC | 24 | 40 | 17.1 | $277K | +1.4% | #498 of 535 |
| 23Boone, NC | 22 | 37 | 17.5 | $346K | +0.6% | #501 of 535 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hoke County, NC | 80 | 12 | 6.2 | $1M | +9.0% | #68 of 2,088 |
| 2Davie County, NC | 77 | 13 | 7.5 | $1M | +6.9% | #105 of 2,088 |
| 3Franklin County, NC | 77 | 23 | 8.1 | $842K | +18.8% | #116 of 2,088 |
| 4Chatham County, NC | 75 | 38 | 11.5 | $882K | +11.0% | #138 of 2,088 |
| 5Currituck County, NC | 75 | 16 | 13.5 | $676K | +16.7% | #144 of 2,088 |
| 6Duplin County, NC | 72 | 12 | 5.8 | $899K | +6.0% | #204 of 2,088 |
| 7Harnett County, NC | 69 | 44 | 8.8 | $744K | +12.3% | #290 of 2,088 |
| 8Davidson County, NC | 68 | 50 | 7.2 | $872K | +6.6% | #312 of 2,088 |
| 9Rowan County, NC | 65 | 43 | 7.3 | $867K | +5.6% | #406 of 2,088 |
| 10Stokes County, NC | 65 | 14 | 7.2 | $754K | +3.5% | #418 of 2,088 |
| 11Vance County, NC | 64 | 7 | 4.3 | $1.2M | +0.2% | #435 of 2,088 |
| 12Brunswick County, NC | 63 | 81 | 11.7 | $611K | +26.5% | #503 of 2,088 |
| 13Alexander County, NC | 62 | 6 | 4.2 | $1.3M | +1.5% | #505 of 2,088 |
| 14Ashe County, NC | 62 | 7 | 5.7 | $937K | +3.5% | #511 of 2,088 |
| 15Yancey County, NC | 61 | 6 | 7.4 | $834K | +3.2% | #552 of 2,088 |
| 16Rutherford County, NC | 60 | 19 | 7.1 | $722K | +2.1% | #593 of 2,088 |
| 17Burke County, NC | 59 | 27 | 7.4 | $752K | +1.6% | #632 of 2,088 |
| 18Nash County, NC | 58 | 35 | 9.0 | $677K | +3.9% | #692 of 2,088 |
| 19Union County, NC | 58 | 131 | 15.6 | $660K | +11.7% | #694 of 2,088 |
| 20Johnston County, NC | 58 | 101 | 11.8 | $653K | +17.9% | #695 of 2,088 |
| 21Madison County, NC | 57 | 7 | 8.4 | $713K | +5.9% | #724 of 2,088 |
| 22Robeson County, NC | 57 | 27 | 6.3 | $699K | +3.4% | #726 of 2,088 |
| 23Person County, NC | 56 | 13 | 8.1 | $796K | +3.7% | #763 of 2,088 |
| 24Bladen County, NC | 55 | 6 | 5.1 | $954K | +1.3% | #791 of 2,088 |
| 25Granville County, NC | 55 | 27 | 12.0 | $581K | +2.1% | #828 of 2,088 |
Show all 100 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Caswell County, NC | 54 | 5 | 5.7 | $934K | +0.4% | #837 of 2,088 |
| 27Montgomery County, NC | 54 | 8 | 7.5 | $760K | +2.7% | #847 of 2,088 |
| 28Cabarrus County, NC | 54 | 122 | 14.5 | $613K | +9.9% | #872 of 2,088 |
| 29Randolph County, NC | 53 | 47 | 8.1 | $690K | +3.5% | #899 of 2,088 |
| 30Lincoln County, NC | 53 | 51 | 13.9 | $595K | +13.2% | #916 of 2,088 |
| 31Wilson County, NC | 52 | 27 | 8.2 | $687K | +1.7% | #951 of 2,088 |
| 32Perquimans County, NC | 52 | 5 | 8.9 | $685K | +3.6% | #952 of 2,088 |
| 33Surry County, NC | 52 | 26 | 8.7 | $623K | +1.3% | #963 of 2,088 |
| 34Cleveland County, NC | 51 | 31 | 8.0 | $707K | +3.4% | #991 of 2,088 |
| 35Rockingham County, NC | 51 | 34 | 8.6 | $628K | +3.3% | #1,011 of 2,088 |
| 36Edgecombe County, NC | 50 | 12 | 6.1 | $840K | +0.7% | #1,034 of 2,088 |
| 37Avery County, NC | 49 | 6 | 8.8 | $715K | +1.1% | #1,084 of 2,088 |
| 38Richmond County, NC | 49 | 11 | 6.5 | $701K | −1.6% | #1,086 of 2,088 |
| 39Clay County, NC | 49 | 5 | 9.8 | $594K | +9.9% | #1,116 of 2,088 |
| 40Wayne County, NC | 49 | 50 | 10.5 | $552K | +3.8% | #1,123 of 2,088 |
| 41Pasquotank County, NC | 49 | 18 | 11.4 | $535K | +4.5% | #1,126 of 2,088 |
| 42Caldwell County, NC | 48 | 26 | 7.9 | $679K | +0.7% | #1,155 of 2,088 |
| 43Wake County, NC | 48 | 886 | 19.3 | $551K | +11.2% | #1,182 of 2,088 |
| 44Pender County, NC | 48 | 36 | 14.2 | $531K | +19.0% | #1,188 of 2,088 |
| 45Henderson County, NC | 48 | 72 | 14.1 | $479K | +5.0% | #1,192 of 2,088 |
| 46Macon County, NC | 47 | 25 | 13.6 | $457K | +5.8% | #1,236 of 2,088 |
| 47Mitchell County, NC | 46 | 5 | 7.6 | $724K | +1.1% | #1,243 of 2,088 |
| 48Iredell County, NC | 46 | 110 | 14.4 | $566K | +12.9% | #1,267 of 2,088 |
| 49Cherokee County, NC | 45 | 11 | 8.3 | $608K | +6.8% | #1,303 of 2,088 |
| 50Durham County, NC | 45 | 219 | 15.4 | $554K | +7.7% | #1,314 of 2,088 |
| 51Moore County, NC | 45 | 78 | 17.7 | $459K | +10.3% | #1,330 of 2,088 |
| 52Jackson County, NC | 45 | 25 | 13.6 | $417K | +6.9% | #1,331 of 2,088 |
| 53Warren County, NC | 44 | 6 | 7.4 | $704K | +1.6% | #1,335 of 2,088 |
| 54Beaufort County, NC | 44 | 19 | 9.8 | $593K | 0.0% | #1,347 of 2,088 |
| 55Stanly County, NC | 44 | 29 | 11.5 | $520K | +9.8% | #1,358 of 2,088 |
| 56Alamance County, NC | 43 | 90 | 12.8 | $491K | +8.5% | #1,405 of 2,088 |
| 57Mecklenburg County, NC | 43 | 875 | 18.8 | $488K | +10.5% | #1,407 of 2,088 |
| 58Gaston County, NC | 43 | 133 | 14.2 | $469K | +7.8% | #1,410 of 2,088 |
| 59Catawba County, NC | 43 | 94 | 14.2 | $464K | +5.8% | #1,411 of 2,088 |
| 60McDowell County, NC | 42 | 18 | 9.7 | $558K | +1.5% | #1,434 of 2,088 |
| 61Sampson County, NC | 41 | 18 | 8.3 | $608K | +4.1% | #1,448 of 2,088 |
| 62Yadkin County, NC | 41 | 16 | 10.7 | $584K | +2.9% | #1,453 of 2,088 |
| 63Wilkes County, NC | 41 | 25 | 9.2 | $515K | +0.6% | #1,460 of 2,088 |
| 64Orange County, NC | 41 | 117 | 20.4 | $486K | +6.1% | #1,467 of 2,088 |
| 65Swain County, NC | 40 | 5 | 8.3 | $694K | −0.6% | #1,477 of 2,088 |
| 66Carteret County, NC | 40 | 53 | 16.6 | $440K | +4.1% | #1,501 of 2,088 |
| 67Onslow County, NC | 39 | 97 | 12.9 | $481K | +6.0% | #1,530 of 2,088 |
| 68Pitt County, NC | 38 | 82 | 11.0 | $543K | +5.4% | #1,556 of 2,088 |
| 69Lee County, NC | 38 | 35 | 13.9 | $434K | +10.8% | #1,570 of 2,088 |
| 70Scotland County, NC | 37 | 9 | 7.2 | $693K | −0.3% | #1,578 of 2,088 |
| 71Chowan County, NC | 37 | 7 | 11.4 | $550K | +2.8% | #1,585 of 2,088 |
| 72Polk County, NC | 37 | 13 | 14.5 | $491K | +6.0% | #1,591 of 2,088 |
| 73Pamlico County, NC | 36 | 6 | 11.0 | $526K | +3.7% | #1,613 of 2,088 |
| 74Guilford County, NC | 36 | 317 | 14.4 | $487K | +4.4% | #1,620 of 2,088 |
| 75Forsyth County, NC | 36 | 228 | 14.3 | $480K | +5.0% | #1,623 of 2,088 |
| 76Greene County, NC | 34 | 5 | 7.2 | $619K | +1.3% | #1,666 of 2,088 |
| 77Columbus County, NC | 34 | 18 | 9.0 | $551K | 0.0% | #1,670 of 2,088 |
| 78Dare County, NC | 34 | 46 | 27.3 | $323K | +3.3% | #1,692 of 2,088 |
| 79New Hanover County, NC | 33 | 246 | 23.5 | $332K | +8.6% | #1,717 of 2,088 |
| 80Haywood County, NC | 32 | 31 | 11.4 | $527K | +1.9% | #1,728 of 2,088 |
| 81Transylvania County, NC | 32 | 19 | 13.0 | $501K | +2.9% | #1,733 of 2,088 |
| 82Craven County, NC | 32 | 69 | 16.1 | $381K | +3.5% | #1,748 of 2,088 |
| 83Buncombe County, NC | 26 | 224 | 22.0 | $345K | +2.9% | #1,892 of 2,088 |
| 84Lenoir County, NC | 26 | 40 | 17.1 | $277K | +1.4% | #1,895 of 2,088 |
| 85Cumberland County, NC | 25 | 202 | 15.6 | $378K | +0.4% | #1,910 of 2,088 |
| 86Watauga County, NC | 23 | 37 | 17.5 | $346K | +0.6% | #1,937 of 2,088 |
| 87Halifax County, NC | 16 | 18 | 8.8 | $545K | −3.9% | #2,004 of 2,088 |
| 88Hertford County, NC | 14 | 8 | 9.7 | $519K | −11.2% | #2,025 of 2,088 |
| Anson County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 3.5 | $1.3M | −2.1% | |
| Martin County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 4.2 | $1.2M | −1.6% | |
| Bertie County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 4.2 | $1.3M | −3.6% | |
| Northampton County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $4.1M | −5.4% | |
| Alleghany County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 7.7 | $618K | +5.4% | |
| Camden County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 7.5 | $1.1M | +8.8% | |
| Washington County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $2.2M | −3.1% | |
| Gates County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $2.2M | −2.1% | |
| Jones County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $2.3M | +4.6% | |
| Graham County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.8 | $1.9M | +1.9% | |
| Hyde County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 5.2 | $867K | +1.0% | |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.3% |
Markets with fewer than 5 gyms and studios on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many gyms and studios are in North Carolina?
There are 5,994 gyms and studios on map listings in North Carolina as of September 2026. 1,132 of them (19%) are chain locations. The listings count gyms, fitness studios, martial arts and dance studios. Official counts show 2,556 businesses with payroll classed as fitness centers and recreation instruction in 2023, up 6.5% from 2019.
How much do households in North Carolina spend on memberships, classes and admissions?
About $3.2B a year, or $743 per household. That is 24% below the U.S. average (an index of 76, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 5,994 gyms and studios on map listings, it comes to $531K per location. 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 gyms and studios?
North Carolina has 14.0 gyms and studios per 10,000 households, 6% below the U.S. rate of 14.9. Spending per location is $531K, 20% below the U.S. figure of $662K. At the national ratio of gyms and studios to household spending, North Carolina would have about 4,803, against 5,994 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,675 households, against one for every 1,641 across the U.S. The official count rose 6.5% from 2019 to 2023, against +8.2% for the U.S.
Which market in North Carolina has the highest market score for gyms and studios?
Among 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Rocky Mount metro area scores highest, at 62 (upper middle). Among 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest, at 70 (upper middle). Among 88 scored counties in North Carolina, Hoke County scores highest, at 80 (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 40 for gyms and studios (lower middle), #42 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 gyms and studios 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.
Gyms, studios and classes in other states
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Top markets for gyms and studios across the U.S. · All business types in North Carolina
Related business types in North Carolina
- Gyms2,992 listings
- Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios974 listings
- Martial arts and dance studios2,028 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.