Market rankings · California
HVAC and plumbing companies in California
Every metro area, small-town market and county in California, ranked by the Groundwork market score for HVAC and plumbing companies, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 8,365
- 390 chain locations (5%)
- Official establishments
- 11,686
- +10.4% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $43.9B
- On home repairs, maintenance and insurance
- Listings per 10k households
- 6.2
- 2% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $5.2M
- 10% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #24 of 51
- Market score 54 · Upper middle
A site report maps the HVAC and plumbing companies 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
California has 8,365 HVAC and plumbing companies on map listings as of September 2026. Of those, 390 are chain locations, or 5%, against 4% across the U.S. That is 6.2 per 10,000 households, 2% below the U.S. rate of 6.3.
Household spending on home repairs, maintenance and insurance in California comes to about $43.9B a year: $3,240 per household, 7% above the U.S. average. That is about $5.2M of household spending for each company on map listings, 10% above the U.S. figure of $4.8M. The spending figure covers all home repairs, maintenance and insurance, not only HVAC and plumbing companies.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors in California was 11,686 in 2023, up 10.4% from 2019. That is one for every 1,159 households, against one for every 1,162 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 7.6% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 642 SBA-backed loans worth $365.6M have gone to businesses classed as plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors in California.
Among the 50 states and DC, California ranks #24 for HVAC and plumbing companies, with a Groundwork market score of 54 (upper middle). Of the 25 scored metro areas in or partly in California, the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area scores highest (74). Of the 9 scored small-town markets in or partly in California, the Red Bluff area scores highest (67).
Every market in California for HVAC and plumbing companies
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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 74 | 905 | 5.2 | $7.3M | −2.4% | #21 of 387 |
| 2Vallejo, CA | 74 | 79 | 5.0 | $6.3M | +0.6% | #24 of 387 |
| 3Stockton-Lodi, CA | 73 | 130 | 5.3 | $5.7M | +5.5% | #30 of 387 |
| 4Yuba City, CA | 72 | 21 | 3.4 | $8.2M | +3.3% | #33 of 387 |
| 5San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 70 | 402 | 5.9 | $7M | −0.6% | #47 of 387 |
| 6Merced, CA | 67 | 34 | 4.0 | $6.5M | +5.1% | #60 of 387 |
| 7Fresno, CA | 64 | 191 | 5.2 | $5.3M | +3.2% | #74 of 387 |
| 8Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 63 | 542 | 6.1 | $5.1M | +3.2% | #85 of 387 |
| 9Napa, CA | 61 | 26 | 5.2 | $6.6M | −3.3% | #103 of 387 |
| 10Visalia, CA | 60 | 73 | 5.1 | $5.3M | +2.4% | #111 of 387 |
| 11Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 60 | 23 | 5.2 | $5.1M | +1.0% | #112 of 387 |
| 12San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 58 | 727 | 6.2 | $5.3M | −0.6% | #127 of 387 |
| 13Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 58 | 148 | 5.2 | $5.1M | +2.3% | #128 of 387 |
| 14Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 54 | 2,838 | 6.3 | $5M | −2.6% | #164 of 387 |
| 15San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 52 | 65 | 5.9 | $5.3M | 0.0% | #181 of 387 |
| 16Salinas, CA | 51 | 81 | 6.1 | $5.1M | −1.5% | #186 of 387 |
| 17El Centro, CA | 50 | 24 | 4.8 | $5M | +1.1% | #194 of 387 |
| 18Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 49 | 66 | 6.8 | $5.1M | −4.7% | #199 of 387 |
| 19Modesto, CA | 47 | 121 | 6.8 | $4.2M | +0.7% | #216 of 387 |
| 20Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 46 | 194 | 6.9 | $4.9M | −1.5% | #223 of 387 |
| 21Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 44 | 1,108 | 7.6 | $3.9M | +3.5% | #245 of 387 |
| 22Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 42 | 101 | 6.8 | $4.8M | −1.4% | #255 of 387 |
| 23Chico, CA | 39 | 55 | 6.6 | $4.1M | −0.5% | #276 of 387 |
| 24Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 36 | 157 | 8.2 | $4M | −0.4% | #300 of 387 |
| 25Redding, CA | 22 | 66 | 9.3 | $2.9M | −0.3% | #377 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Red Bluff, CA | 67 | 9 | 3.6 | $7.1M | −1.7% | #73 of 476 |
| 2Clearlake, CA | 59 | 13 | 4.8 | $5.3M | −0.6% | #150 of 476 |
| 3Eureka-Arcata, CA | 56 | 27 | 4.9 | $5.2M | −3.4% | #165 of 476 |
| 4Ukiah, CA | 54 | 17 | 4.9 | $5.4M | −3.5% | #189 of 476 |
| 5Bishop, CA | 49 | 6 | 7.5 | $3.7M | −4.4% | #252 of 476 |
| Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA | 42 | 19 | 8.7 | $3.5M | +0.9% | #316 of 476 |
| 6Truckee-Grass Valley, CA | 41 | 36 | 8.4 | $3.6M | −0.4% | #324 of 476 |
| 7Sonora, CA | 27 | 25 | 11.0 | $2.6M | −4.0% | #446 of 476 |
| 8Susanville, CA | 26 | 6 | 6.5 | $3.9M | −13.1% | #448 of 476 |
| Crescent City, CA | Not scored | 4 | 4.2 | $6.1M | −4.4% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Yolo County, CA | 81 | 34 | 4.4 | $6.9M | +3.1% | #52 of 1,707 |
| 2San Francisco County, CA | 78 | 99 | 2.7 | $14M | −5.6% | #73 of 1,707 |
| 3Amador County, CA | 76 | 6 | 3.7 | $7.7M | +3.2% | #96 of 1,707 |
| 4San Joaquin County, CA | 74 | 130 | 5.3 | $5.7M | +5.5% | #136 of 1,707 |
| 5Alameda County, CA | 73 | 317 | 5.3 | $7M | −2.6% | #149 of 1,707 |
| 6Solano County, CA | 73 | 79 | 5.0 | $6.3M | +0.6% | #151 of 1,707 |
| 7Santa Clara County, CA | 72 | 388 | 5.9 | $7M | −0.9% | #165 of 1,707 |
| 8Contra Costa County, CA | 72 | 233 | 5.6 | $6.5M | +0.3% | #166 of 1,707 |
| 9Merced County, CA | 69 | 34 | 4.0 | $6.5M | +5.1% | #227 of 1,707 |
| 10Madera County, CA | 66 | 20 | 4.4 | $6.3M | +7.4% | #291 of 1,707 |
| 11Sacramento County, CA | 66 | 329 | 5.8 | $5.3M | +2.0% | #301 of 1,707 |
| 12Fresno County, CA | 66 | 171 | 5.3 | $5.2M | +2.6% | #303 of 1,707 |
| 13Calaveras County, CA | 64 | 9 | 4.9 | $5.9M | +2.8% | #358 of 1,707 |
| 14Tehama County, CA | 63 | 9 | 3.6 | $7.1M | −1.7% | #387 of 1,707 |
| 15Tulare County, CA | 63 | 73 | 5.1 | $5.3M | +2.4% | #394 of 1,707 |
| 16Kings County, CA | 62 | 23 | 5.2 | $5.1M | +1.0% | #426 of 1,707 |
| 17Napa County, CA | 61 | 26 | 5.2 | $6.6M | −3.3% | #446 of 1,707 |
| 18Marin County, CA | 61 | 65 | 6.3 | $6.3M | −2.9% | #449 of 1,707 |
| 19San Mateo County, CA | 61 | 191 | 7.2 | $5.6M | −2.5% | #452 of 1,707 |
| 20Kern County, CA | 61 | 148 | 5.2 | $5.1M | +2.3% | #457 of 1,707 |
| 21San Benito County, CA | 61 | 14 | 6.8 | $5M | +8.6% | #460 of 1,707 |
| 22San Diego County, CA | 60 | 727 | 6.2 | $5.3M | −0.6% | #491 of 1,707 |
| 23Placer County, CA | 59 | 125 | 7.9 | $4.4M | +8.9% | #541 of 1,707 |
| 24Los Angeles County, CA | 58 | 1,991 | 5.8 | $5.3M | −3.0% | #563 of 1,707 |
| 25San Bernardino County, CA | 58 | 429 | 6.4 | $4.6M | +1.9% | #572 of 1,707 |
Show all 58 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26San Luis Obispo County, CA | 55 | 65 | 5.9 | $5.3M | 0.0% | #675 of 1,707 |
| 27Monterey County, CA | 54 | 81 | 6.1 | $5.1M | −1.5% | #699 of 1,707 |
| 28El Dorado County, CA | 54 | 54 | 7.1 | $4.8M | +0.6% | #704 of 1,707 |
| 29Lake County, CA | 53 | 13 | 4.8 | $5.3M | −0.6% | #733 of 1,707 |
| 30Sutter County, CA | 53 | 20 | 6.0 | $4.7M | −0.7% | #739 of 1,707 |
| 31Stanislaus County, CA | 53 | 121 | 6.8 | $4.2M | +0.7% | #752 of 1,707 |
| 32Humboldt County, CA | 52 | 27 | 4.9 | $5.2M | −3.4% | #775 of 1,707 |
| 33Imperial County, CA | 52 | 24 | 4.8 | $5M | +1.1% | #777 of 1,707 |
| 34Orange County, CA | 52 | 847 | 7.8 | $4.5M | −1.1% | #782 of 1,707 |
| 35Santa Cruz County, CA | 51 | 66 | 6.8 | $5.1M | −4.7% | #808 of 1,707 |
| 36Mendocino County, CA | 49 | 17 | 4.9 | $5.4M | −3.5% | #884 of 1,707 |
| 37Ventura County, CA | 49 | 194 | 6.9 | $4.9M | −1.5% | #888 of 1,707 |
| 38Santa Barbara County, CA | 48 | 101 | 6.8 | $4.8M | −1.4% | #924 of 1,707 |
| 39Riverside County, CA | 48 | 679 | 8.8 | $3.5M | +5.0% | #939 of 1,707 |
| 40Butte County, CA | 47 | 55 | 6.6 | $4.1M | −0.5% | #958 of 1,707 |
| 41Inyo County, CA | 44 | 6 | 7.5 | $3.7M | −4.4% | #1,069 of 1,707 |
| 42Sonoma County, CA | 42 | 157 | 8.2 | $4M | −0.4% | #1,135 of 1,707 |
| 43Glenn County, CA | 38 | 6 | 6.1 | $4.1M | −2.6% | #1,270 of 1,707 |
| 44Nevada County, CA | 36 | 36 | 8.4 | $3.6M | −0.4% | #1,333 of 1,707 |
| 45Siskiyou County, CA | 34 | 11 | 5.8 | $4.2M | −4.5% | #1,390 of 1,707 |
| 46Shasta County, CA | 31 | 66 | 9.3 | $2.9M | −0.3% | #1,478 of 1,707 |
| 47Plumas County, CA | 28 | 6 | 7.4 | $3.6M | −5.9% | #1,519 of 1,707 |
| 48Tuolumne County, CA | 24 | 25 | 11.0 | $2.6M | −4.0% | #1,602 of 1,707 |
| 49Lassen County, CA | 23 | 6 | 6.5 | $3.9M | −13.1% | #1,608 of 1,707 |
| Yuba County, CA | Not scored | 1 | 0.3 | $77.5M | +8.2% | |
| Del Norte County, CA | Not scored | 4 | 4.2 | $6.1M | −4.4% | |
| Colusa County, CA | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $20.4M | −0.1% | |
| Mariposa County, CA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.2% | |
| Trinity County, CA | Not scored | 2 | 3.6 | $6.8M | −2.3% | |
| Mono County, CA | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $18.3M | −5.4% | |
| Modoc County, CA | Not scored | 3 | 9.2 | $2.7M | −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 HVAC and plumbing companies on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many HVAC and plumbing companies are in California?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 8,365 HVAC and plumbing companies in California. 390 of them (5%) are chain locations. The listings count heating and air-conditioning companies and plumbers. Official counts show 11,686 businesses with payroll classed as plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors in 2023, up 10.4% from 2019.
How much do households in California spend on home repairs, maintenance and insurance?
About $43.9B a year, or $3,240 per household. That is 7% above the U.S. average (an index of 107, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 8,365 HVAC and plumbing companies on map listings, it comes to $5.2M per company. That spending covers all home repairs, maintenance and insurance, which HVAC and plumbing companies share with other businesses in the trade. 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 HVAC and plumbing companies?
California has 6.2 HVAC and plumbing companies per 10,000 households, 2% below the U.S. rate of 6.3. Spending per company is $5.2M, 10% above the U.S. figure of $4.8M. At the U.S. ratio of HVAC and plumbing companies to household spending, California would have about 9,227, against 8,365 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,159 households, against one for every 1,162 across the U.S. The official count rose 10.4% from 2019 to 2023, against +7.6% for the U.S.
Which market in California has the highest market score for HVAC and plumbing companies?
Among 25 scored metro areas in or partly in California, the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area scores highest, at 74 (upper middle). Among 9 scored small-town markets in or partly in California, the Red Bluff area scores highest, at 67 (upper middle). Among 49 scored counties in California, Yolo County scores highest, at 81 (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 54 for HVAC and plumbing companies (upper middle), #24 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 HVAC and plumbing companies 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 HVAC and plumbing companies across the U.S. · All business types in California
Related business types in California
- Home repair trades14,201 listings
- Electricians3,027 listings
- Roofing and gutters2,809 listings
- Lawn, cleaning and pest control9,346 listings
- Landscaping and lawn care4,321 listings
- House cleaning3,222 listings
- Pest control1,803 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.