Small-town market profile · Michigan
Petoskey, MI area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Petoskey area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 33,775
- −1.0% since 2020
- Households
- 15,190
- Median household income
- $78,112
- Median home value
- $315,700
- Jobs located here
- 15,430
- Highest market score
- 72
- Nail salons, #42 of 387 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Petoskey area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Petoskey area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
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
An estimated 33,775 people live in the Petoskey area, in 15,190 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Petoskey area from 2020 to 2025 at −1.0%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Petoskey area is $78,112 a year, 3% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in the Petoskey area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 115, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (77).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Petoskey area are for nail salons (72), pet grooming and boarding businesses (66) and barbershops (61). The Petoskey area ranks #42 of 387 scored small-town markets for nail salons.
The Petoskey area is made up of one county, Emmet County. For its number of households, the Petoskey area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for bakeries and dessert shops (3.9 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for auto repair and car care businesses (9% above the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Petoskey area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Petoskey area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nail salons | 72 | #42 of 387 | 5 | 3.3 | $3.1M | 187 | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 66 | #77 of 387 | 6 | 3.9 | $2.2M | 88 | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | 61 | #120 of 377 | 7 | 4.6 | $2.2M | 119 | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 57 | #138 of 378 | 6 | 3.9 | $2.5M | 123 | 5 |
| Veterinarians | 57 | #148 of 398 | 6 | 3.9 | $2.2M | 82 | 5 |
| Child care and preschools | 54 | #196 of 454 | 7 | 4.6 | $968K | 97 | 9 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 51 | #274 of 537 | 26 | 17.1 | $2.4M | 78 | 28 |
| Auto repair and car care | 50 | #268 of 538 | 59 | 38.8 | $285K | 106 | 33 |
| Auto repair shops | 49 | #290 of 538 | 36 | 23.7 | $467K | 105 | 23 |
| Pet businesses | 46 | #326 of 527 | 23 | 15.1 | $584K | 67 | 8 |
| Pizza | 44 | #318 of 520 | 20 | 13.2 | $3.1M | 61 | 28 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 42 | #299 of 458 | 13 | 8.6 | $1.7M | 96 | 66 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 41 | #274 of 400 | 9 | 5.9 | $2.5M | 79 | 5 |
| Gas stations | 41 | #369 of 536 | 26 | 17.1 | $1.6M | 67 | 19 |
| Gyms | 40 | #358 of 506 | 17 | 11.2 | $873K | 67 | 5 |
| Convenience stores | 38 | #389 of 529 | 26 | 17.1 | $3.6M | 46 | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | 37 | #317 of 426 | 13 | 8.6 | $1.7M | 72 | 9 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 34 | #95 of 112 | 12 | 7.9 | $1.2M | 30 | 5 |
| Pet stores | 34 | #175 of 220 | 6 | 3.9 | $2.2M | 49 | 3 |
| Hair salons | 34 | #452 of 538 | 47 | 30.9 | $333K | 77 | 11 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 33 | #461 of 538 | 88 | 57.9 | $178K | 84 | 16 |
| Physical therapy | 32 | #329 of 400 | 14 | 9.2 | $1.6M | 66 | 11 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 32 | #457 of 529 | 26 | 17.1 | $2.4M | 64 | 14 |
| Spas and skin care | 31 | #441 of 504 | 28 | 18.4 | $559K | 64 | 4 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 31 | #463 of 535 | 35 | 23.0 | $424K | 64 | 10 |
| Roofing and gutters | 30 | #250 of 288 | 8 | 5.3 | $5.4M | 64 | 10 |
| Car washes and detailing | 30 | #376 of 441 | 11 | 7.2 | $1.5M | 61 | 4 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 29 | #434 of 476 | 15 | 9.9 | $2.9M | 60 | 26 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 29 | #463 of 538 | 178 | 117.2 | $125K | 82 | 113 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 28 | #466 of 538 | 61 | 40.2 | $1.5M | 45 | 17 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 27 | #474 of 526 | 30 | 19.7 | $743K | 76 | 22 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 27 | #479 of 538 | 320 | 210.7 | $192K | 52 | 94 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 27 | #490 of 538 | 146 | 96.1 | $422K | 64 | 50 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 26 | #469 of 536 | 89 | 58.6 | $351K | 40 | 28 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 26 | #473 of 536 | 70 | 46.1 | $446K | 35 | 28 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 26 | #475 of 507 | 58 | 38.2 | $1.1M | 26 | 17 |
| Grocery stores | 25 | #450 of 506 | 21 | 13.8 | $4.5M | 48 | 15 |
| Home repair trades | 25 | #504 of 526 | 35 | 23.0 | $1.2M | 51 | 60 |
| Property management | 24 | #172 of 180 | 10 | 6.6 | Index only | 40 | 10 |
| Electricians | 24 | #277 of 295 | 12 | 7.9 | $3.6M | 30 | 24 |
| Insurance agencies | 24 | #471 of 537 | 26 | 17.1 | $973K | 78 | 17 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 23 | #526 of 533 | 93 | 61.2 | Index only | 43 | 22 |
| Real estate | 22 | #532 of 536 | 106 | 69.8 | Index only | 48 | 39 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 19 | #393 of 399 | 23 | 15.1 | $847K | 29 | 50 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 19 | #472 of 481 | 33 | 21.7 | $590K | 35 | 69 |
| House cleaning | 18 | #141 of 142 | 9 | 5.9 | $2.2M | 34 | 19 |
| Tire shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $4.2M | 168 | 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.0 | $10.4M | 83 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $8.4M | Too few | 5 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $1.2M | Too few | 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $11.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $31.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $16.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $19.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Petoskey area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $16.8M | $1,106 | 115 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $41.8M | $2,753 | 106 |
| Food away from home | $61.6M | $4,054 | 100 |
| Groceries | $94M | $6,185 | 98 |
| Personal care products and services | $15.7M | $1,031 | 103 |
| Child care and other personal services | $6.8M | $446 | 77 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $14.8M | $977 | 99 |
| Medical and dental services | $22.3M | $1,467 | 114 |
| Pets | $13.4M | $885 | 97 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $31.2M | $2,056 | 100 |
| Vehicle insurance | $25.3M | $1,666 | 85 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $43.2M | $2,841 | 94 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $19.5M | $1,282 | 91 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $220.4M | $14,509 | 87 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Petoskey area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 33,775−1.0% since 2020
- Households
- 15,190
- Median age
- 46.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 77%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 468 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 73
- Median household income
- $78,112
- Average household income
- $109,768
- Median home value
- $315,700
- Jobs located here
- 15,430
- Daytime population
- 36,226Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Petoskey area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Petoskey area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Petoskey area 1
- Emmet County, MI34,125 people
Other markets based in Michigan 12
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area4,376,828 people
- Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area1,162,152 people
- Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area472,669 people
- Flint, MI metro area403,305 people
- Ann Arbor, MI metro area369,822 people
- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area262,375 people
- Saginaw, MI metro area188,665 people
- Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metro area175,961 people
- Jackson, MI metro area160,060 people
- Monroe, MI metro area155,505 people
- Traverse City, MI metro area155,449 people
- Niles, MI metro area153,288 people
Questions
How fast is the Petoskey, MI area growing?
Population estimates put the Petoskey area at 33,775 people in 2025, down 1.0% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 15,190 households.
How much do households in the Petoskey, MI area spend?
Households in the Petoskey area spend about $220.4M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $94M on groceries and $61.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Petoskey area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 115, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (77).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Petoskey, MI area?
Of the business types scored in the Petoskey area, nail salons (72), pet grooming and boarding businesses (66) and barbershops (61) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For nail salons, that ranks #42 of 387 scored small-town markets.
How does the Petoskey, MI area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Petoskey area is $78,112, 3% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.0% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $315,700, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for bakeries and dessert shops (3.9 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for auto repair and car care businesses (9% above the U.S. rate).
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. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. 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. 46 of the 56 business types have a score in the Petoskey area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Petoskey area. It maps the competitors 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.
All markets in Michigan · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Petoskey area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Petoskey area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
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.