Small-town market profile · North Carolina
Washington, NC area market data
How the Washington area compares with other small-town markets for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 44,670
- 0.0% since 2020
- Households
- 19,385
- Median household income
- $58,357
- +29.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $192,700
- Jobs located here
- 16,163
- Highest market score
- 73
- HVAC and plumbing, #32 of 476 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Washington area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Washington 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
The Washington area has an estimated 44,670 people and 19,385 households. Population estimates show the Washington area held about level from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. Median household income in the Washington area is $58,357, 28% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 29.1%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Washington area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 131, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (59).
Of the business types scored in the Washington area, HVAC and plumbing companies (73), home repair companies (73) and pet businesses (71) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For HVAC and plumbing companies, that ranks #32 of 476 scored small-town markets.
The Washington area is made up of one county, Beaufort County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for convenience stores (74% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for dentists and orthodontists (53% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Washington area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC and plumbing | 73 | #32 of 476 | 7 | 3.6 | $7M | 148 | 8 |
| Home repair trades | 73 | #33 of 526 | 12 | 6.2 | $4.1M | 169 | 18 |
| Pet businesses | 71 | #48 of 527 | 12 | 6.2 | $1.3M | 143 | 6 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 69 | #53 of 387 | 5 | 2.6 | $3M | 118 | 3 |
| Gas stations | 66 | #105 of 536 | 23 | 11.9 | $2.5M | 106 | 25 |
| Funeral homes | 62 | #107 of 365 | 8 | 4.1 | $409K | 60 | 4 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 56 | #191 of 507 | 14 | 7.2 | $4.6M | 110 | 6 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 55 | #153 of 399 | 8 | 4.1 | $3.2M | 109 | 21 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 55 | #218 of 526 | 12 | 6.2 | $1.6M | 163 | 11 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 55 | #226 of 537 | 19 | 9.8 | $3.4M | 110 | 36 |
| Tire shops | 54 | #189 of 431 | 8 | 4.1 | $2.2M | 89 | 3 |
| Nail salons | 52 | #191 of 387 | 7 | 3.6 | $2.2M | 131 | 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 52 | #246 of 529 | 18 | 9.3 | $3.6M | 96 | 6 |
| Chiropractors | 51 | #206 of 426 | 8 | 4.1 | $2.4M | 101 | 4 |
| Child care and preschools | 51 | #223 of 454 | 8 | 4.1 | $893K | 89 | 11 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 50 | #259 of 538 | 171 | 88.2 | $374K | 101 | 77 |
| Pizza | 49 | #262 of 520 | 14 | 7.2 | $4.6M | 90 | 36 |
| Insurance agencies | 47 | #290 of 537 | 33 | 17.0 | $1.5M | 120 | 33 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 47 | #302 of 538 | 90 | 46.4 | $711K | 107 | 34 |
| Real estate | 46 | #302 of 536 | 37 | 19.1 | Index only | 166 | 26 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 45 | #314 of 536 | 34 | 17.5 | $957K | 109 | 13 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 45 | #337 of 535 | 19 | 9.8 | $593K | 90 | 5 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 43 | #330 of 536 | 26 | 13.4 | $1.3M | 98 | 13 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 42 | #304 of 481 | 19 | 9.8 | $1.3M | 80 | 28 |
| Hair salons | 42 | #361 of 538 | 46 | 23.7 | $333K | 77 | 4 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 41 | #252 of 378 | 6 | 3.1 | $1.9M | 93 | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 40 | #364 of 504 | 14 | 7.2 | $1.1M | 125 | Under 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 40 | #381 of 533 | 36 | 18.6 | Index only | 136 | 14 |
| Grocery stores | 39 | #365 of 506 | 20 | 10.3 | $5.4M | 58 | 6 |
| Physical therapy | 38 | #291 of 400 | 9 | 4.6 | $2.1M | 89 | 7 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 37 | #308 of 400 | 10 | 5.2 | $1.9M | 61 | 3 |
| Gyms | 37 | #394 of 506 | 12 | 6.2 | $939K | 72 | 5 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 37 | #417 of 538 | 77 | 39.7 | $199K | 94 | 11 |
| Barbershops | 35 | #282 of 377 | 9 | 4.6 | $1.7M | 90 | Under 3 |
| Pest control | 33 | #67 of 85 | 7 | 3.6 | $3.6M | 36 | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 32 | #362 of 458 | 12 | 6.2 | $1.6M | 90 | 36 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 31 | #442 of 538 | 122 | 62.9 | $158K | 104 | 61 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 30 | #453 of 538 | 56 | 28.9 | $1.9M | 57 | 14 |
| Car washes and detailing | 29 | #384 of 441 | 11 | 5.7 | $1.6M | 64 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 29 | #448 of 529 | 27 | 13.9 | $4M | 51 | 8 |
| Auto repair and car care | 28 | #462 of 538 | 92 | 47.5 | $193K | 72 | 35 |
| Auto repair shops | 25 | #486 of 538 | 55 | 28.4 | $323K | 73 | 30 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 24 | #358 of 387 | 10 | 5.2 | $1.8M | 58 | 9 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.1 | $6.4M | 100 | 7 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.1 | $3.8M | 138 | 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.5 | $16.4M | 136 | 10 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.5 | $5.9M | 43 | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.0 | $16.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.0 | $16.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.0 | $24.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $11.3M | Too few | 5 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 8 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Washington 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 | $17.8M | $917 | 96 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $58.2M | $3,001 | 116 |
| Food away from home | $64M | $3,300 | 81 |
| Groceries | $107.9M | $5,569 | 88 |
| Personal care products and services | $15.3M | $791 | 79 |
| Child care and other personal services | $7.1M | $369 | 63 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $11.3M | $582 | 59 |
| Medical and dental services | $19.3M | $993 | 77 |
| Pets | $15M | $776 | 85 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $32.5M | $1,678 | 82 |
| Vehicle insurance | $49.7M | $2,566 | 131 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $49.1M | $2,535 | 84 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $25.5M | $1,318 | 93 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $266.1M | $13,727 | 82 |
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 Washington area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 44,6700.0% since 2020
- Households
- 19,385
- Median age
- 46.9
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 70%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 833 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 53
- Median household income
- $58,357+29.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $78,141
- Median home value
- $192,700
- Jobs located here
- 16,163
- Daytime population
- 41,743Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington area 1
- Beaufort County, NC44,499 people
Other markets based in North Carolina 12
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area2,768,407 people
- Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area1,487,302 people
- Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area786,419 people
- Winston-Salem, NC metro area689,766 people
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area601,724 people
- Wilmington, NC metro area453,347 people
- Asheville, NC metro area414,711 people
- Fayetteville, NC metro area392,380 people
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area368,316 people
- Jacksonville, NC metro area207,906 people
- Greenville, NC metro area177,193 people
- Burlington, NC metro area176,893 people
Questions
How fast is the Washington, NC area growing?
Population estimates put the Washington area at 44,670 people in 2025, unchanged since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 19,385 households. Median household income rose 29.1% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Washington, NC area spend?
Households in the Washington area spend about $266.1M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $107.9M on groceries and $64M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Washington area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 131, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (59).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Washington, NC area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Washington area are for HVAC and plumbing companies (73), home repair companies (73) and pet businesses (71). The Washington area ranks #32 of 476 scored small-town markets for HVAC and plumbing companies.
How does the Washington, NC area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Washington area is $58,357 a year, 28% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population held level from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $192,700, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Washington area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for convenience stores (74% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for dentists and orthodontists (53% below 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. 43 of the 56 business types have a score in the Washington 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 Washington 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 North Carolina · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Washington 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 Washington 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.