Market rankings · North Carolina
Oil change and quick-lube shops in North Carolina
Every metro area, small-town market and county in North Carolina, ranked by the Groundwork market score for oil change and quick-lube shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 348
- 277 chain locations (80%)
- Official establishments
- 330
- +17.9% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $4B
- On vehicle maintenance and repairs
- Listings per 10k households
- 0.8
- 14% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $11.6M
- 16% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #33 of 50
- Market score 45 · Lower middle
A site report maps the oil change and quick-lube shops 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
North Carolina has 348 oil change and quick-lube shops on map listings as of September 2026. Of those, 277 are chain locations, or 80%, against 73% across the U.S. That comes to 0.8 for every 10,000 households, 14% above the U.S. rate of 0.7.
At $939 per household (2% below the U.S. average), households in North Carolina spend about $4B a year on vehicle maintenance and repairs. Spread across 348 oil change and quick-lube shops, that is $11.6M per shop, 16% below the U.S. figure of $13.7M. The spending figure covers all vehicle maintenance and repairs, not only oil change and quick-lube shops.
In 2023, official counts showed 330 businesses with payroll in North Carolina classed as oil change and lubrication shops, up 17.9% from 2019. That is one for every 12,977 households, against one for every 14,222 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 12.1% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 11 SBA-backed loans worth $6.5M have gone to businesses classed as oil change and lubrication shops in North Carolina.
Among 50 states, North Carolina ranks #33 for oil change and quick-lube shops, with a Groundwork market score of 45 (lower middle). Of the 13 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area scores highest (79). Among 24 scored counties, Durham County scores highest (74).
Every market in North Carolina for oil change and quick-lube shops
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 79 | 9 | 0.4 | $24.7M | +7.5% | #11 of 290 |
| 2Raleigh-Cary, NC | 64 | 33 | 0.6 | $16.9M | +12.6% | #69 of 290 |
| 3Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 64 | 12 | 0.8 | $12.3M | +3.2% | #73 of 290 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 63 | 33 | 0.5 | $19.6M | +0.9% | #76 of 290 |
| 4Jacksonville, NC | 56 | 6 | 0.8 | $11.4M | +6.0% | #120 of 290 |
| 5Wilmington, NC | 56 | 23 | 1.2 | $8M | +15.9% | #124 of 290 |
| 6Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 54 | 94 | 0.9 | $10.9M | +10.1% | #135 of 290 |
| 7Greensboro-High Point, NC | 48 | 28 | 0.9 | $10.3M | +4.1% | #163 of 290 |
| 8Fayetteville, NC | 46 | 8 | 0.5 | $16M | +1.6% | #173 of 290 |
| 9Greenville, NC | 44 | 7 | 0.9 | $8.7M | +5.4% | #183 of 290 |
| 10Winston-Salem, NC | 35 | 31 | 1.1 | $8.7M | +5.3% | #224 of 290 |
| 11Burlington, NC | 32 | 11 | 1.6 | $6M | +8.5% | #235 of 290 |
| 12Asheville, NC | 25 | 26 | 1.6 | $5.7M | +3.6% | #259 of 290 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.3 | $27.4M | +2.8% | |
| Goldsboro, NC | Not scored | 4 | 0.8 | $11.2M | +3.8% | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | Not scored | 4 | 0.9 | $10.6M | +10.3% |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Creek, NC | Not scored | 9 | 1.8 | $5.6M | +12.3% | |
| New Bern, NC | Not scored | 3 | 0.6 | $15.7M | +3.6% | |
| Lumberton, NC | Not scored | 3 | 0.7 | $12.9M | +3.4% | |
| Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC | Not scored | 5 | 1.3 | $7.6M | +3.4% | |
| Wilson, NC | Not scored | 3 | 0.9 | $9.9M | +1.7% | |
| Mount Airy, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.7 | $15.1M | +1.3% | |
| Morehead City, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.6 | $15M | +4.1% | |
| North Wilkesboro, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.7 | $12.9M | +0.6% | |
| Sanford, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.8 | $12.6M | +10.8% | |
| Forest City, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.1 | $8.5M | +2.1% | |
| Albemarle, NC | Not scored | 6 | 2.4 | $4.3M | +9.8% | |
| Roanoke Rapids, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.1 | $8.6M | −4.3% | |
| Waynesville, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.1 | $8.7M | +1.9% | |
| Boone, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.4 | $6.5M | +0.6% | |
| Kinston, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $9.7M | +1.4% | |
| Marion, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $17.7M | +1.5% | |
| Washington, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.5 | $5.9M | 0.0% | |
| Rockingham, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $14M | −1.6% | |
| Henderson, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $14.7M | +0.2% | |
| Elizabeth City, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $15.1M | +4.5% | |
| Kill Devil Hills, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.3% | |
| Brevard, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.9% | |
| Laurinburg, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.3% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Durham County, NC | 74 | 5 | 0.4 | $23.3M | +7.7% | #37 of 479 |
| 2Union County, NC | 70 | 8 | 0.9 | $12.1M | +11.7% | #74 of 479 |
| 3Brunswick County, NC | 69 | 6 | 0.9 | $11.1M | +26.5% | #81 of 479 |
| 4Johnston County, NC | 67 | 6 | 0.7 | $15.2M | +17.9% | #95 of 479 |
| 5Gaston County, NC | 65 | 8 | 0.9 | $10.9M | +7.8% | #115 of 479 |
| 6Catawba County, NC | 63 | 6 | 0.9 | $10.9M | +5.8% | #131 of 479 |
| 7Wake County, NC | 60 | 27 | 0.6 | $16.2M | +11.2% | #152 of 479 |
| 8Randolph County, NC | 58 | 5 | 0.9 | $11.7M | +3.5% | #180 of 479 |
| 9Rowan County, NC | 57 | 6 | 1.0 | $9.6M | +5.6% | #195 of 479 |
| 10Onslow County, NC | 56 | 6 | 0.8 | $11.4M | +6.0% | #202 of 479 |
| 11Mecklenburg County, NC | 55 | 36 | 0.8 | $11.3M | +10.5% | #210 of 479 |
| 12Guilford County, NC | 53 | 17 | 0.8 | $11.4M | +4.4% | #229 of 479 |
| 13Davidson County, NC | 51 | 7 | 1.0 | $10.4M | +6.6% | #247 of 479 |
| 14Harnett County, NC | 51 | 9 | 1.8 | $5.6M | +12.3% | #250 of 479 |
| 15Pitt County, NC | 46 | 7 | 0.9 | $8.7M | +5.4% | #295 of 479 |
| 16Cumberland County, NC | 44 | 7 | 0.5 | $15.6M | +0.4% | #305 of 479 |
| 17New Hanover County, NC | 43 | 17 | 1.6 | $5.4M | +8.6% | #323 of 479 |
| 18Cabarrus County, NC | 41 | 11 | 1.3 | $7.8M | +9.9% | #332 of 479 |
| 19Stanly County, NC | 41 | 6 | 2.4 | $4.3M | +9.8% | #334 of 479 |
| 20Alamance County, NC | 34 | 11 | 1.6 | $6M | +8.5% | #381 of 479 |
| 21Cleveland County, NC | 32 | 5 | 1.3 | $7.6M | +3.4% | #394 of 479 |
| 22Forsyth County, NC | 31 | 19 | 1.2 | $7.4M | +5.0% | #401 of 479 |
| 23Rockingham County, NC | 30 | 6 | 1.5 | $6.1M | +3.3% | #405 of 479 |
| 24Buncombe County, NC | 19 | 22 | 2.2 | $4.2M | +2.9% | #452 of 479 |
| Iredell County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 0.5 | $19.9M | +12.9% |
Show all 100 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.2 | $53.8M | +6.1% | |
| Wayne County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 0.8 | $11.2M | +3.8% | |
| Henderson County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 0.8 | $12.1M | +5.0% | |
| Robeson County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 0.7 | $12.9M | +3.4% | |
| Moore County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 0.9 | $10.6M | +10.3% | |
| Craven County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.5 | $18.9M | +3.5% | |
| Nash County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.5 | $18.6M | +3.9% | |
| Lincoln County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 1.1 | $10M | +13.2% | |
| Burke County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.6 | $17.9M | +1.6% | |
| Caldwell County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 0.9 | $10.3M | +0.7% | |
| Chatham County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.6 | $17.6M | +11.0% | |
| Wilson County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 0.9 | $9.9M | +1.7% | |
| Franklin County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +18.8% | |
| Surry County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.7 | $15.1M | +1.3% | |
| Carteret County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.6 | $15M | +4.1% | |
| Wilkes County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.7 | $12.9M | +0.6% | |
| Lee County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.8 | $12.6M | +10.8% | |
| Pender County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +19.0% | |
| Rutherford County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.1 | $8.5M | +2.1% | |
| Haywood County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.1 | $8.7M | +1.9% | |
| Granville County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.1% | |
| Sampson County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $21M | +4.1% | |
| Watauga County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.4 | $6.5M | +0.6% | |
| Lenoir County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $9.7M | +1.4% | |
| Hoke County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $18.7M | +9.0% | |
| Columbus County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | 0.0% | |
| Duplin County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +6.0% | |
| Edgecombe County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +0.7% | |
| Halifax County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.5 | $6M | −3.9% | |
| Stokes County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $20.6M | +3.5% | |
| McDowell County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $17.7M | +1.5% | |
| Beaufort County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.5 | $5.9M | 0.0% | |
| Davie County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.7 | $6.2M | +6.9% | |
| Jackson County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.1 | $8.4M | +6.9% | |
| Richmond County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $14M | −1.6% | |
| Vance County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $14.7M | +0.2% | |
| Pasquotank County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $15.1M | +4.5% | |
| Person County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $16.9M | +3.7% | |
| Macon County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $17.2M | +5.8% | |
| Dare County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.3% | |
| Yadkin County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $16.8M | +2.9% | |
| Alexander County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $15.3M | +1.5% | |
| Transylvania County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.9% | |
| Scotland County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.3% | |
| Currituck County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +16.7% | |
| Bladen County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.3% | |
| Cherokee County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | $11.5M | +6.8% | |
| Ashe County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.5% | |
| Montgomery County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.7% | |
| Caswell County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +0.4% | |
| Anson County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.1% | |
| Madison County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.9% | |
| Martin County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.6% | |
| Greene County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.3% | |
| Hertford County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $7.8M | −11.2% | |
| Polk County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +6.0% | |
| Yancey County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $8.2M | +3.2% | |
| Warren County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.6% | |
| Avery County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.1% | |
| Bertie County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −3.6% | |
| Northampton County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.4% | |
| Mitchell County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.0 | $3.1M | +1.1% | |
| Swain County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.6% | |
| Chowan County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.8% | |
| Perquimans County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.6% | |
| Pamlico County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.8 | $5.1M | +3.7% | |
| Clay County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.9% | |
| Alleghany County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.4% | |
| Camden County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +8.8% | |
| Washington County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −3.1% | |
| Gates County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.1% | |
| Jones County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.6% | |
| Graham County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.9% | |
| Hyde County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.0% | |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.3% |
Markets with fewer than 5 oil change and quick-lube shops on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many oil change and quick-lube shops are in North Carolina?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 348 oil change and quick-lube shops in North Carolina. 277 of them (80%) are chain locations. The listings count oil change and quick-lube shops. Official counts show 330 businesses with payroll classed as oil change and lubrication shops in 2023, up 17.9% from 2019.
How much do households in North Carolina spend on vehicle maintenance and repairs?
About $4B a year, or $939 per household. That is 2% below the U.S. average (an index of 98, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 348 oil change and quick-lube shops on map listings, it comes to $11.6M per shop. That spending covers all vehicle maintenance and repairs, which oil change and quick-lube shops share with other businesses in the trade. 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 oil change and quick-lube shops?
North Carolina has 0.8 oil change and quick-lube shops per 10,000 households, 14% above the U.S. rate of 0.7. Spending per shop is $11.6M, 16% below the U.S. figure of $13.7M. At the U.S. ratio of oil change and quick-lube shops to household spending, North Carolina would have about 293, against 348 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 12,977 households, against one for every 14,222 across the U.S. The official count rose 17.9% from 2019 to 2023, against +12.1% for the U.S.
Which market in North Carolina has the highest market score for oil change and quick-lube shops?
Among 13 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area scores highest, at 79 (high). Among 24 scored counties in North Carolina, Durham County scores highest, at 74 (upper middle). 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 45 for oil change and quick-lube shops (lower middle), #33 of 50 scored states.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in North Carolina. It maps the oil change and quick-lube shops 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.
Oil change and quick lube in other states
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Top markets for oil change and quick-lube shops 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
- Gas stations5,244 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.