Small-town market profile · Pennsylvania
Oil City, PA area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Oil City area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 49,346
- −2.0% since 2020
- Households
- 21,397
- Median household income
- $61,522
- +23.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $119,800
- Jobs located here
- 16,142
- Highest market score
- 75
- Real estate agents and brokers, #24 of 533 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Oil City area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Oil City 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 49,346 people live in the Oil City area, in 21,397 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Oil City area declined 2.0%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Oil City area is $61,522 a year, 24% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 23.2% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Oil City area spend the most on groceries (an index of 97, where 100 is the U.S. average, so still below it) and the least on pets (58).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Oil City area are for real estate agents and brokers (75); real estate businesses (73); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (69). The Oil City area ranks #24 of 533 scored small-town markets for real estate agents and brokers.
The Oil City area is made up of one county, Venango County. For its number of households, the Oil City area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for funeral homes (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (75% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Oil City area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Oil City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate agents and brokers | 75 | #24 of 533 | 16 | 7.5 | Index only | 389 | 5 |
| Real estate | 73 | #35 of 536 | 22 | 10.3 | Index only | 356 | 12 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 69 | #102 of 536 | 29 | 13.6 | $1.4M | 159 | 6 |
| Roofing and gutters | 68 | #47 of 288 | 5 | 2.3 | $11.5M | 135 | 3 |
| Home repair trades | 68 | #66 of 526 | 19 | 8.9 | $3M | 124 | 22 |
| Gyms | 67 | #64 of 506 | 5 | 2.3 | $2.7M | 210 | 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 67 | #71 of 535 | 14 | 6.5 | $974K | 147 | 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 67 | #120 of 536 | 22 | 10.3 | $1.8M | 146 | 6 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 66 | #108 of 526 | 11 | 5.1 | $2M | 203 | 7 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 66 | #118 of 537 | 17 | 7.9 | $4.1M | 136 | 27 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 65 | #88 of 476 | 10 | 4.7 | $5.7M | 120 | 14 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 65 | #118 of 538 | 147 | 68.7 | $480K | 129 | 68 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 62 | #131 of 529 | 11 | 5.1 | $6.4M | 173 | 7 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 61 | #147 of 538 | 73 | 34.1 | $966K | 145 | 32 |
| Barbershops | 60 | #123 of 377 | 5 | 2.3 | $3.6M | 193 | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 56 | #177 of 454 | 7 | 3.3 | $1.2M | 119 | 13 |
| Grocery stores | 56 | #205 of 506 | 15 | 7.0 | $8.7M | 94 | 8 |
| Pizza | 55 | #208 of 520 | 16 | 7.5 | $4.4M | 87 | 27 |
| Convenience stores | 55 | #240 of 529 | 27 | 12.6 | $4.8M | 61 | 4 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 55 | #241 of 538 | 51 | 23.8 | $2.6M | 76 | 12 |
| Laundromats | 52 | #68 of 150 | 5 | 2.3 | $8.1M | 65 | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 50 | #181 of 399 | 8 | 3.7 | $2.9M | 100 | 10 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 48 | #297 of 538 | 46 | 21.5 | $396K | 186 | 24 |
| Chiropractors | 47 | #234 of 426 | 8 | 3.7 | $2.7M | 115 | 6 |
| Insurance agencies | 45 | #304 of 537 | 25 | 11.7 | $1.4M | 109 | 11 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 42 | #302 of 481 | 15 | 7.0 | $1.6M | 93 | 16 |
| Funeral homes | 41 | #234 of 365 | 10 | 4.7 | $363K | 53 | 8 |
| Hair salons | 40 | #377 of 538 | 36 | 16.8 | $506K | 118 | 20 |
| Tire shops | 39 | #302 of 431 | 7 | 3.3 | $2.5M | 102 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 37 | #392 of 507 | 22 | 10.3 | $3.2M | 77 | 7 |
| Gas stations | 37 | #404 of 536 | 29 | 13.6 | $1.5M | 62 | 22 |
| House cleaning | 34 | #114 of 142 | 6 | 2.8 | $3.9M | 61 | 6 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 32 | #310 of 378 | 8 | 3.7 | $1.7M | 85 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | 32 | #325 of 398 | 8 | 3.7 | $1.4M | 52 | 4 |
| Pet businesses | 30 | #463 of 527 | 28 | 13.1 | $402K | 46 | 4 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 28 | #350 of 400 | 10 | 4.7 | $2.2M | 70 | 5 |
| Car washes and detailing | 26 | #398 of 441 | 9 | 4.2 | $2M | 79 | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 26 | #399 of 458 | 15 | 7.0 | $1.5M | 82 | 44 |
| Physical therapy | 25 | #362 of 400 | 12 | 5.6 | $1.8M | 76 | 10 |
| Auto repair and car care | 25 | #488 of 538 | 99 | 46.3 | $180K | 67 | 31 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 23 | #363 of 387 | 11 | 5.1 | $1.6M | 53 | 6 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 20 | #508 of 538 | 169 | 79.0 | $130K | 85 | 72 |
| Auto repair shops | 16 | #524 of 538 | 67 | 31.3 | $266K | 60 | 28 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 4 | #386 of 387 | 14 | 6.5 | $805K | 32 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.9 | $14.3M | 119 | 5 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.4 | $6.1M | 363 | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.4 | Index only | 204 | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | Index only | Too few | 4 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $5.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $9.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $17.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $23.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $22M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $13.6M | Too few | 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Oil City 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 | $833 | 87 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $43M | $2,010 | 77 |
| Food away from home | $70.5M | $3,294 | 81 |
| Groceries | $130.6M | $6,105 | 97 |
| Personal care products and services | $18.2M | $851 | 85 |
| Child care and other personal services | $8.4M | $391 | 67 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $13.6M | $637 | 65 |
| Medical and dental services | $22M | $1,026 | 80 |
| Pets | $11.3M | $526 | 58 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $40.7M | $1,902 | 93 |
| Vehicle insurance | $34.1M | $1,595 | 82 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $57.3M | $2,678 | 89 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $23.5M | $1,098 | 78 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $339.2M | $15,853 | 95 |
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 Oil City area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 49,346−2.0% since 2020
- Households
- 21,397
- Median age
- 47.4
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 75%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 674 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 74
- Median household income
- $61,522+23.2% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $75,995
- Median home value
- $119,800
- Jobs located here
- 16,142
- Daytime population
- 45,367Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Oil City 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 Oil City 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 Oil City area 1
- Venango County, PA49,801 people
Other markets based in Pennsylvania 12
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area6,272,014 people
- Pittsburgh, PA metro area2,439,940 people
- Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area873,603 people
- Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area604,155 people
- Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area569,788 people
- Lancaster, PA metro area557,931 people
- York-Hanover, PA metro area462,924 people
- Reading, PA metro area433,015 people
- Erie, PA metro area269,052 people
- State College, PA metro area158,576 people
- Chambersburg, PA metro area157,379 people
- Lebanon, PA metro area144,186 people
Questions
How fast is the Oil City, PA area growing?
Population estimates put the Oil City area at 49,346 people in 2025, down 2.0% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 21,397 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 23.2%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Oil City, PA area spend?
Households in the Oil City area spend about $339.2M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $130.6M on groceries and $70.5M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Oil City area runs highest on groceries (an index of 97, where 100 is the U.S. average, so still below it) and lowest on pets (58).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Oil City, PA area?
Of the business types scored in the Oil City area, real estate agents and brokers (75); real estate businesses (73); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (69) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For real estate agents and brokers, that ranks #24 of 533 scored small-town markets.
How does the Oil City, PA area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Oil City area is $61,522, 24% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 2.0% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $119,800, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for funeral homes (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (75% 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. 44 of the 56 business types have a score in the Oil City 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 Oil City 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.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Oil City 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 Oil City 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.