Groundwork

Market rankings · Massachusetts

Pet businesses in Massachusetts

Markets across Massachusetts ranked by the Groundwork market score for pet businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
2,849
471 chain locations (17%)
Official establishments
1,549
+8.3% since 2019
Household spending a year
$2.2B
On pets
Listings per 10k households
10.2
2% below the U.S.
Spending per listing
$759K
14% below the U.S.
Rank among states
#38 of 51
Market score 36 · Lower middle

A site report maps the pet businesses on map listings around any address in Massachusetts by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

As of September 2026, map listings count 2,849 pet businesses in Massachusetts. Chain locations make up 17% of them, against 17% across the U.S. That comes to 10.2 for every 10,000 households, 2% below the U.S. rate of 10.4.

Household spending on pets in Massachusetts comes to about $2.2B a year: $776 per household, 15% below the U.S. average. Spread across 2,849 pet businesses, that is $759K per business, 14% below the U.S. figure of $878K.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as pet care, veterinarians and pet stores in Massachusetts was 1,549 in 2023, up 8.3% from 2019. That is one for every 1,798 households, against one for every 1,852 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 11.4% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 108 SBA-backed loans worth $42.2M have gone to businesses classed as pet care, veterinarians and pet stores in Massachusetts.

Among the 50 states and DC, Massachusetts ranks #38 for pet businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 36 (lower middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Springfield metro area scores highest (44). Of the 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Nantucket area scores highest (42).

Every market in Massachusetts for pet businesses

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Massachusetts, 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

Metro areas reaching Massachusetts, ranked for pet businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Springfield, MA441478.0$767K+0.2%#242 of 387
2Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH412,02110.4$790K+2.3%#266 of 387
3Worcester, MA3237911.3$648K+3.7%#325 of 387
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA2574611.0$620K+2.1%#357 of 387
4Amherst Town-Northampton, MA239615.5$447K+10.4%#367 of 387
5Barnstable Town, MA1614613.8$537K+2.4%#379 of 387
6Pittsfield, MA157112.3$519K−1.2%#382 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Massachusetts, ranked for pet businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Nantucket, MA421019.0$490K+3.6%#369 of 527
2Vineyard Haven, MA351418.5$454K+3.1%#432 of 527
3Greenfield, MA233611.4$536K−0.3%#498 of 527

Counties

Counties in Massachusetts, ranked for pet businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Suffolk County, MA681625.0$1.5M+0.1%#336 of 2,200
2Middlesex County, MA666149.7$908K+2.8%#430 of 2,200
3Norfolk County, MA5631311.0$798K+2.2%#818 of 2,200
4Hampden County, MA501478.0$767K+0.2%#1,088 of 2,200
5Essex County, MA4632310.3$742K+2.3%#1,268 of 2,200
6Worcester County, MA4437911.3$648K+3.7%#1,360 of 2,200
7Plymouth County, MA4127913.7$590K+3.5%#1,479 of 2,200
8Bristol County, MA4025911.1$616K+2.9%#1,524 of 2,200
9Nantucket County, MA371019.0$490K+3.6%#1,653 of 2,200
10Dukes County, MA301418.5$454K+3.1%#1,876 of 2,200
11Hampshire County, MA309615.5$447K+10.4%#1,877 of 2,200
12Barnstable County, MA2814613.8$537K+2.4%#1,927 of 2,200
13Berkshire County, MA237112.3$519K−1.2%#2,052 of 2,200
14Franklin County, MA223611.4$536K−0.3%#2,070 of 2,200

Questions

How many pet businesses are in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has 2,849 pet businesses on map listings as of September 2026. 471 of them (17%) are chain locations. The listings count vets, groomers, boarding and pet stores. Official counts show 1,549 businesses with payroll classed as pet care, veterinarians and pet stores in 2023, up 8.3% from 2019. Official counts list 5,409 one-person businesses without payroll.

How much do households in Massachusetts spend on pets?

About $2.2B a year, or $776 per household. That is 15% below the U.S. average (an index of 85, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 2,849 pet businesses on map listings, it comes to $759K per business. It is estimated from the incomes of the 2,785,042 households in Massachusetts and national spending patterns by income.

How does Massachusetts compare with the U.S. for pet businesses?

Massachusetts has 10.2 pet businesses per 10,000 households, 2% below the U.S. rate of 10.4. Spending per business is $759K, 14% below the U.S. figure of $878K. At the national ratio of pet businesses to household spending, Massachusetts would have about 2,460, against 2,849 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,798 households, against one for every 1,852 across the U.S. The official count rose 8.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +11.4% for the U.S.

Which market in Massachusetts has the highest market score for pet businesses?

Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Springfield metro area scores highest, at 44 (lower middle). Among 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Nantucket area scores highest, at 42 (lower middle). Among 14 scored counties in Massachusetts, Suffolk County scores highest, at 68 (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. Massachusetts scores 36 for pet businesses (lower middle), #38 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 Massachusetts. It maps the pet businesses 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.

Pet businesses in other states

All 51 states

Top markets for pet businesses across the U.S. · All business types in Massachusetts

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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.