Market rankings · Nebraska
Pet businesses in Nebraska
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Nebraska, ranked by the Groundwork market score for pet businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 942
- 115 chain locations (12%)
- Official establishments
- 506
- +9.1% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $684.6M
- On pets
- Listings per 10k households
- 11.8
- 13% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $727K
- 17% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #40 of 51
- Market score 36 · Lower middle
A site report maps the pet businesses on map listings around any address in Nebraska 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
There are 942 pet businesses on map listings in Nebraska as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 12% of them, against 17% across the U.S. That is 11.8 per 10,000 households, 13% above the U.S. rate of 10.4.
Households in Nebraska spend about $684.6M a year on pets, or $858 per household, 6% below the U.S. average. Spread across 942 pet businesses, that is $727K per business, 17% below the U.S. figure of $878K.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as pet care, veterinarians and pet stores in Nebraska was 506 in 2023, up 9.1% from 2019. That is one for every 1,577 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, 23 SBA-backed loans worth $7.2M have gone to businesses classed as pet care, veterinarians and pet stores in Nebraska.
Among the 50 states and DC, Nebraska ranks #40 for pet businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 36 (lower middle). Of the 4 scored metro areas in or partly in Nebraska, the Omaha metro area scores highest (64). Of the 9 scored small-town markets in or partly in Nebraska, the Columbus area scores highest (64).
Every market in Nebraska for pet businesses
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Nebraska, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Omaha, NE-IA | 64 | 407 | 10.4 | $882K | +4.2% | #89 of 387 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 62 | 42 | 7.6 | $1.1M | +1.0% | #98 of 387 |
| 2Lincoln, NE | 56 | 134 | 9.5 | $886K | +3.3% | #149 of 387 |
| 3Grand Island, NE | 43 | 28 | 9.2 | $852K | +1.5% | #249 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Columbus, NE | 64 | 18 | 10.4 | $784K | +3.8% | #104 of 527 |
| 2Norfolk, NE | 59 | 18 | 9.2 | $851K | +1.1% | #151 of 527 |
| 3Fremont, NE | 58 | 19 | 12.5 | $638K | +2.6% | #164 of 527 |
| 4Hastings, NE | 55 | 18 | 10.6 | $758K | −0.2% | #207 of 527 |
| 5Lexington, NE | 53 | 10 | 10.0 | $801K | +1.1% | #232 of 527 |
| 6Kearney, NE | 41 | 38 | 16.7 | $502K | +1.9% | #380 of 527 |
| 7Beatrice, NE | 39 | 15 | 16.1 | $480K | +0.2% | #393 of 527 |
| 8Scottsbluff, NE | 34 | 22 | 14.3 | $522K | −1.2% | #435 of 527 |
| 9North Platte, NE | 18 | 26 | 17.1 | $444K | −3.6% | #515 of 527 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Cass County, NE | 80 | 12 | 11.1 | $864K | +3.9% | #76 of 2,200 |
| 2Sarpy County, NE | 79 | 68 | 9.2 | $1.1M | +9.0% | #86 of 2,200 |
| 3Douglas County, NE | 67 | 239 | 10.0 | $903K | +3.6% | #388 of 2,200 |
| 4Saunders County, NE | 67 | 12 | 13.5 | $697K | +6.0% | #411 of 2,200 |
| 5Lancaster County, NE | 64 | 125 | 9.3 | $903K | +3.4% | #503 of 2,200 |
| 6Platte County, NE | 60 | 14 | 10.3 | $784K | +3.9% | #665 of 2,200 |
| 7Seward County, NE | 58 | 9 | 13.3 | $656K | +2.3% | #748 of 2,200 |
| 8Saline County, NE | 57 | 5 | 9.7 | $853K | +1.9% | #767 of 2,200 |
| 9Hall County, NE | 57 | 23 | 9.4 | $840K | +1.4% | #770 of 2,200 |
| 10York County, NE | 55 | 7 | 12.3 | $667K | +3.3% | #879 of 2,200 |
| 11Adams County, NE | 52 | 14 | 10.7 | $748K | −0.3% | #995 of 2,200 |
| 12Dodge County, NE | 52 | 19 | 12.5 | $638K | +2.6% | #1,012 of 2,200 |
| 13Madison County, NE | 49 | 14 | 9.7 | $796K | +1.6% | #1,131 of 2,200 |
| 14Dakota County, NE | 49 | 8 | 10.7 | $734K | +0.7% | #1,137 of 2,200 |
| 15Otoe County, NE | 45 | 14 | 21.9 | $392K | +3.9% | #1,351 of 2,200 |
| 16Dawson County, NE | 44 | 9 | 9.8 | $813K | +1.5% | #1,354 of 2,200 |
| 17Washington County, NE | 40 | 14 | 16.6 | $581K | +1.8% | #1,528 of 2,200 |
| 18Gage County, NE | 37 | 15 | 16.1 | $480K | +0.2% | #1,657 of 2,200 |
| 19Buffalo County, NE | 35 | 33 | 16.5 | $505K | +1.9% | #1,730 of 2,200 |
| 20Scotts Bluff County, NE | 32 | 22 | 14.6 | $510K | −1.3% | #1,822 of 2,200 |
| 21Box Butte County, NE | 20 | 6 | 13.3 | $541K | −3.0% | #2,107 of 2,200 |
| 22Red Willow County, NE | 20 | 7 | 15.5 | $491K | −3.5% | #2,108 of 2,200 |
| 23Holt County, NE | 19 | 7 | 17.3 | $447K | −0.3% | #2,125 of 2,200 |
| 24Lincoln County, NE | 16 | 26 | 17.5 | $435K | −3.6% | #2,157 of 2,200 |
| 25Custer County, NE | 15 | 10 | 22.2 | $346K | 0.0% | #2,171 of 2,200 |
Show all 93 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colfax County, NE | Not scored | 4 | 10.8 | $783K | +3.6% | |
| Wayne County, NE | Not scored | 3 | 8.0 | $961K | +3.3% | |
| Cheyenne County, NE | Not scored | 6 | 13.4 | $533K | +0.4% | |
| Hamilton County, NE | Not scored | 10 | 27.6 | $314K | +2.9% | |
| Phelps County, NE | Not scored | 8 | 20.4 | $395K | +0.2% | |
| Cuming County, NE | Not scored | 6 | 15.8 | $509K | −2.1% | |
| Butler County, NE | Not scored | 3 | 8.5 | $993K | +1.8% | |
| Knox County, NE | Not scored | 5 | 14.6 | $506K | −0.5% | |
| Cedar County, NE | Not scored | 4 | 11.6 | $698K | 0.0% | |
| Keith County, NE | Not scored | 4 | 9.9 | $752K | −2.7% | |
| Dawes County, NE | Not scored | 10 | 29.0 | $248K | −3.7% | |
| Richardson County, NE | Not scored | 7 | 19.7 | $384K | −4.2% | |
| Merrick County, NE | Not scored | 4 | 12.5 | $607K | +3.3% | |
| Pierce County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 7.0 | $1.1M | +0.5% | |
| Jefferson County, NE | Not scored | 12 | 38.3 | $189K | −2.6% | |
| Nemaha County, NE | Not scored | 3 | 10.5 | $719K | +0.2% | |
| Burt County, NE | Not scored | 7 | 23.9 | $312K | −0.6% | |
| Kearney County, NE | Not scored | 5 | 17.8 | $479K | +1.5% | |
| Thurston County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 5.0 | $1.5M | −0.1% | |
| Howard County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 4.0 | $2.1M | +0.8% | |
| Antelope County, NE | Not scored | 3 | 11.4 | $661K | +1.0% | |
| Clay County, NE | Not scored | 3 | 12.0 | $685K | +1.1% | |
| Stanton County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 8.6 | $971K | −1.4% | |
| Dixon County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 9.1 | $874K | +0.4% | |
| Fillmore County, NE | Not scored | 5 | 21.2 | $388K | −2.0% | |
| Cherry County, NE | Not scored | 4 | 17.9 | $420K | +1.9% | |
| Boone County, NE | Not scored | 6 | 27.4 | $303K | −0.1% | |
| Johnson County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 5.9 | $1.3M | −1.4% | |
| Polk County, NE | Not scored | 3 | 14.2 | $573K | +1.1% | |
| Sheridan County, NE | Not scored | 3 | 14.2 | $530K | −5.7% | |
| Thayer County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 4.8 | $1.6M | −3.6% | |
| Furnas County, NE | Not scored | 6 | 29.9 | $241K | −2.2% | |
| Morrill County, NE | Not scored | 9 | 46.9 | $150K | −3.3% | |
| Nuckolls County, NE | Not scored | 6 | 31.3 | $259K | +0.2% | |
| Valley County, NE | Not scored | 4 | 22.3 | $351K | +0.9% | |
| Chase County, NE | Not scored | 4 | 27.1 | $280K | −4.4% | |
| Webster County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 6.7 | $1.1M | −1.6% | |
| Nance County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 14.9 | $506K | −3.0% | |
| Kimball County, NE | Not scored | 4 | 26.9 | $253K | −0.5% | |
| Sherman County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 7.5 | $965K | −1.2% | |
| Brown County, NE | Not scored | 5 | 39.2 | $180K | −2.6% | |
| Harlan County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 16.7 | $514K | −1.9% | |
| Franklin County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 7.7 | $975K | −3.1% | |
| Perkins County, NE | Not scored | 3 | 25.2 | $317K | −0.3% | |
| Frontier County, NE | Not scored | 3 | 27.9 | $265K | +6.0% | |
| Hitchcock County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 18.0 | $378K | −5.9% | |
| Pawnee County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 18.3 | $383K | −1.0% | |
| Greeley County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 20.9 | $351K | −1.3% | |
| Gosper County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 12.0 | $688K | −4.8% | |
| Deuel County, NE | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.6% | |
| Garden County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 23.3 | $258K | −4.5% | |
| Dundy County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 25.7 | $282K | −5.2% | |
| Garfield County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 14.3 | $527K | −5.4% | |
| Boyd County, NE | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −7.5% | |
| Rock County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 16.7 | $453K | −0.7% | |
| Sioux County, NE | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.7% | |
| Wheeler County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 27.9 | $287K | +2.1% | |
| Hayes County, NE | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −3.2% | |
| Keya Paha County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 33.1 | $240K | +4.2% | |
| Logan County, NE | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −6.0% | |
| Banner County, NE | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.0% | |
| Hooker County, NE | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.8% | |
| Grant County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 70.4 | $105K | −8.3% | |
| Loup County, NE | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −6.1% | |
| Thomas County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 32.9 | $206K | −4.8% | |
| Arthur County, NE | Not scored | 2 | 108.1 | $80K | −7.9% | |
| McPherson County, NE | Not scored | 1 | 47.2 | $152K | −6.8% | |
| Blaine County, NE | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +6.8% |
Markets with fewer than 5 pet businesses on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many pet businesses are in Nebraska?
As of September 2026, map listings count 942 pet businesses in Nebraska. 115 of them (12%) are chain locations. The listings count vets, groomers, boarding and pet stores. Official counts show 506 businesses with payroll classed as pet care, veterinarians and pet stores in 2023, up 9.1% from 2019. Official counts list 726 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Nebraska spend on pets?
About $684.6M a year, or $858 per household. That is 6% below the U.S. average (an index of 94, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 942 pet businesses on map listings, it comes to $727K per business. It is estimated from the incomes of the 797,847 households in Nebraska and national spending patterns by income.
How does Nebraska compare with the U.S. for pet businesses?
Nebraska has 11.8 pet businesses per 10,000 households, 13% above the U.S. rate of 10.4. Spending per business is $727K, 17% below the U.S. figure of $878K. At the U.S. ratio of pet businesses to household spending, Nebraska would have about 779, against 942 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,577 households, against one for every 1,852 across the U.S. The official count rose 9.1% from 2019 to 2023, against +11.4% for the U.S.
Which market in Nebraska has the highest market score for pet businesses?
Among 4 scored metro areas in or partly in Nebraska, the Omaha metro area scores highest, at 64 (upper middle). Among 9 scored small-town markets in or partly in Nebraska, the Columbus area scores highest, at 64 (upper middle). Among 25 scored counties in Nebraska, Cass County scores highest, at 80 (high). 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. Nebraska scores 36 for pet businesses (lower middle), #40 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 Nebraska. 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
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Top markets for pet businesses across the U.S. · All business types in Nebraska
Related business types in Nebraska
- Veterinarians339 listings
- Pet grooming and boarding283 listings
- Pet stores161 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Nebraska?
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.