Groundwork

Market rankings · Rhode Island

Pet businesses in Rhode Island

Every metro area, small-town market and county in Rhode Island, ranked by the Groundwork market score for pet businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
487
73 chain locations (15%)
Official establishments
265
+12.3% since 2019
Household spending a year
$303.2M
On pets
Listings per 10k households
11.0
6% above the U.S.
Spending per listing
$623K
29% below the U.S.
Rank among states
#48 of 51
Market score 20 · Low

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

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

What this means

There are 487 pet businesses on map listings in Rhode Island as of September 2026. 73 of them (15%) are chain locations, against 17% across the U.S. That is 11.0 per 10,000 households, 6% above the U.S. rate of 10.4.

Household spending on pets in Rhode Island comes to about $303.2M a year: $687 per household, 24% below the U.S. average. That works out to $623K per business, 29% below the U.S. figure of $878K.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as pet care, veterinarians and pet stores in Rhode Island was 265 in 2023, up 12.3% from 2019. That is one for every 1,666 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, 18 SBA-backed loans worth $10.2M have gone to businesses classed as pet care, veterinarians and pet stores in Rhode Island.

Among the 50 states and DC, Rhode Island ranks #48 for pet businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 20 (low). The one scored metro area in or partly in Rhode Island, the Providence-Warwick metro area, scores 25. Among 5 scored counties, Providence County scores highest (50).

Every market in Rhode Island for pet businesses

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island, ranked for pet businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Providence-Warwick, RI-MA2574611.0$620K+2.1%#357 of 387

Counties

Counties in Rhode Island, ranked for pet businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Providence County, RI502228.6$749K+2.8%#1,092 of 2,200
2Newport County, RI373910.6$720K−2.9%#1,628 of 2,200
3Bristol County, RI262813.9$579K−1.5%#1,979 of 2,200
4Kent County, RI2210814.8$479K+1.8%#2,073 of 2,200
5Washington County, RI229017.1$455K0.0%#2,075 of 2,200

Questions

How many pet businesses are in Rhode Island?

As of September 2026, map listings count 487 pet businesses in Rhode Island. 73 of them (15%) are chain locations. The listings count vets, groomers, boarding and pet stores. Official counts show 265 businesses with payroll classed as pet care, veterinarians and pet stores in 2023, up 12.3% from 2019. Official counts list 565 one-person businesses without payroll.

How much do households in Rhode Island spend on pets?

About $303.2M a year, or $687 per household. That is 24% below the U.S. average (an index of 76, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 487 pet businesses on map listings, it comes to $623K per business. It is estimated from the incomes of the 441,570 households in Rhode Island and national spending patterns by income.

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

Rhode Island has 11.0 pet businesses per 10,000 households, 6% above the U.S. rate of 10.4. Spending per business is $623K, 29% below the U.S. figure of $878K. At the U.S. ratio of pet businesses to household spending, Rhode Island would have about 345, against 487 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,666 households, against one for every 1,852 across the U.S. The official count rose 12.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +11.4% for the U.S.

Which market in Rhode Island has the highest market score for pet businesses?

The one scored metro area in or partly in Rhode Island is the Providence-Warwick metro area, at 25 (lower middle). Among 5 scored counties in Rhode Island, Providence County scores highest, at 50 (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. Rhode Island scores 20 for pet businesses (low), #48 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 Rhode Island. 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 Rhode Island

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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.