Groundwork

Market rankings · Connecticut

Pet grooming and boarding businesses in Connecticut

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

Listings
568
56 chain locations (10%)
Official establishments
362
+22.7% since 2019
Household spending a year
$1.1B
On pets
Listings per 10k households
4.0
11% above the U.S.
Spending per listing
$1.9M
26% below the U.S.
Rank among states
#45 of 51
Market score 23 · Low

A site report maps the pet grooming and boarding businesses on map listings around any address in Connecticut 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 568 pet grooming and boarding businesses in Connecticut. Of those, 56 are chain locations, or 10%, against 9% across the U.S. That is 4.0 per 10,000 households, 11% above the U.S. rate of 3.6.

Households in Connecticut spend about $1.1B a year on pets, or $742 per household, 18% below the U.S. average. Spread across 568 pet grooming and boarding businesses, that is $1.9M per business, 26% below the U.S. figure of $2.5M. That spending covers all pets, which pet grooming and boarding businesses share with other businesses in the trade.

Official counts show 362 businesses with payroll classed as pet care (except veterinary) in Connecticut in 2023, up 22.7% from 2019. That is one for every 3,961 households, against one for every 5,057 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 25.2% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 37 SBA-backed loans worth $19.4M have gone to businesses classed as pet care (except veterinary) in Connecticut.

Among the 50 states and DC, Connecticut ranks #45 for pet grooming and boarding businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 23 (low). Of the 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the New Haven metro area scores highest (40). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Torrington area scores highest (46).

Every market in Connecticut for pet grooming and boarding businesses

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Connecticut, 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 Connecticut, ranked for pet grooming and boarding businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1New Haven, CT40763.3$2.1M+2.5%#275 of 386
2Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT361514.3$2M+3.7%#299 of 386
3Waterbury-Shelton, CT30673.7$1.9M+3.2%#327 of 386
4Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT251823.9$1.9M+3.0%#355 of 386
5Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT17514.4$1.5M+2.0%#374 of 386

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Connecticut, ranked for pet grooming and boarding businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Torrington, CT46183.8$1.9M+2.2%#224 of 387
2Putnam, CT39235.8$1.2M+3.0%#276 of 387

Counties

Counties in Connecticut, ranked for pet grooming and boarding businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT55363.0$2.4M+4.1%#600 of 1,461
2South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT50763.3$2.1M+2.5%#730 of 1,461
3Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT481154.9$1.8M+3.5%#787 of 1,461
4Capitol Planning Region, CT441353.5$2.1M+3.1%#856 of 1,461
5Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT42673.7$1.9M+3.2%#911 of 1,461
6Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT37183.8$1.9M+2.2%#1,033 of 1,461
7Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT36235.8$1.2M+3.0%#1,068 of 1,461
8Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT30514.4$1.5M+2.0%#1,187 of 1,461
9Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT24476.3$1.2M+2.3%#1,307 of 1,461

Questions

How many pet grooming and boarding businesses are in Connecticut?

Connecticut has 568 pet grooming and boarding businesses on map listings as of September 2026. 56 of them (10%) are chain locations. The listings count groomers, boarding, dog daycare and pet sitters. Official counts show 362 businesses with payroll classed as pet care (except veterinary) in 2023, up 22.7% from 2019.

How much do households in Connecticut spend on pets?

About $1.1B a year, or $742 per household. That is 18% below the U.S. average (an index of 82, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 568 pet grooming and boarding businesses on map listings, it comes to $1.9M per business. The spending figure covers all pets, not only pet grooming and boarding businesses. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,434,007 households in Connecticut and national spending patterns by income.

How does Connecticut compare with the U.S. for pet grooming and boarding businesses?

Connecticut has 4.0 pet grooming and boarding businesses per 10,000 households, 11% above the U.S. rate of 3.6. Spending per business is $1.9M, 26% below the U.S. figure of $2.5M. At the national ratio of pet grooming and boarding businesses to household spending, Connecticut would have about 418, against 568 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 3,961 households, against one for every 5,057 across the U.S. The official count rose 22.7% from 2019 to 2023, against +25.2% for the U.S.

Which market in Connecticut has the highest market score for pet grooming and boarding businesses?

Among 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the New Haven metro area scores highest, at 40 (lower middle). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Torrington area scores highest, at 46 (lower middle). Among 9 scored counties in Connecticut, the Greater Bridgeport Planning Region scores highest, at 55 (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. Connecticut scores 23 for pet grooming and boarding businesses (low), #45 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 Connecticut. It maps the pet grooming and boarding 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 grooming and boarding in other states

All 51 states

Top markets for pet grooming and boarding businesses across the U.S. · All business types in Connecticut

Screening a site or an acquisition in Connecticut?

A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.

Run a site report See plans
Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Screening many markets at once? Talk to us

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.