Market rankings · North Carolina
Pet grooming and boarding businesses in North Carolina
Every metro area, small-town market and county in North Carolina, ranked by the Groundwork market score for pet grooming and boarding businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,637
- 144 chain locations (9%)
- Official establishments
- 931
- +24.0% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $3.9B
- On pets
- Listings per 10k households
- 3.8
- 6% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $2.4M
- 8% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #20 of 51
- Market score 56 · Upper middle
A site report maps the pet grooming and boarding businesses on map listings around any address in North Carolina 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
North Carolina has 1,637 pet grooming and boarding businesses on map listings as of September 2026. Of those, 144 are chain locations, or 9%, against 9% across the U.S. That is 3.8 per 10,000 households, 6% above the U.S. rate of 3.6.
At $899 per household (in line with the U.S. average), households in North Carolina spend about $3.9B a year on pets. Spread across 1,637 pet grooming and boarding businesses, that is $2.4M per business, 8% below the U.S. figure of $2.5M. The spending figure covers all pets, not only pet grooming and boarding businesses.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as pet care (except veterinary) in North Carolina was 931 in 2023, up 24.0% from 2019. That is one for every 4,600 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, 88 SBA-backed loans worth $51.4M have gone to businesses classed as pet care (except veterinary) in North Carolina.
Among the 50 states and DC, North Carolina ranks #20 for pet grooming and boarding businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 56 (upper middle). Of the 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Burlington metro area scores highest (78). Of the 20 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest (90).
Every market in North Carolina for pet grooming and boarding businesses
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in North Carolina, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Burlington, NC | 78 | 16 | 2.3 | $3.6M | +8.5% | #19 of 386 |
| 2Goldsboro, NC | 77 | 8 | 1.7 | $4.6M | +3.8% | #21 of 386 |
| 3Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 74 | 65 | 2.6 | $3.8M | +7.5% | #33 of 386 |
| 4Rocky Mount, NC | 71 | 9 | 1.5 | $5.1M | +2.8% | #44 of 386 |
| 5Fayetteville, NC | 69 | 29 | 1.9 | $4.1M | +1.6% | #53 of 386 |
| 6Raleigh-Cary, NC | 67 | 227 | 4.0 | $2.8M | +12.6% | #65 of 386 |
| 7Greensboro-High Point, NC | 61 | 113 | 3.6 | $2.3M | +4.1% | #115 of 386 |
| 8Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 59 | 453 | 4.2 | $2.3M | +10.1% | #129 of 386 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 58 | 231 | 3.3 | $2.9M | +0.9% | #134 of 386 |
| 9Greenville, NC | 56 | 22 | 3.0 | $2.7M | +5.4% | #150 of 386 |
| 10Winston-Salem, NC | 50 | 114 | 4.0 | $2.1M | +5.3% | #204 of 386 |
| 11Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 48 | 56 | 3.7 | $2.1M | +3.2% | #218 of 386 |
| 12Wilmington, NC | 42 | 114 | 5.7 | $1.6M | +15.9% | #268 of 386 |
| 13Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 39 | 27 | 6.1 | $1.6M | +10.3% | #285 of 386 |
| 14Jacksonville, NC | 29 | 39 | 5.2 | $1.6M | +6.0% | #338 of 386 |
| 15Asheville, NC | 28 | 101 | 6.3 | $1.4M | +3.6% | #344 of 386 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Anderson Creek, NC | 90 | 18 | 3.6 | $2.4M | +12.3% | #3 of 387 |
| 2Morehead City, NC | 84 | 13 | 4.1 | $2.2M | +4.1% | #8 of 387 |
| 3Sanford, NC | 80 | 10 | 4.0 | $2M | +10.8% | #17 of 387 |
| 4Wilson, NC | 78 | 7 | 2.1 | $3.6M | +1.7% | #19 of 387 |
| 5New Bern, NC | 78 | 15 | 2.9 | $2.8M | +3.6% | #21 of 387 |
| 6Lumberton, NC | 77 | 6 | 1.4 | $4.7M | +3.4% | #25 of 387 |
| 7Kill Devil Hills, NC | 74 | 7 | 4.2 | $2.4M | +3.3% | #35 of 387 |
| 8Washington, NC | 69 | 5 | 2.6 | $3M | 0.0% | #53 of 387 |
| 9Forest City, NC | 69 | 7 | 2.6 | $2.8M | +2.1% | #54 of 387 |
| 10Mount Airy, NC | 66 | 11 | 3.7 | $2M | +1.3% | #78 of 387 |
| 11Kinston, NC | 59 | 6 | 2.6 | $2.7M | +1.4% | #127 of 387 |
| 12Waynesville, NC | 59 | 10 | 3.7 | $2.2M | +1.9% | #129 of 387 |
| 13Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC | 58 | 14 | 3.6 | $2.1M | +3.4% | #137 of 387 |
| 14Boone, NC | 53 | 7 | 3.3 | $2.4M | +0.6% | #168 of 387 |
| 15Roanoke Rapids, NC | 51 | 5 | 1.8 | $4M | −4.3% | #184 of 387 |
| 16Albemarle, NC | 51 | 14 | 5.5 | $1.4M | +9.8% | #190 of 387 |
| 17North Wilkesboro, NC | 44 | 13 | 4.8 | $1.4M | +0.6% | #242 of 387 |
| 18Brevard, NC | 44 | 11 | 7.5 | $1.1M | +2.9% | #247 of 387 |
| 19Elizabeth City, NC | 39 | 16 | 10.1 | $802K | +4.5% | #280 of 387 |
| 20Marion, NC | 37 | 10 | 5.4 | $1.4M | +1.5% | #300 of 387 |
| Rockingham, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $2.9M | −1.6% | |
| Henderson, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | $2.9M | +0.2% | |
| Laurinburg, NC | Not scored | 3 | 2.4 | $2.9M | −0.3% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Durham County, NC | 82 | 32 | 2.3 | $4.4M | +7.7% | #39 of 1,461 |
| 2Alamance County, NC | 81 | 16 | 2.3 | $3.6M | +8.5% | #47 of 1,461 |
| 3Harnett County, NC | 80 | 18 | 3.6 | $2.4M | +12.3% | #67 of 1,461 |
| 4Wayne County, NC | 79 | 8 | 1.7 | $4.6M | +3.8% | #70 of 1,461 |
| 5Franklin County, NC | 78 | 7 | 2.5 | $3.5M | +18.8% | #84 of 1,461 |
| 6Cabarrus County, NC | 78 | 27 | 3.2 | $3.2M | +9.9% | #89 of 1,461 |
| 7Hoke County, NC | 78 | 5 | 2.6 | $3.1M | +9.0% | #90 of 1,461 |
| 8Guilford County, NC | 78 | 62 | 2.8 | $3.1M | +4.4% | #91 of 1,461 |
| 9Currituck County, NC | 76 | 6 | 5.1 | $2M | +16.7% | #113 of 1,461 |
| 10Mecklenburg County, NC | 75 | 158 | 3.4 | $3M | +10.5% | #121 of 1,461 |
| 11Robeson County, NC | 73 | 6 | 1.4 | $4.7M | +3.4% | #144 of 1,461 |
| 12Nash County, NC | 73 | 8 | 2.1 | $3.9M | +3.9% | #148 of 1,461 |
| 13Chatham County, NC | 73 | 11 | 3.3 | $3.3M | +11.0% | #156 of 1,461 |
| 14Wake County, NC | 73 | 181 | 3.9 | $2.9M | +11.2% | #160 of 1,461 |
| 15Carteret County, NC | 72 | 13 | 4.1 | $2.2M | +4.1% | #189 of 1,461 |
| 16Cumberland County, NC | 71 | 24 | 1.8 | $4.3M | +0.4% | #193 of 1,461 |
| 17Craven County, NC | 71 | 11 | 2.6 | $3.1M | +3.5% | #204 of 1,461 |
| 18Wilson County, NC | 70 | 7 | 2.1 | $3.6M | +1.7% | #224 of 1,461 |
| 19Lee County, NC | 70 | 10 | 4.0 | $2M | +10.8% | #245 of 1,461 |
| 20Johnston County, NC | 69 | 39 | 4.6 | $2.1M | +17.9% | #267 of 1,461 |
| 21Orange County, NC | 68 | 18 | 3.1 | $3.4M | +6.1% | #272 of 1,461 |
| 22Catawba County, NC | 68 | 22 | 3.3 | $2.5M | +5.8% | #277 of 1,461 |
| 23Macon County, NC | 67 | 6 | 3.3 | $2.4M | +5.8% | #305 of 1,461 |
| 24Forsyth County, NC | 65 | 56 | 3.5 | $2.4M | +5.0% | #354 of 1,461 |
| 25Dare County, NC | 65 | 7 | 4.2 | $2.4M | +3.3% | #356 of 1,461 |
Show all 100 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Gaston County, NC | 65 | 39 | 4.2 | $2M | +7.8% | #363 of 1,461 |
| 27Pitt County, NC | 64 | 22 | 3.0 | $2.7M | +5.4% | #375 of 1,461 |
| 28Sampson County, NC | 63 | 5 | 2.3 | $3.1M | +4.1% | #399 of 1,461 |
| 29Pender County, NC | 63 | 11 | 4.3 | $2.1M | +19.0% | #410 of 1,461 |
| 30Rutherford County, NC | 62 | 7 | 2.6 | $2.8M | +2.1% | #420 of 1,461 |
| 31Davidson County, NC | 62 | 29 | 4.2 | $2M | +6.6% | #429 of 1,461 |
| 32Beaufort County, NC | 61 | 5 | 2.6 | $3M | 0.0% | #441 of 1,461 |
| 33Rowan County, NC | 60 | 26 | 4.4 | $1.9M | +5.6% | #495 of 1,461 |
| 34Columbus County, NC | 58 | 5 | 2.5 | $2.9M | 0.0% | #524 of 1,461 |
| 35Brunswick County, NC | 58 | 38 | 5.5 | $1.6M | +26.5% | #539 of 1,461 |
| 36Surry County, NC | 56 | 11 | 3.7 | $2M | +1.3% | #586 of 1,461 |
| 37Union County, NC | 55 | 52 | 6.2 | $1.8M | +11.7% | #615 of 1,461 |
| 38Granville County, NC | 53 | 10 | 4.4 | $2M | +2.1% | #659 of 1,461 |
| 39Burke County, NC | 53 | 15 | 4.1 | $1.9M | +1.6% | #661 of 1,461 |
| 40Lenoir County, NC | 50 | 6 | 2.6 | $2.7M | +1.4% | #725 of 1,461 |
| 41Caldwell County, NC | 50 | 13 | 3.9 | $1.9M | +0.7% | #744 of 1,461 |
| 42Yadkin County, NC | 50 | 7 | 4.7 | $1.7M | +2.9% | #745 of 1,461 |
| 43Lincoln County, NC | 50 | 25 | 6.8 | $1.4M | +13.2% | #752 of 1,461 |
| 44Cleveland County, NC | 49 | 14 | 3.6 | $2.1M | +3.4% | #760 of 1,461 |
| 45Rockingham County, NC | 49 | 19 | 4.8 | $1.6M | +3.3% | #770 of 1,461 |
| 46Haywood County, NC | 48 | 10 | 3.7 | $2.2M | +1.9% | #779 of 1,461 |
| 47Jackson County, NC | 48 | 7 | 3.8 | $2M | +6.9% | #783 of 1,461 |
| 48New Hanover County, NC | 48 | 65 | 6.2 | $1.5M | +8.6% | #794 of 1,461 |
| 49Moore County, NC | 47 | 27 | 6.1 | $1.6M | +10.3% | #811 of 1,461 |
| 50Randolph County, NC | 47 | 32 | 5.5 | $1.4M | +3.5% | #812 of 1,461 |
| 51Stanly County, NC | 45 | 14 | 5.5 | $1.4M | +9.8% | #849 of 1,461 |
| 52Iredell County, NC | 43 | 54 | 7.1 | $1.4M | +12.9% | #898 of 1,461 |
| 53Watauga County, NC | 42 | 7 | 3.3 | $2.4M | +0.6% | #906 of 1,461 |
| 54Stokes County, NC | 41 | 9 | 4.6 | $1.6M | +3.5% | #939 of 1,461 |
| 55Montgomery County, NC | 40 | 5 | 4.7 | $1.6M | +2.7% | #967 of 1,461 |
| 56Onslow County, NC | 40 | 39 | 5.2 | $1.6M | +6.0% | #971 of 1,461 |
| 57Henderson County, NC | 40 | 30 | 5.9 | $1.5M | +5.0% | #975 of 1,461 |
| 58Wilkes County, NC | 39 | 13 | 4.8 | $1.4M | +0.6% | #997 of 1,461 |
| 59Davie County, NC | 38 | 13 | 7.5 | $1.2M | +6.9% | #1,030 of 1,461 |
| 60Alexander County, NC | 37 | 6 | 4.2 | $1.8M | +1.5% | #1,034 of 1,461 |
| 61Polk County, NC | 35 | 7 | 7.8 | $1.1M | +6.0% | #1,088 of 1,461 |
| 62Buncombe County, NC | 34 | 69 | 6.8 | $1.3M | +2.9% | #1,105 of 1,461 |
| 63Transylvania County, NC | 34 | 11 | 7.5 | $1.1M | +2.9% | #1,111 of 1,461 |
| 64Ashe County, NC | 33 | 7 | 5.7 | $1.3M | +3.5% | #1,126 of 1,461 |
| 65Pasquotank County, NC | 32 | 16 | 10.1 | $802K | +4.5% | #1,157 of 1,461 |
| 66McDowell County, NC | 28 | 10 | 5.4 | $1.4M | +1.5% | #1,231 of 1,461 |
| 67Cherokee County, NC | 28 | 7 | 5.3 | $1.4M | +6.8% | #1,232 of 1,461 |
| Duplin County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.0 | $7.5M | +6.0% | |
| Edgecombe County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $14.4M | +0.7% | |
| Halifax County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.0 | $3.5M | −3.9% | |
| Richmond County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $2.9M | −1.6% | |
| Vance County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | $2.9M | +0.2% | |
| Person County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | $3.3M | +3.7% | |
| Scotland County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 2.4 | $2.9M | −0.3% | |
| Bladen County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 2.5 | $2.7M | +1.3% | |
| Caswell County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $6.5M | +0.4% | |
| Anson County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.1% | |
| Madison County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.4 | $3.3M | +5.9% | |
| Martin County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.1 | $3.3M | −1.6% | |
| Greene County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.3% | |
| Hertford County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.4 | $2.9M | −11.2% | |
| Yancey County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 3.7 | $2.2M | +3.2% | |
| Warren County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $5.8M | +1.6% | |
| Avery County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.9 | $2.8M | +1.1% | |
| Bertie County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.4 | $5.3M | −3.6% | |
| Northampton County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $5.7M | −5.4% | |
| Mitchell County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.5 | $4.9M | +1.1% | |
| Swain County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $2.3M | −0.6% | |
| Chowan County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.6 | $4.9M | +2.8% | |
| Perquimans County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.6% | |
| Pamlico County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 5.5 | $1.4M | +3.7% | |
| Clay County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 5.9 | $1.3M | +9.9% | |
| Alleghany County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.9 | $1.8M | +5.4% | |
| Camden County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 7.5 | $1.3M | +8.8% | |
| Washington County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −3.1% | |
| Gates County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 7.2 | $1M | −2.1% | |
| Jones County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $3.1M | +4.6% | |
| Graham County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 5.7 | $1.3M | +1.9% | |
| Hyde County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 5.2 | $1.3M | +1.0% | |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.3% |
Markets with fewer than 5 pet grooming and boarding businesses on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many pet grooming and boarding businesses are in North Carolina?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,637 pet grooming and boarding businesses in North Carolina. 144 of them (9%) are chain locations. The listings count groomers, boarding, dog daycare and pet sitters. Official counts show 931 businesses with payroll classed as pet care (except veterinary) in 2023, up 24.0% from 2019.
How much do households in North Carolina spend on pets?
About $3.9B a year, or $899 per household. That is in line with the U.S. average (an index of 99, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,637 pet grooming and boarding businesses on map listings, it comes to $2.4M per business. That spending covers all pets, which pet grooming and boarding businesses share with other businesses in the trade. It is estimated from the incomes of the 4,282,345 households in North Carolina and national spending patterns by income.
How does North Carolina compare with the U.S. for pet grooming and boarding businesses?
North Carolina has 3.8 pet grooming and boarding businesses per 10,000 households, 6% above the U.S. rate of 3.6. Spending per business is $2.4M, 8% below the U.S. figure of $2.5M. At the U.S. ratio of pet grooming and boarding businesses to household spending, North Carolina would have about 1,514, against 1,637 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 4,600 households, against one for every 5,057 across the U.S. The official count rose 24.0% from 2019 to 2023, against +25.2% for the U.S.
Which market in North Carolina has the highest market score for pet grooming and boarding businesses?
Among 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Burlington metro area scores highest, at 78 (high). Among 20 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest, at 90 (very high). Among 67 scored counties in North Carolina, Durham County scores highest, at 82 (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. North Carolina scores 56 for pet grooming and boarding businesses (upper middle), #20 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 North Carolina. 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
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Top markets for pet grooming and boarding businesses across the U.S. · All business types in North Carolina
Related business types in North Carolina
- Pet businesses4,712 listings
- Veterinarians1,506 listings
- Pet stores836 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in North Carolina?
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.