Market rankings · California
Veterinarians in California
Every metro area, small-town market and county in California, ranked by the Groundwork market score for veterinarians, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 4,095
- 977 chain locations (24%)
- Official establishments
- 3,467
- +10.3% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $15.6B
- On pets
- Listings per 10k households
- 3.0
- 9% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $3.8M
- 40% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #10 of 51
- Market score 68 · Upper middle
A site report maps the veterinarians on map listings around any address in California 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 4,095 veterinarians on map listings in California as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 24% of them, against 19% across the U.S. That is 3.0 per 10,000 households, 9% below the U.S. rate of 3.3.
At $1,149 per household (26% above the U.S. average), households in California spend about $15.6B a year on pets. That is about $3.8M of household spending for each clinic on map listings, 40% above the U.S. figure of $2.7M. The spending figure covers all pets, not only veterinarians.
In 2023, official counts showed 3,467 businesses with payroll in California classed as veterinary services, up 10.3% from 2019. That is one for every 3,908 households, against one for every 3,767 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 6.8% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 134 SBA-backed loans worth $218.1M have gone to businesses classed as veterinary services in California.
Among the 50 states and DC, California ranks #10 for veterinarians, with a Groundwork market score of 68 (upper middle). Of the 24 scored metro areas in or partly in California, the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area scores highest (84). Of the 7 scored small-town markets in or partly in California, the Clearlake area scores highest (71).
Every market in California for veterinarians
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in California, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 84 | 377 | 2.6 | $4.1M | +3.5% | #8 of 384 |
| 2Yuba City, CA | 83 | 11 | 1.8 | $5.4M | +3.3% | #9 of 384 |
| 3Merced, CA | 83 | 19 | 2.2 | $3.9M | +5.1% | #12 of 384 |
| 4Stockton-Lodi, CA | 82 | 62 | 2.5 | $4.3M | +5.5% | #14 of 384 |
| 5Fresno, CA | 82 | 85 | 2.3 | $4.1M | +3.2% | #15 of 384 |
| 6San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 80 | 184 | 2.7 | $5.5M | −0.6% | #19 of 384 |
| 7Visalia, CA | 79 | 33 | 2.3 | $3.9M | +2.4% | #23 of 384 |
| 8Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 78 | 68 | 2.4 | $3.8M | +2.3% | #25 of 384 |
| 9Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 77 | 10 | 2.3 | $3.9M | +1.0% | #28 of 384 |
| 10San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 72 | 508 | 2.9 | $4.7M | −2.4% | #46 of 384 |
| 11Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 68 | 1,211 | 2.7 | $4.2M | −2.6% | #64 of 384 |
| 12Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 66 | 315 | 3.6 | $3.1M | +3.2% | #81 of 384 |
| 13Vallejo, CA | 65 | 57 | 3.6 | $3.1M | +0.6% | #88 of 384 |
| 14Modesto, CA | 65 | 57 | 3.2 | $3.1M | +0.7% | #89 of 384 |
| 15San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 59 | 421 | 3.6 | $3.3M | −0.6% | #127 of 384 |
| 16Chico, CA | 59 | 24 | 2.9 | $3.2M | −0.5% | #128 of 384 |
| 17Napa, CA | 50 | 19 | 3.8 | $3.2M | −3.3% | #196 of 384 |
| 18Salinas, CA | 50 | 50 | 3.8 | $2.9M | −1.5% | #198 of 384 |
| 19Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 48 | 58 | 3.9 | $2.9M | −1.4% | #207 of 384 |
| 20Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 47 | 122 | 4.4 | $2.8M | −1.5% | #214 of 384 |
| 21Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 40 | 93 | 4.9 | $2.4M | −0.4% | #256 of 384 |
| 22Redding, CA | 35 | 32 | 4.5 | $2.1M | −0.3% | #296 of 384 |
| 23Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 32 | 55 | 5.7 | $2.2M | −4.7% | #315 of 384 |
| 24San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 30 | 64 | 5.8 | $1.9M | 0.0% | #324 of 384 |
| El Centro, CA | Not scored | 2 | 0.4 | $20.4M | +1.1% |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Clearlake, CA | 71 | 10 | 3.7 | $2.3M | −0.6% | #57 of 398 |
| 2Eureka-Arcata, CA | 66 | 18 | 3.3 | $2.6M | −3.4% | #89 of 398 |
| 3Red Bluff, CA | 61 | 9 | 3.6 | $2.4M | −1.7% | #118 of 398 |
| 4Sonora, CA | 55 | 9 | 4.0 | $2.4M | −4.0% | #159 of 398 |
| Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA | 50 | 12 | 5.5 | $2M | +0.9% | #204 of 398 |
| 5Truckee-Grass Valley, CA | 38 | 30 | 7.0 | $1.5M | −0.4% | #282 of 398 |
| 6Ukiah, CA | 34 | 20 | 5.7 | $1.6M | −3.5% | #313 of 398 |
| Susanville, CA | Not scored | 3 | 3.2 | $2.6M | −13.1% | |
| Crescent City, CA | Not scored | 3 | 3.2 | $2.8M | −4.4% | |
| Bishop, CA | Not scored | 4 | 5.0 | $1.9M | −4.4% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1San Benito County, CA | 92 | 6 | 2.9 | $4.2M | +8.6% | #5 of 1,485 |
| 2Riverside County, CA | 88 | 206 | 2.7 | $4.1M | +5.0% | #21 of 1,485 |
| 3Merced County, CA | 85 | 19 | 2.2 | $3.9M | +5.1% | #42 of 1,485 |
| 4San Joaquin County, CA | 84 | 62 | 2.5 | $4.3M | +5.5% | #49 of 1,485 |
| 5Fresno County, CA | 83 | 76 | 2.3 | $4.1M | +2.6% | #54 of 1,485 |
| 6Madera County, CA | 82 | 9 | 2.0 | $4.8M | +7.4% | #60 of 1,485 |
| 7Tulare County, CA | 81 | 33 | 2.3 | $3.9M | +2.4% | #73 of 1,485 |
| 8San Francisco County, CA | 80 | 54 | 1.5 | $9.3M | −5.6% | #82 of 1,485 |
| 9Santa Clara County, CA | 80 | 178 | 2.7 | $5.5M | −0.9% | #84 of 1,485 |
| 10Kern County, CA | 80 | 68 | 2.4 | $3.8M | +2.3% | #89 of 1,485 |
| 11San Bernardino County, CA | 79 | 171 | 2.5 | $4M | +1.9% | #100 of 1,485 |
| 12Sacramento County, CA | 79 | 167 | 2.9 | $3.7M | +2.0% | #102 of 1,485 |
| 13Kings County, CA | 78 | 10 | 2.3 | $3.9M | +1.0% | #119 of 1,485 |
| 14Alameda County, CA | 75 | 158 | 2.6 | $5M | −2.6% | #168 of 1,485 |
| 15Los Angeles County, CA | 74 | 810 | 2.4 | $4.6M | −3.0% | #193 of 1,485 |
| 16Sutter County, CA | 72 | 7 | 2.1 | $4.7M | −0.7% | #227 of 1,485 |
| 17Contra Costa County, CA | 72 | 155 | 3.7 | $3.5M | +0.3% | #231 of 1,485 |
| 18Calaveras County, CA | 72 | 8 | 4.3 | $2.3M | +2.8% | #247 of 1,485 |
| 19Solano County, CA | 70 | 57 | 3.6 | $3.1M | +0.6% | #282 of 1,485 |
| 20Stanislaus County, CA | 70 | 57 | 3.2 | $3.1M | +0.7% | #283 of 1,485 |
| 21San Mateo County, CA | 69 | 88 | 3.3 | $4.4M | −2.5% | #295 of 1,485 |
| 22Placer County, CA | 67 | 78 | 4.9 | $2.5M | +8.9% | #343 of 1,485 |
| 23San Diego County, CA | 65 | 421 | 3.6 | $3.3M | −0.6% | #377 of 1,485 |
| 24Butte County, CA | 65 | 24 | 2.9 | $3.2M | −0.5% | #378 of 1,485 |
| 25Orange County, CA | 62 | 401 | 3.7 | $3.4M | −1.1% | #449 of 1,485 |
Show all 58 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Lake County, CA | 59 | 10 | 3.7 | $2.3M | −0.6% | #518 of 1,485 |
| 27Monterey County, CA | 58 | 50 | 3.8 | $2.9M | −1.5% | #532 of 1,485 |
| 28Napa County, CA | 55 | 19 | 3.8 | $3.2M | −3.3% | #597 of 1,485 |
| 29Ventura County, CA | 55 | 122 | 4.4 | $2.8M | −1.5% | #601 of 1,485 |
| 30El Dorado County, CA | 55 | 34 | 4.5 | $2.7M | +0.6% | #603 of 1,485 |
| 31Santa Barbara County, CA | 54 | 58 | 3.9 | $2.9M | −1.4% | #626 of 1,485 |
| 32Marin County, CA | 54 | 53 | 5.1 | $2.8M | −2.9% | #628 of 1,485 |
| 33Humboldt County, CA | 54 | 18 | 3.3 | $2.6M | −3.4% | #632 of 1,485 |
| 34Yolo County, CA | 54 | 36 | 4.7 | $2.3M | +3.1% | #640 of 1,485 |
| 35Tehama County, CA | 50 | 9 | 3.6 | $2.4M | −1.7% | #740 of 1,485 |
| 36Sonoma County, CA | 49 | 93 | 4.9 | $2.4M | −0.4% | #766 of 1,485 |
| 37Shasta County, CA | 49 | 32 | 4.5 | $2.1M | −0.3% | #776 of 1,485 |
| 38Tuolumne County, CA | 47 | 9 | 4.0 | $2.4M | −4.0% | #812 of 1,485 |
| 39Santa Cruz County, CA | 43 | 55 | 5.7 | $2.2M | −4.7% | #910 of 1,485 |
| 40San Luis Obispo County, CA | 41 | 64 | 5.8 | $1.9M | 0.0% | #958 of 1,485 |
| 41Amador County, CA | 37 | 12 | 7.5 | $1.4M | +3.2% | #1,055 of 1,485 |
| 42Siskiyou County, CA | 35 | 7 | 3.7 | $2.2M | −4.5% | #1,086 of 1,485 |
| 43Nevada County, CA | 34 | 30 | 7.0 | $1.5M | −0.4% | #1,120 of 1,485 |
| 44Mendocino County, CA | 28 | 20 | 5.7 | $1.6M | −3.5% | #1,246 of 1,485 |
| 45Plumas County, CA | 18 | 6 | 7.4 | $1.2M | −5.9% | #1,401 of 1,485 |
| 46Trinity County, CA | 15 | 5 | 9.0 | $892K | −2.3% | #1,435 of 1,485 |
| Imperial County, CA | Not scored | 2 | 0.4 | $20.4M | +1.1% | |
| Yuba County, CA | Not scored | 4 | 1.4 | $6.7M | +8.2% | |
| Lassen County, CA | Not scored | 3 | 3.2 | $2.6M | −13.1% | |
| Glenn County, CA | Not scored | 4 | 4.1 | $2.1M | −2.6% | |
| Del Norte County, CA | Not scored | 3 | 3.2 | $2.8M | −4.4% | |
| Colusa County, CA | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $3.5M | −0.1% | |
| Inyo County, CA | Not scored | 4 | 5.0 | $1.9M | −4.4% | |
| Mariposa County, CA | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $1.7M | −1.2% | |
| Mono County, CA | Not scored | 2 | 3.5 | $3.2M | −5.4% | |
| Modoc County, CA | Not scored | 2 | 6.1 | $1.3M | −2.9% | |
| Sierra County, CA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.0% | |
| Alpine County, CA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −11.6% |
Markets with fewer than 5 veterinarians on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many veterinarians are in California?
As of September 2026, map listings count 4,095 veterinarians in California. 977 of them (24%) are chain locations. The listings count veterinary clinics and animal hospitals. Official counts show 3,467 businesses with payroll classed as veterinary services in 2023, up 10.3% from 2019.
How much do households in California spend on pets?
About $15.6B a year, or $1,149 per household. That is 26% above the U.S. average (an index of 126, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 4,095 veterinarians on map listings, it comes to $3.8M per clinic. That spending covers all pets, which veterinarians share with other businesses in the trade. It is estimated from the incomes of the 13,548,091 households in California and national spending patterns by income.
How does California compare with the U.S. for veterinarians?
California has 3.0 veterinarians per 10,000 households, 9% below the U.S. rate of 3.3. Spending per clinic is $3.8M, 40% above the U.S. figure of $2.7M. At the U.S. ratio of veterinarians to household spending, California would have about 5,722, against 4,095 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 3,908 households, against one for every 3,767 across the U.S. The official count rose 10.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.8% for the U.S.
Which market in California has the highest market score for veterinarians?
Among 24 scored metro areas in or partly in California, the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area scores highest, at 84 (high). Among 7 scored small-town markets in or partly in California, the Clearlake area scores highest, at 71 (upper middle). Among 46 scored counties in California, San Benito County scores highest, at 92 (very 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. California scores 68 for veterinarians (upper middle), #10 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 California. It maps the veterinarians 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.
Veterinarians in other states
All 51 states
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Top markets for veterinarians across the U.S. · All business types in California
Related business types in California
- Pet businesses12,584 listings
- Pet grooming and boarding4,099 listings
- Pet stores3,043 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in California?
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.