Market rankings · North Carolina
Veterinarians in North Carolina
Every metro area, small-town market and county in North Carolina, ranked by the Groundwork market score for veterinarians, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,506
- 332 chain locations (22%)
- Official establishments
- 1,223
- +10.3% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $3.9B
- On pets
- Listings per 10k households
- 3.5
- 6% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $2.6M
- 6% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #21 of 51
- Market score 56 · Upper middle
A site report maps the veterinarians 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
There are 1,506 veterinarians on map listings in North Carolina as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 22% of them, against 19% across the U.S. That is 3.5 per 10,000 households, 6% above the U.S. rate of 3.3.
At $899 per household (in line with the U.S. average), households in North Carolina spend about $3.9B a year on pets. That is about $2.6M of household spending for each clinic on map listings, 6% below the U.S. figure of $2.7M. The spending figure covers all pets, not only veterinarians.
Official counts show 1,223 businesses with payroll classed as veterinary services in North Carolina in 2023, up 10.3% from 2019. That is one for every 3,502 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, 30 SBA-backed loans worth $56.7M have gone to businesses classed as veterinary services in North Carolina.
Among the 50 states and DC, North Carolina ranks #21 for veterinarians, with a Groundwork market score of 56 (upper middle). Of the 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Rocky Mount metro area scores highest (72). Of the 18 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest (94).
Every market in North Carolina for veterinarians
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Rocky Mount, NC | 72 | 11 | 1.9 | $4.2M | +2.8% | #47 of 384 |
| 2Goldsboro, NC | 68 | 12 | 2.5 | $3.1M | +3.8% | #68 of 384 |
| 3Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 68 | 398 | 3.7 | $2.7M | +10.1% | #72 of 384 |
| 4Fayetteville, NC | 63 | 36 | 2.4 | $3.3M | +1.6% | #97 of 384 |
| 5Winston-Salem, NC | 63 | 85 | 3.0 | $2.8M | +5.3% | #100 of 384 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 62 | 224 | 3.2 | $3M | +0.9% | #102 of 384 |
| 6Raleigh-Cary, NC | 61 | 245 | 4.3 | $2.6M | +12.6% | #109 of 384 |
| 7Greenville, NC | 59 | 17 | 2.3 | $3.4M | +5.4% | #125 of 384 |
| 8Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 57 | 95 | 3.8 | $2.6M | +7.5% | #147 of 384 |
| 9Wilmington, NC | 55 | 79 | 4.0 | $2.3M | +15.9% | #163 of 384 |
| 10Greensboro-High Point, NC | 53 | 100 | 3.2 | $2.7M | +4.1% | #172 of 384 |
| 11Jacksonville, NC | 53 | 26 | 3.5 | $2.4M | +6.0% | #175 of 384 |
| 12Burlington, NC | 52 | 23 | 3.3 | $2.5M | +8.5% | #181 of 384 |
| 13Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 52 | 48 | 3.2 | $2.5M | +3.2% | #182 of 384 |
| 14Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 39 | 23 | 5.2 | $1.8M | +10.3% | #268 of 384 |
| 15Asheville, NC | 29 | 84 | 5.2 | $1.7M | +3.6% | #333 of 384 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Anderson Creek, NC | 94 | 7 | 1.4 | $6.1M | +12.3% | #2 of 398 |
| 2Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC | 82 | 10 | 2.6 | $3M | +3.4% | #12 of 398 |
| 3Albemarle, NC | 79 | 8 | 3.2 | $2.5M | +9.8% | #22 of 398 |
| 4Elizabeth City, NC | 75 | 6 | 3.8 | $2.1M | +4.5% | #33 of 398 |
| 5Lumberton, NC | 73 | 10 | 2.3 | $2.8M | +3.4% | #37 of 398 |
| 6New Bern, NC | 73 | 17 | 3.2 | $2.5M | +3.6% | #40 of 398 |
| 7Brevard, NC | 73 | 5 | 3.4 | $2.4M | +2.9% | #41 of 398 |
| 8Wilson, NC | 63 | 13 | 3.9 | $1.9M | +1.7% | #107 of 398 |
| 9Waynesville, NC | 62 | 9 | 3.3 | $2.4M | +1.9% | #111 of 398 |
| 10Sanford, NC | 61 | 11 | 4.4 | $1.8M | +10.8% | #123 of 398 |
| 11Kill Devil Hills, NC | 60 | 8 | 4.8 | $2.1M | +3.3% | #127 of 398 |
| 12Forest City, NC | 53 | 9 | 3.4 | $2.1M | +2.1% | #179 of 398 |
| 13Morehead City, NC | 52 | 16 | 5.0 | $1.8M | +4.1% | #196 of 398 |
| 14Mount Airy, NC | 49 | 12 | 4.0 | $1.9M | +1.3% | #211 of 398 |
| 15Henderson, NC | 49 | 7 | 4.3 | $1.7M | +0.2% | #213 of 398 |
| 16Laurinburg, NC | 32 | 5 | 4.0 | $1.7M | −0.3% | #321 of 398 |
| 17Boone, NC | 30 | 11 | 5.2 | $1.5M | +0.6% | #330 of 398 |
| 18Kinston, NC | 26 | 13 | 5.6 | $1.2M | +1.4% | #355 of 398 |
| North Wilkesboro, NC | Not scored | 4 | 1.5 | $4.7M | +0.6% | |
| Roanoke Rapids, NC | Not scored | 4 | 1.4 | $4.9M | −4.3% | |
| Marion, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.6 | $4.7M | +1.5% | |
| Washington, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.1 | $3.8M | 0.0% | |
| Rockingham, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $5.7M | −1.6% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Brunswick County, NC | 89 | 15 | 2.2 | $4.2M | +26.5% | #17 of 1,485 |
| 2Harnett County, NC | 88 | 7 | 1.4 | $6.1M | +12.3% | #18 of 1,485 |
| 3Lincoln County, NC | 87 | 9 | 2.4 | $3.9M | +13.2% | #28 of 1,485 |
| 4Johnston County, NC | 81 | 23 | 2.7 | $3.5M | +17.9% | #74 of 1,485 |
| 5Davidson County, NC | 80 | 17 | 2.4 | $3.3M | +6.6% | #92 of 1,485 |
| 6Union County, NC | 80 | 30 | 3.6 | $3.1M | +11.7% | #96 of 1,485 |
| 7Nash County, NC | 76 | 8 | 2.1 | $3.9M | +3.9% | #142 of 1,485 |
| 8Franklin County, NC | 76 | 9 | 3.2 | $2.7M | +18.8% | #156 of 1,485 |
| 9Mecklenburg County, NC | 76 | 179 | 3.8 | $2.7M | +10.5% | #161 of 1,485 |
| 10Rowan County, NC | 75 | 17 | 2.9 | $2.8M | +5.6% | #185 of 1,485 |
| 11Wayne County, NC | 73 | 12 | 2.5 | $3.1M | +3.8% | #217 of 1,485 |
| 12Cabarrus County, NC | 72 | 31 | 3.7 | $2.7M | +9.9% | #241 of 1,485 |
| 13Cleveland County, NC | 71 | 10 | 2.6 | $3M | +3.4% | #260 of 1,485 |
| 14Durham County, NC | 71 | 51 | 3.6 | $2.7M | +7.7% | #264 of 1,485 |
| 15Gaston County, NC | 71 | 32 | 3.4 | $2.5M | +7.8% | #270 of 1,485 |
| 16Randolph County, NC | 70 | 14 | 2.4 | $3.2M | +3.5% | #280 of 1,485 |
| 17Forsyth County, NC | 70 | 48 | 3.0 | $2.9M | +5.0% | #287 of 1,485 |
| 18Burke County, NC | 68 | 9 | 2.5 | $3.1M | +1.6% | #318 of 1,485 |
| 19Orange County, NC | 68 | 25 | 4.4 | $2.4M | +6.1% | #326 of 1,485 |
| 20Stanly County, NC | 67 | 8 | 3.2 | $2.5M | +9.8% | #345 of 1,485 |
| 21Wake County, NC | 67 | 213 | 4.6 | $2.4M | +11.2% | #347 of 1,485 |
| 22Pitt County, NC | 66 | 17 | 2.3 | $3.4M | +5.4% | #355 of 1,485 |
| 23Caldwell County, NC | 66 | 8 | 2.4 | $3.1M | +0.7% | #358 of 1,485 |
| 24Duplin County, NC | 66 | 6 | 2.9 | $2.5M | +6.0% | #364 of 1,485 |
| 25Cumberland County, NC | 64 | 32 | 2.5 | $3.2M | +0.4% | #396 of 1,485 |
Show all 100 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Robeson County, NC | 64 | 10 | 2.3 | $2.8M | +3.4% | #401 of 1,485 |
| 27Alamance County, NC | 64 | 23 | 3.3 | $2.5M | +8.5% | #407 of 1,485 |
| 28Onslow County, NC | 64 | 26 | 3.5 | $2.4M | +6.0% | #410 of 1,485 |
| 29Iredell County, NC | 63 | 31 | 4.1 | $2.4M | +12.9% | #437 of 1,485 |
| 30Pasquotank County, NC | 63 | 6 | 3.8 | $2.1M | +4.5% | #443 of 1,485 |
| 31Stokes County, NC | 62 | 5 | 2.6 | $3M | +3.5% | #451 of 1,485 |
| 32Chatham County, NC | 62 | 14 | 4.2 | $2.6M | +11.0% | #458 of 1,485 |
| 33Guilford County, NC | 61 | 73 | 3.3 | $2.6M | +4.4% | #471 of 1,485 |
| 34Rockingham County, NC | 60 | 13 | 3.3 | $2.3M | +3.3% | #496 of 1,485 |
| 35Transylvania County, NC | 59 | 5 | 3.4 | $2.4M | +2.9% | #516 of 1,485 |
| 36Yadkin County, NC | 57 | 5 | 3.3 | $2.4M | +2.9% | #562 of 1,485 |
| 37Granville County, NC | 56 | 8 | 3.6 | $2.4M | +2.1% | #581 of 1,485 |
| 38Craven County, NC | 55 | 15 | 3.5 | $2.3M | +3.5% | #615 of 1,485 |
| 39Pender County, NC | 55 | 12 | 4.7 | $1.9M | +19.0% | #623 of 1,485 |
| 40New Hanover County, NC | 54 | 52 | 5.0 | $1.9M | +8.6% | #651 of 1,485 |
| 41Person County, NC | 53 | 5 | 3.1 | $2.7M | +3.7% | #658 of 1,485 |
| 42Wilson County, NC | 53 | 13 | 3.9 | $1.9M | +1.7% | #677 of 1,485 |
| 43Columbus County, NC | 52 | 5 | 2.5 | $2.9M | 0.0% | #682 of 1,485 |
| 44Jackson County, NC | 52 | 7 | 3.8 | $2M | +6.9% | #701 of 1,485 |
| 45Dare County, NC | 51 | 8 | 4.8 | $2.1M | +3.3% | #719 of 1,485 |
| 46Catawba County, NC | 51 | 27 | 4.1 | $2.1M | +5.8% | #721 of 1,485 |
| 47Lee County, NC | 51 | 11 | 4.4 | $1.8M | +10.8% | #730 of 1,485 |
| 48Moore County, NC | 51 | 23 | 5.2 | $1.8M | +10.3% | #731 of 1,485 |
| 49Haywood County, NC | 49 | 9 | 3.3 | $2.4M | +1.9% | #768 of 1,485 |
| 50Macon County, NC | 45 | 7 | 3.8 | $2.1M | +5.8% | #871 of 1,485 |
| 51Henderson County, NC | 45 | 23 | 4.5 | $1.9M | +5.0% | #875 of 1,485 |
| 52Rutherford County, NC | 43 | 9 | 3.4 | $2.1M | +2.1% | #912 of 1,485 |
| 53Carteret County, NC | 42 | 16 | 5.0 | $1.8M | +4.1% | #941 of 1,485 |
| 54Vance County, NC | 42 | 7 | 4.3 | $1.7M | +0.2% | #942 of 1,485 |
| 55Davie County, NC | 41 | 10 | 5.8 | $1.6M | +6.9% | #968 of 1,485 |
| 56Surry County, NC | 38 | 12 | 4.0 | $1.9M | +1.3% | #1,015 of 1,485 |
| 57Buncombe County, NC | 36 | 60 | 5.9 | $1.5M | +2.9% | #1,077 of 1,485 |
| 58Polk County, NC | 31 | 9 | 10.0 | $868K | +6.0% | #1,201 of 1,485 |
| 59Cherokee County, NC | 29 | 9 | 6.8 | $1.1M | +6.8% | #1,237 of 1,485 |
| 60Scotland County, NC | 24 | 5 | 4.0 | $1.7M | −0.3% | #1,319 of 1,485 |
| 61Watauga County, NC | 23 | 11 | 5.2 | $1.5M | +0.6% | #1,330 of 1,485 |
| 62Lenoir County, NC | 23 | 13 | 5.6 | $1.2M | +1.4% | #1,336 of 1,485 |
| 63Martin County, NC | 13 | 5 | 5.3 | $1.3M | −1.6% | #1,449 of 1,485 |
| Wilkes County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 1.5 | $4.7M | +0.6% | |
| Sampson County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.4 | $5.2M | +4.1% | |
| Hoke County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.1 | $3.9M | +9.0% | |
| Edgecombe County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.5 | $4.8M | +0.7% | |
| Halifax County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.0 | $3.5M | −3.9% | |
| McDowell County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 1.6 | $4.7M | +1.5% | |
| Beaufort County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.1 | $3.8M | 0.0% | |
| Richmond County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $5.7M | −1.6% | |
| Alexander County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 2.8 | $2.7M | +1.5% | |
| Currituck County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 2.5 | $4.1M | +16.7% | |
| Bladen County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 3.4 | $2M | +1.3% | |
| Ashe County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $4.6M | +3.5% | |
| Montgomery County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 1.9 | $4.1M | +2.7% | |
| Caswell County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $6.5M | +0.4% | |
| Anson County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $5.7M | −2.1% | |
| Madison County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $6.6M | +5.9% | |
| Greene County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.4 | $4.7M | +1.3% | |
| Hertford County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.4 | $2.9M | −11.2% | |
| Yancey County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.5 | $3.3M | +3.2% | |
| Warren County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.5 | $2.9M | +1.6% | |
| Avery County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 5.9 | $1.4M | +1.1% | |
| Bertie County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.8 | $2.7M | −3.6% | |
| Northampton County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.4% | |
| Mitchell County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.0 | $2.5M | +1.1% | |
| Swain County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $2.3M | −0.6% | |
| Chowan County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $2.4M | +2.8% | |
| Perquimans County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.6% | |
| Pamlico County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.7 | $2.1M | +3.7% | |
| Clay County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.0 | $4M | +9.9% | |
| Alleghany County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.9 | $1.8M | +5.4% | |
| Camden County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +8.8% | |
| Washington County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $3.2M | −3.1% | |
| Gates County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 7.2 | $1M | −2.1% | |
| Jones County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.6% | |
| Graham County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.8 | $2.6M | +1.9% | |
| Hyde County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.0% | |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.3% |
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 North Carolina?
As of September 2026, map listings count 1,506 veterinarians in North Carolina. 332 of them (22%) are chain locations. The listings count veterinary clinics and animal hospitals. Official counts show 1,223 businesses with payroll classed as veterinary services in 2023, up 10.3% 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 1,506 veterinarians on map listings, it comes to $2.6M per clinic. That spending covers all pets, which veterinarians 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 veterinarians?
North Carolina has 3.5 veterinarians per 10,000 households, 6% above the U.S. rate of 3.3. Spending per clinic is $2.6M, 6% below the U.S. figure of $2.7M. At the U.S. ratio of veterinarians to household spending, North Carolina would have about 1,416, against 1,506 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 3,502 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 North Carolina has the highest market score for veterinarians?
Among 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Rocky Mount metro area scores highest, at 72 (upper middle). Among 18 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest, at 94 (very high). Among 63 scored counties in North Carolina, Brunswick County scores highest, at 89 (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 veterinarians (upper middle), #21 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 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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- South Carolina
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Top markets for veterinarians across the U.S. · All business types in North Carolina
Related business types in North Carolina
- Pet businesses4,712 listings
- Pet grooming and boarding1,637 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.