Saturation ranking
Where pet boarding, grooming & daycare is most and least saturated in California
Every California market with sourced Pet Services data, ranked on how much provision it already has. Counties are measured per 10,000 residents. Cities are measured as a share of the businesses in the same ZIP codes, because a city’s establishment counts cover its ZIP codes rather than its city limits and cannot be divided by its municipal population. Neither measure says anything about revenue or profitability, and a crowded market is not automatically a bad one: it is also where the most businesses come up for sale.
- Statewide establishments
- 2,591
- 2023 County Business Patterns
- State median density
- 0.6
- Per 10,000 residents, counties
- Counties ranked
- 36
- of 41 with data
- Cities ranked
- 114
- of 205 with data
Most saturated counties for pet services
36 of 41 counties with sourced data qualify for this ranking. Markets with fewer than 5 establishments are excluded at both levels, because a single opening or closing would move them enough to dominate the list. Counties under 2,000 residents are also excluded, where a per-capita figure is arithmetically true and analytically useless.
| # | County | Establishments | Per 10k | Vs state median | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marin County253,694 residents | 41 | 1.6 | +167% | Densely served |
| 2 | Siskiyou County42,013 residents | 6 | 1.4 | +136% | Densely served |
| 3 | Sonoma County486,444 residents | 68 | 1.4 | +131% | Densely served |
| 4 | Napa County132,949 residents | 15 | 1.1 | +86% | Densely served |
| 5 | San Luis Obispo County282,367 residents | 29 | 1.0 | +70% | Densely served |
| 6 | San Francisco County826,079 residents | 83 | 1.0 | +66% | Densely served |
| 7 | San Diego County3,282,248 residents | 303 | 0.9 | +53% | Densely served |
| 8 | San Mateo County743,568 residents | 67 | 0.9 | +49% | Above average |
| 9 | Ventura County830,851 residents | 74 | 0.9 | +47% | Above average |
| 10 | Nevada County101,911 residents | 9 | 0.9 | +46% | Above average |
| 11 | Shasta County181,648 residents | 16 | 0.9 | +46% | Above average |
| 12 | Butte County209,211 residents | 18 | 0.9 | +42% | Above average |
| 13 | Santa Barbara County442,065 residents | 37 | 0.8 | +38% | Above average |
| 14 | El Dorado County192,323 residents | 16 | 0.8 | +37% | Above average |
| 15 | Contra Costa County1,170,070 residents | 97 | 0.8 | +37% | Above average |
State median for this industry: 0.6 establishments per 10,000 residents. A high figure means more provision per resident, not more demand.
Least saturated counties for pet services
The same 36 counties, read from the bottom of the ordering upward. Thin provision is worth checking against the neighbouring counties before treating it as an opening.
| # | County | Establishments | Per 10k | Vs state median | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tulare County485,146 residents | 11 | 0.2 | -63% | Thinly served |
| 2 | Imperial County181,411 residents | 5 | 0.3 | -54% | Thinly served |
| 3 | Kern County927,068 residents | 26 | 0.3 | -54% | Thinly served |
| 4 | San Joaquin County823,815 residents | 27 | 0.3 | -46% | Thinly served |
| 5 | Monterey County433,729 residents | 16 | 0.4 | -39% | Below average |
| 6 | Fresno County1,035,456 residents | 43 | 0.4 | -31% | Below average |
| 7 | San Bernardino County2,224,091 residents | 93 | 0.4 | -31% | Below average |
| 8 | Kings County154,327 residents | 7 | 0.5 | -25% | Below average |
| 9 | Solano County455,376 residents | 21 | 0.5 | -24% | Below average |
| 10 | Sacramento County1,618,460 residents | 75 | 0.5 | -23% | Below average |
| 11 | Alameda County1,636,630 residents | 77 | 0.5 | -22% | Below average |
| 12 | Santa Clara County1,914,391 residents | 92 | 0.5 | -21% | Below average |
| 13 | Stanislaus County557,719 residents | 27 | 0.5 | -20% | Below average |
| 14 | Yolo County224,410 residents | 11 | 0.5 | -19% | Below average |
| 15 | Mendocino County88,122 residents | 5 | 0.6 | -6% | Typical |
State median for this industry: 0.6 establishments per 10,000 residents. A low figure can mean a genuine gap, or a market served from the next county over.
Most saturated cities for pet services
114 of 205 cities with sourced data qualify for this ranking. Markets with fewer than 5 establishments are excluded at both levels, because a single opening or closing would move them enough to dominate the list. Cities with fewer than 500 businesses in total are also excluded, because on a base that small the industry’s share moves on rounding.
| # | City | Establishments | Share of local | Vs state share | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa ClaritaLos Angeles, 1,301 businesses in total | 13 | 1.00% | +433% | Densely served |
| 2 | PacificaSan Mateo, 637 businesses in total | 6 | 0.94% | +403% | Densely served |
| 3 | BeaumontRiverside, 731 businesses in total | 6 | 0.82% | +338% | Densely served |
| 4 | Arroyo GrandeSan Luis Obispo, 896 businesses in total | 7 | 0.78% | +317% | Densely served |
| 5 | LafayetteContra Costa, 1,069 businesses in total | 8 | 0.75% | +300% | Densely served |
| 6 | GlendoraLos Angeles, 1,497 businesses in total | 11 | 0.73% | +292% | Densely served |
| 7 | BelmontSan Mateo, 694 businesses in total | 5 | 0.72% | +285% | Densely served |
| 8 | SebastopolSonoma, 987 businesses in total | 7 | 0.71% | +279% | Densely served |
| 9 | PowaySan Diego, 1,702 businesses in total | 12 | 0.71% | +276% | Densely served |
| 10 | Mill ValleyMarin, 1,277 businesses in total | 9 | 0.70% | +276% | Densely served |
| 11 | Citrus HeightsSacramento, 1,423 businesses in total | 10 | 0.70% | +275% | Densely served |
| 12 | Lake ElsinoreRiverside, 1,327 businesses in total | 9 | 0.68% | +262% | Densely served |
| 13 | MoorparkVentura, 899 businesses in total | 6 | 0.67% | +256% | Densely served |
| 14 | Seal BeachOrange, 766 businesses in total | 5 | 0.65% | +248% | Densely served |
| 15 | Morgan HillSanta Clara, 1,399 businesses in total | 9 | 0.64% | +243% | Densely served |
| 16 | BrentwoodContra Costa, 1,414 businesses in total | 9 | 0.64% | +240% | Densely served |
| 17 | SanteeSan Diego, 1,273 businesses in total | 8 | 0.63% | +235% | Densely served |
| 18 | VistaSan Diego, 3,017 businesses in total | 18 | 0.60% | +219% | Densely served |
| 19 | San Juan CapistranoOrange, 1,409 businesses in total | 8 | 0.57% | +203% | Densely served |
| 20 | La MiradaLos Angeles, 1,112 businesses in total | 6 | 0.54% | +188% | Densely served |
| 21 | PetalumaSonoma, 2,420 businesses in total | 13 | 0.54% | +187% | Densely served |
| 22 | Laguna BeachOrange, 1,515 businesses in total | 8 | 0.53% | +182% | Densely served |
| 23 | RichmondContra Costa, 1,549 businesses in total | 8 | 0.52% | +176% | Densely served |
| 24 | PalmdaleLos Angeles, 2,335 businesses in total | 12 | 0.51% | +174% | Densely served |
| 25 | PlacervilleEl Dorado, 974 businesses in total | 5 | 0.51% | +174% | Densely served |
Statewide, 0.19% of California businesses are in this industry. A higher local share means the industry takes up more of the local business base than it does statewide.
City figures are aggregated over the ZIP codes the Postal Service assigns to each place, which do not follow municipal boundaries. That is why the comparison here is a share of the businesses in those same ZIP codes rather than a figure per resident: both sides then cover the same ground, so a city that loses establishments to a separately named ZIP loses its denominator with them.
Most underserved cities for pet services
The bottom of the same ordering. These are the California cities carrying the least pet services provision per resident among those that clear both floors.
| # | City | Establishments | Share of local | Vs state share | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IrvineOrange, 14,947 businesses in total | 7 | 0.05% | -75% | Thinly served |
| 2 | RosevillePlacer, 5,038 businesses in total | 5 | 0.10% | -47% | Thinly served |
| 3 | Beverly HillsLos Angeles, 6,870 businesses in total | 7 | 0.10% | -46% | Thinly served |
| 4 | BakersfieldKern, 10,791 businesses in total | 11 | 0.10% | -46% | Thinly served |
| 5 | San JoseSanta Clara, 21,501 businesses in total | 24 | 0.11% | -40% | Thinly served |
| 6 | SacramentoSacramento, 19,687 businesses in total | 22 | 0.11% | -40% | Thinly served |
| 7 | El CajonSan Diego, 4,089 businesses in total | 5 | 0.12% | -35% | Below average |
| 8 | Santa AnaOrange, 8,181 businesses in total | 11 | 0.13% | -28% | Below average |
| 9 | BurbankLos Angeles, 5,899 businesses in total | 8 | 0.14% | -28% | Below average |
| 10 | Los AngelesLos Angeles, 77,828 businesses in total | 106 | 0.14% | -27% | Below average |
| 11 | Chula VistaSan Diego, 4,885 businesses in total | 7 | 0.14% | -24% | Below average |
| 12 | Newport BeachOrange, 6,234 businesses in total | 9 | 0.14% | -23% | Below average |
| 13 | OaklandAlameda, 10,328 businesses in total | 15 | 0.15% | -22% | Below average |
| 14 | CarlsbadSan Diego, 5,494 businesses in total | 8 | 0.15% | -22% | Below average |
| 15 | RiversideRiverside, 7,958 businesses in total | 12 | 0.15% | -19% | Below average |
| 16 | Elk GroveSacramento, 3,042 businesses in total | 5 | 0.16% | -12% | Typical |
| 17 | ModestoStanislaus, 5,412 businesses in total | 9 | 0.17% | -11% | Typical |
| 18 | FresnoFresno, 13,153 businesses in total | 23 | 0.17% | -7% | Typical |
| 19 | PleasantonAlameda, 3,345 businesses in total | 6 | 0.18% | -4% | Typical |
| 20 | PasadenaLos Angeles, 7,697 businesses in total | 14 | 0.18% | -3% | Typical |
| 21 | San MarcosSan Diego, 2,711 businesses in total | 5 | 0.18% | -2% | Typical |
| 22 | BreaOrange, 2,531 businesses in total | 5 | 0.20% | +5% | Typical |
| 23 | ConcordContra Costa, 3,539 businesses in total | 7 | 0.20% | +6% | Typical |
| 24 | RedlandsSan Bernardino, 2,509 businesses in total | 5 | 0.20% | +6% | Typical |
| 25 | San FranciscoSan Francisco, 33,575 businesses in total | 68 | 0.20% | +8% | Typical |
Statewide, 0.19% of California businesses are in this industry. A lower local share can mean a genuine gap, or a market served from the next town over.
How to read these rankings
- Both measures are supply measures. They say nothing about how much each business earns, how large it is, or how much demand comes from outside the market.
- The two levels are not directly comparable to each other. A county figure is establishments per resident; a city figure is this industry’s share of the local business base against the statewide share. Compare counties to counties and cities to cities.
- A thinly served market can be a genuine gap or a market already served from a neighbouring town. The individual market pages list the nearest comparable places for exactly this check.
- A densely served market means competition, but it is also where the largest pool of existing businesses sits, and therefore where the most owners reach retirement each year.
- Counties are the more stable measure. City figures rest on ZIP code geography, which the Postal Service redraws as it pleases, so a city can gain or lose a ZIP between years.
Full pet services data for California/All industry rankings/Methodology
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 County Business Patterns. Establishment counts, employment and annual payroll by NAICS. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2026Q1). Quarterly establishment counts and employment for employers covered by unemployment insurance. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ZIP Code Business Patterns. Establishment counts by ZIP code and NAICS, aggregated over the ZIP codes assigned to each city, including the all-industry totals used as the local business base. Retrieved 2026-09-10.