Hit Business Ideas

General auto repair / Delaware

How many general automotive repair shops are in Delaware?

The Census Bureau counted 238 general automotive repair shops with paid employees in Delaware in 2023. That is 1.2% fewer than in 2017.

DELAWARE · 2023

The count

238

general automotive repair shops with paid employees

Employees
1,215
Average per site
5.1
Change since 2017
−1.2%
State rank
47 of 51

What the number means

Delaware had 238 general automotive repair shops in 2023, ranking number 47 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Together they employed 1,215 people and paid $70 million in annual payroll, an average of 5.1 employees per site.

These businesses make up 0.80% of every employer establishment in Delaware, below the 1.01% national share. A site count is not the same as the number of companies: a chain with 40 locations counts 40 times.

61% of general automotive repair shops in Delaware have fewer than 5 employees, against 66% across the U.S.

Delaware holds 0.3% of the nation's general automotive repair shops and 0.4% of all U.S. employer establishments, so, measured against the state's overall size, the trade is under-represented. The most common size class is under 5 employees (145 sites). Average payroll per employee is $57,769, against $53,031 for the U.S. trade.

Size of the businesses

General auto repair in Delaware by number of employees, 2023
Employees per siteShareSitesShare
Under 514561.2%
5 to 96226.2%
10 to 192510.5%
20 to 4952.1%
50 to 9900.0%
100 to 24900.0%
250 to 49900.0%

Count since 2017

1002017201920222023Delaware 99U.S. 102

Index: 2017 = 100. Employer establishments only. 2017 count 241; 2019 count 218; 2022 count 234; 2023 count 238. Employment +19.5% since 2017.

Biggest other trades in Delaware

TradeSitesEmployeesSince 2017
Full-service restaurants89922,174+9.6%
Landscaping services4564,285+16.0%
Child day care3494,928+0.3%
Plumbing and HVAC contractors3444,719+4.2%
Janitorial services2793,437+18.7%
Beauty salons2771,830+7.4%
Coffee shops and snack bars2302,838+13.3%
Fitness centers1702,956+16.4%

General auto repair in nearby ranks

StateSitesRank
Vermont33544
Rhode Island33045
North Dakota29546
Wyoming22848
Hawaii22749
Alaska21250

All states for general automotive repair shops · Every trade in Delaware

Questions

How many general automotive repair shops are in Delaware?

The Census Bureau's County Business Patterns counted 238 general automotive repair shops with paid employees in Delaware in 2023. That ranks Delaware number 47 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Is the number of general automotive repair shops in Delaware growing?

Between 2017 and 2023 the count shrank (1.2%), from 241 to 238. Across the United States the count changed by +2.0% over the same period. These years include the 2020 pandemic.

Does this count include self-employed owners with no staff?

No. County Business Patterns covers establishments with at least one paid employee. A sole proprietor with no employees is counted in a separate Census series called Nonemployer Statistics, which this site does not use yet, so the real number of people working in this trade is higher than the figure shown.

Read this before using the number

These counts describe how many businesses already exist. They say nothing about demand, profit, competition near you or how much any owner earns, and we make no estimate of income. Check local licensing, costs and rules before acting on any figure here. See the disclaimer.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns (2023; change measured against 2017, 2019 and 2022). Establishments with paid employees only; employment and payroll carry Census noise infusion. Retrieved November 2, 2026. Method and sources.