U.S. Dealership Numbers Increasing Slightly

Aug. 20, 2018—Despite predictions suggesting that auto dealerships will decrease in numbers in the foreseeable future, that decline hasn’t happened yet, according to a recent report.

According to Urban Science’s mid-year Automotive Franchise Activity Report, the number of dealerships in the United States has actually increased slightly in recent months. As of July 1, there are 18,252 dealerships in the U.S., which represents a 0.2 percent increase from the turn of the calendar year.

The number of franchises, or brands that a dealership sells, also experienced a period of what Urban Science calls stability. However, the franchise count actually decreased slightly, from 32,029 in January to 32,024 in July. According to Urban Science, since 2010, the dealership network has set a new normal pattern of stability.

The most significant net dealership increases occurred in Florida (10), Texas (seven), and New York and Ohio (both five), according to WardsAuto.