DETROIT, February 13, 2025 – Urban Science® today announced its 2024 year-end Automotive Franchise Activity Report (FAR), which reveals continued stability across the U.S. automotive retail network last year. As of December 31, 2024, there were 27 more dealerships (rooftops) in the U.S. compared to the same date in 2023 (18,374 compared to 18,347 at the end of last year); the number of franchises – brands a dealership sells – decreased by 380 (from 30,504 to 30,124) year over year.
Urban Science reported throughput – the number of vehicles a dealership sells – increased by 22 units this year (from 851 units in 2023 to 873 units in 2024). Overall, retail sales – comprising all powertrain types – increased 2.8% last year compared to 2023.
In this environment of continued stability regarding dealership count and retail sales, Urban Science expects throughput to remain stable in 2025 with a modest increase of three units. This uptick to 876 units would represent a new peak since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. This figure is based on GlobalData’s forecast of 16.1 million unit sales in 2025.
Continued stability across most markets
According to Urban Science, 95% of core-based statistical areas (CBSAs) in the U.S. had virtually no net change (+/- one store) in dealerships. Eighty percent of CBSAs had no actual net change in dealerships; nine percent of CBSAs (net) lost at least one dealership and 11% (net) gained at least one dealership. The most significant state-level changes were net increases in Florida (+21), Texas (+14), Georgia (+9) and North Carolina (+7), and net decreases in Pennsylvania (-8) and Missouri (-10); Alabama, Ohio and Wisconsin’s dealership counts all (net) decreased by four stores each.
U.S. EV sales hit new milestone
According to Urban Science’s Q4 EV sales report, EV retail sales – comprising battery electric vehicle (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) sales – achieved record sales again in 2024. Year-end EV retail sales were up 22.7% in 2024 compared to 2023. Click here to view the full report.
About Urban Science
Urban Science is a leading automotive consultancy and technology firm that serves automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and dealers, and the advertising technology companies that support them, around the world. Headquartered in Detroit and operating in 20 office locations globally, Urban Science taps the power of its science – and its unrivaled data, solution offerings and industry expertise – to create clarity and business certainty for clients in even the most chaotic market conditions. Visit UrbanScience.com for more information about how Urban Science helps automotive manufacturers and dealers gain competitive edges by taking the guesswork out of critical business decisions, and in turn drives improved efficiency and profitability industrywide.
About the Urban Science Automotive Franchise Activity Report
Urban Science maintains a list of current new-vehicle dealership and franchise information for all car and light truck brands in the United States. Compiled on a monthly basis, the census is the most reliable source of dealership statistics. The data comes from a variety of sources, including feeds from automotive manufacturers as well as phone and field verification. Urban Science has been collecting this information since 1990 and compiles an annual analysis for the previous year in its Automotive Franchise Activity Report.
