South Central metros ranked for new tunnel car washes

All 166 metro and micro areas based in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Kentucky, ranked by whitespace index at one tunnel per 20,000 people. Updated November 2, 2026.

Open the map On the map, Jump to a region moves the view to the South Central.

Rankings by region: U.S. top 100 · Southeast · Northeast and Mid-Atlantic · Midwest · South Central · Mountain West · Pacific

The top five South Central metros by whitespace index are Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX; San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX; New Orleans-Metairie, LA. A metro that spans regions is listed under its principal state, the first state in its name.

Tunnel car washes by state

State	Operating tunnels	In development
Texas	1,534	37
Oklahoma	200	6
Kentucky	200	3
Louisiana	192	1
Arkansas	135	7
Mississippi	105	0
Total	2,366	54

Actual counts of tunnel car wash locations on the map, by the state of each location (verified October 2026). Tunnels in development are reported projects, not all confirmed.

South Central metro ranking

Whitespace index (estimate): the weighted population in a metro's tracts that are short of tunnel car washes, divided by 20,000. Dense urban tracts are weighted down and income nudges demand. It ranks markets to study; it is not a count of buildable sites. Tunnels (operating only; tunnels in development are their own column and count as open in the index) and population are actual counts (tunnels verified October 2026, population Esri 2024 estimates). Rankings at 25,000 and 15,000 people per tunnel are in the map's market table.

Region rank	U.S. rank	Metro	Whitespace index (est.)	Population 2024	Tunnels	In development	People per tunnel
1	8	Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	108.1	7,619,359	348	11	21,895
2	11	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	96.4	8,195,415	421	9	19,467
3	29	Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	33.6	2,550,817	110	4	23,189
4	50	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	14.3	2,733,998	169	7	16,178
5	51	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	13.6	988,645	38	1	26,017
6	53	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	12.0	1,385,677	74	0	18,725
7	86	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	6.1	910,138	57	1	15,967
8	87	El Paso, TX	5.9	884,483	48	1	18,427
9	92	Tulsa, OK	5.3	1,049,778	61	2	17,209
10	95	Oklahoma City, OK	5.2	1,486,341	85	4	17,486
11	102	Baton Rouge, LA	4.2	882,440	40	0	22,061
12	132	Jackson, MS	2.6	616,024	21	0	29,334
13	134	Lexington-Fayette, KY	2.5	526,223	29	2	18,146
14	148	Laredo, TX	2.0	272,217	12	0	22,685
15	154	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	1.7	764,872	39	3	19,612
16	163	Lubbock, TX	1.4	364,199	23	0	15,835
17	178	Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	1.2	428,927	25	0	17,157
18	184	Lake Charles, LA	1.2	257,263	7	0	36,752
19	188	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	1.1	386,633	16	0	24,165
20	191	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	1.1	601,399	41	0	14,668
21	233	Waco, TX	0.6	306,816	17	0	18,048
22	238	Fort Smith, AR-OK	0.6	228,957	10	1	22,896
23	248	Corpus Christi, TX	0.5	449,712	26	0	17,297
24	249	Tyler, TX	0.5	245,423	16	0	15,339
25	256	Lafayette, LA	0.5	415,990	23	0	18,087
26	262	San Angelo, TX	0.4	123,113	5	0	24,623
27	269	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	0.3	399,547	25	0	15,982
28	271	Sherman-Denison, TX	0.3	146,902	8	0	18,363
29	272	Wichita Falls, TX	0.3	148,473	4	0	37,118
30	274	Killeen-Temple, TX	0.3	507,724	28	0	18,133
31	278	Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA	0.3	278,144	15	0	18,543
32	288	Alexandria, LA	0.2	149,437	5	0	29,887
33	300	Texarkana, TX-AR	0.1	146,592	7	0	20,942
34	303	Shawnee, OK (micro)	0.1	73,902	2	0	36,951
35	309	Amarillo, TX	0.1	273,632	12	0	22,803
36	311	Richmond-Berea, KY (micro)	0.1	127,074	5	0	25,415
37	316	Abilene, TX	0.0	181,251	8	0	22,656
38	316	Ada, OK (micro)	0.0	38,458	1	0	38,458
39	316	Alice, TX (micro)	0.0	45,252	2	0	22,626
40	316	Altus, OK (micro)	0.0	24,415	1	0	24,415
41	316	Andrews, TX (micro)	0.0	19,146	1	0	19,146
42	316	Ardmore, OK (micro)	0.0	48,403	3	0	16,134
43	316	Arkadelphia, AR (micro)	0.0	21,029	1	0	21,029
44	316	Athens, TX (micro)	0.0	84,728	5	0	16,946
45	316	Bartlesville, OK (micro)	0.0	53,199	3	0	17,733
46	316	Batesville, AR (micro)	0.0	38,176	1	0	38,176
47	316	Bay City, TX (micro)	0.0	36,050	1	0	36,050
48	316	Beeville, TX (micro)	0.0	30,338	1	0	30,338
49	316	Big Spring, TX (micro)	0.0	34,051	2	0	17,026
50	316	Blytheville, AR (micro)	0.0	38,614	1	0	38,614
51	316	Bogalusa, LA (micro)	0.0	44,542	1	0	44,542
52	316	Bonham, TX (micro)	0.0	37,356	2	0	18,678
53	316	Borger, TX (micro)	0.0	20,020	1	0	20,020
54	316	Bowling Green, KY	0.0	190,211	14	0	13,586
55	316	Brenham, TX (micro)	0.0	36,518	4	0	9,130
56	316	Brookhaven, MS (micro)	0.0	34,919	1	0	34,919
57	316	Brownwood, TX (micro)	0.0	38,322	3	0	12,774
58	316	Camden, AR (micro)	0.0	26,421	1	0	26,421
59	316	Campbellsville, KY (micro)	0.0	37,888	5	0	7,578
60	316	Clarksdale, MS (micro)	0.0	20,510	0	0	none open
61	316	Cleveland, MS (micro)	0.0	29,267	1	0	29,267
62	316	College Station-Bryan, TX	0.0	283,518	15	0	18,901
63	316	Columbus, MS (micro)	0.0	67,637	2	0	33,818
64	316	Corbin, KY (micro)	0.0	150,108	3	0	50,036
65	316	Corinth, MS (micro)	0.0	33,871	3	0	11,290
66	316	Corsicana, TX (micro)	0.0	55,492	3	1	18,497
67	316	Danville, KY (micro)	0.0	55,404	3	1	18,468
68	316	DeRidder, LA (micro)	0.0	36,851	2	0	18,426
69	316	Del Rio, TX (micro)	0.0	47,108	1	0	47,108
70	316	Dumas, TX (micro)	0.0	20,946	0	0	none open
71	316	Duncan, OK (micro)	0.0	42,961	1	0	42,961
72	316	Durant, OK (micro)	0.0	48,645	3	0	16,215
73	316	Eagle Pass, TX	0.0	58,752	3	0	19,584
74	316	El Campo, TX (micro)	0.0	41,979	3	0	13,993
75	316	El Dorado, AR (micro)	0.0	37,682	1	1	37,682
76	316	Elizabethtown, KY	0.0	129,490	7	0	18,499
77	316	Elk City, OK (micro)	0.0	21,753	0	0	none open
78	316	Enid, OK	0.0	62,110	4	0	15,528
79	316	Forrest City, AR (micro)	0.0	22,245	0	0	none open
80	316	Frankfort, KY (micro)	0.0	76,669	5	0	15,334
81	316	Franklin, KY (micro)	0.0	20,418	1	0	20,418
82	316	Fredericksburg, TX (micro)	0.0	27,724	2	0	13,862
83	316	Gainesville, TX (micro)	0.0	43,467	3	0	14,489
84	316	Glasgow, KY (micro)	0.0	55,668	1	0	55,668
85	316	Granbury, TX (micro)	0.0	67,593	6	1	11,266
86	316	Greenville, MS (micro)	0.0	42,106	1	0	42,106
87	316	Greenwood, MS (micro)	0.0	36,326	1	0	36,326
88	316	Grenada, MS (micro)	0.0	30,540	1	0	30,540
89	316	Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	0.0	427,405	20	0	21,370
90	316	Guymon, OK (micro)	0.0	20,891	0	0	none open
91	316	Hammond, LA	0.0	139,485	10	0	13,948
92	316	Harrison, AR (micro)	0.0	45,163	2	0	22,582
93	316	Hattiesburg, MS	0.0	156,847	8	0	19,606
94	316	Henderson, KY (micro)	0.0	56,557	2	0	28,278
95	316	Hereford, TX (micro)	0.0	18,301	0	0	none open
96	316	Hot Springs, AR	0.0	100,977	6	0	16,830
97	316	Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA	0.0	202,131	8	0	25,266
98	316	Huntsville, TX (micro)	0.0	80,377	3	0	26,792
99	316	Jacksonville, TX (micro)	0.0	51,148	2	0	25,574
100	316	Jonesboro, AR	0.0	138,962	6	1	23,160
101	316	Kerrville, TX (micro)	0.0	54,066	2	0	27,033
102	316	Kingsville, TX (micro)	0.0	30,356	2	0	15,178
103	316	Laurel, MS (micro)	0.0	82,745	3	0	27,582
104	316	Lawton, OK	0.0	127,589	8	0	15,949
105	316	Longview, TX	0.0	291,421	19	0	15,338
106	316	Lufkin, TX (micro)	0.0	86,911	4	0	21,728
107	316	Madisonville, KY (micro)	0.0	44,707	2	0	22,354
108	316	Magnolia, AR (micro)	0.0	22,063	1	0	22,063
109	316	Malvern, AR (micro)	0.0	33,039	0	0	none open
110	316	Mayfield, KY (micro)	0.0	36,333	1	0	36,333
111	316	McAlester, OK (micro)	0.0	43,373	3	0	14,458
112	316	McComb, MS (micro)	0.0	53,433	2	0	26,716
113	316	Meridian, MS (micro)	0.0	85,284	5	0	17,057
114	316	Miami, OK (micro)	0.0	29,962	0	0	none open
115	316	Middlesborough, KY (micro)	0.0	23,155	1	0	23,155
116	316	Midland, TX	0.0	183,363	10	0	18,336
117	316	Minden, LA (micro)	0.0	35,134	1	0	35,134
118	316	Mineral Wells, TX (micro)	0.0	29,169	1	0	29,169
119	316	Monroe, LA	0.0	224,570	10	0	22,457
120	316	Morgan City, LA (micro)	0.0	47,073	2	0	23,536
121	316	Mount Pleasant, TX (micro)	0.0	55,441	2	0	27,720
122	316	Mount Sterling, KY (micro)	0.0	47,741	2	0	23,870
123	316	Mountain Home, AR (micro)	0.0	42,414	1	0	42,414
124	316	Murray, KY (micro)	0.0	37,517	1	0	37,517
125	316	Muskogee, OK (micro)	0.0	65,352	5	0	13,070
126	316	Nacogdoches, TX (micro)	0.0	64,961	3	0	21,654
127	316	Natchez, MS-LA (micro)	0.0	53,412	3	0	17,804
128	316	Natchitoches, LA (micro)	0.0	36,392	2	0	18,196
129	316	New Iberia, LA (micro)	0.0	67,658	2	0	33,829
130	316	Odessa, TX	0.0	170,806	11	0	15,528
131	316	Opelousas, LA (micro)	0.0	81,850	2	0	40,925
132	316	Owensboro, KY	0.0	113,465	7	0	16,209
133	316	Oxford, MS (micro)	0.0	71,067	1	0	71,067
134	316	Paducah, KY-IL	0.0	102,644	7	0	14,663
135	316	Palestine, TX (micro)	0.0	58,358	2	0	29,179
136	316	Pampa, TX (micro)	0.0	21,495	1	0	21,495
137	316	Paragould, AR (micro)	0.0	47,071	1	0	47,071
138	316	Paris, TX (micro)	0.0	61,847	2	0	30,924
139	316	Picayune, MS (micro)	0.0	57,417	2	0	28,708
140	316	Pikeville, KY (micro)	0.0	90,489	2	0	45,244
141	316	Pine Bluff, AR (micro)	0.0	70,781	2	1	35,390
142	316	Plainview, TX (micro)	0.0	36,720	1	0	36,720
143	316	Ponca City, OK (micro)	0.0	43,144	3	0	14,381
144	316	Port Lavaca, TX (micro)	0.0	19,677	1	0	19,677
145	316	Raymondville, TX (micro)	0.0	20,007	0	0	none open
146	316	Rio Grande City-Roma, TX (micro)	0.0	67,088	1	1	67,088
147	316	Russellville, AR (micro)	0.0	84,249	3	0	28,083
148	316	Ruston, LA (micro)	0.0	48,478	1	0	48,478
149	316	Searcy, AR (micro)	0.0	77,848	4	0	19,462
150	316	Snyder, TX (micro)	0.0	16,698	0	0	none open
151	316	Somerset, KY (micro)	0.0	66,217	6	0	11,036
152	316	Starkville, MS (micro)	0.0	62,176	2	0	31,088
153	316	Stephenville, TX (micro)	0.0	43,929	4	0	10,982
154	316	Stillwater, OK (micro)	0.0	83,048	5	0	16,610
155	316	Sulphur Springs, TX (micro)	0.0	37,880	2	0	18,940
156	316	Sweetwater, TX (micro)	0.0	14,424	1	0	14,424
157	316	Tahlequah, OK (micro)	0.0	47,787	4	0	11,947
158	316	Town of Pecos, TX (micro)	0.0	13,230	0	0	none open
159	316	Tupelo, MS (micro)	0.0	132,037	4	0	33,009
160	316	Uvalde, TX (micro)	0.0	24,291	2	0	12,146
161	316	Vernon, TX (micro)	0.0	12,483	0	0	none open
162	316	Vicksburg, MS (micro)	0.0	42,470	1	0	42,470
163	316	Victoria, TX	0.0	98,901	7	0	14,129
164	316	Weatherford, OK (micro)	0.0	38,705	0	0	none open
165	316	Woodward, OK (micro)	0.0	19,916	1	0	19,916
166	316	Zapata, TX (micro)	0.0	13,799	0	0	none open