Southeast metros ranked for new tunnel car washes

All 182 metro and micro areas touching North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, Florida and Alabama, ranked by whitespace index at one tunnel per 20,000 people. Updated October 29, 2026.

Open the Southeast map U.S. top 100

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.

SE rank	U.S. rank	Metro	Whitespace index (est.)	Population 2024	Tunnels	In development	People per tunnel
1	3	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	168.7	6,248,398	166	29	37,641
2	4	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	158.8	6,429,395	148	10	43,442
3	9	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	100.4	6,399,274	264	2	24,240
4	24	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	37.9	3,353,755	166	6	20,203
5	31	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	31.8	2,851,936	123	3	23,186
6	32	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	31.7	2,884,681	121	9	23,840
7	36	Raleigh-Cary, NC	25.7	1,552,570	55	2	28,229
8	41	Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	21.0	1,802,655	83	2	21,719
9	43	Jacksonville, FL	18.1	1,737,832	81	2	21,455
10	45	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	16.9	2,189,414	103	2	21,256
11	52	Richmond, VA	12.1	1,365,279	72	3	18,962
12	60	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	10.9	1,344,037	61	1	22,033
13	64	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	9.2	718,006	29	0	24,759
14	69	Port St. Lucie, FL	8.3	532,807	25	0	21,312
15	74	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	7.6	620,668	19	0	32,667
16	77	Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	7.4	812,640	25	0	32,506
17	89	North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	5.7	914,199	47	1	19,451
18	94	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	5.2	840,698	46	7	18,276
19	97	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	4.7	642,218	38	2	16,900
20	101	Knoxville, TN	4.2	942,204	48	0	19,629
21	105	Columbia, SC	4.0	861,576	42	1	20,514
22	107	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	3.9	859,047	49	0	17,532
23	109	Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	3.6	980,584	44	0	22,286
24	111	Winston-Salem, NC	3.5	696,248	30	0	23,208
25	117	Gainesville, FL	3.3	354,987	9	0	39,443
26	137	Greensboro-High Point, NC	2.4	792,457	36	0	22,013
27	138	Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL	2.4	170,714	5	1	34,143
28	139	Ocala, FL	2.4	404,347	23	0	17,580
29	140	Birmingham, AL	2.3	1,195,462	59	0	20,262
30	144	Chattanooga, TN-GA	2.2	579,747	28	0	20,705
31	146	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	2.1	635,177	29	0	21,903
32	157	Savannah, GA	1.6	429,418	26	1	16,516
33	161	Charlottesville, VA	1.5	227,974	8	0	28,497
34	164	Fayetteville, NC	1.4	394,339	15	0	26,289
35	167	Columbus, GA-AL	1.4	327,634	16	0	20,477
36	169	Warner Robins, GA	1.3	203,872	13	0	15,682
37	170	Athens-Clarke County, GA	1.3	224,497	8	1	28,062
38	175	Naples-Marco Island, FL	1.2	404,645	17	0	23,803
39	176	Roanoke, VA	1.2	315,978	15	0	21,065
40	183	Tuscaloosa, AL	1.2	284,002	12	0	23,667
41	198	Huntsville, AL	1.0	531,872	35	0	15,196
42	199	Montgomery, AL	1.0	389,121	21	0	18,530
43	200	Burlington, NC	1.0	182,183	8	0	22,773
44	204	Wilmington, NC	0.9	464,839	27	0	17,216
45	205	Auburn-Opelika, AL	0.9	206,325	6	0	34,388
46	215	Johnson City, TN	0.8	211,257	12	0	17,605
47	216	Wildwood-The Villages, FL	0.8	151,246	4	0	37,812
48	220	Tallahassee, FL	0.8	394,816	17	0	23,224
49	223	Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC	0.7	232,637	15	0	15,509
50	225	Jackson, TN	0.7	181,471	8	1	22,684
51	230	Clarksville, TN-KY	0.6	346,482	19	0	18,236
52	232	Gainesville, GA	0.6	218,157	15	0	14,544
53	237	Spartanburg, SC	0.6	379,903	18	1	21,106
54	241	Macon-Bibb County, GA	0.6	234,066	13	0	18,005
55	263	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	0.4	534,840	34	2	15,731
56	264	Asheville, NC	0.4	423,370	18	1	23,521
57	266	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC	0.4	400,542	31	0	12,921
58	270	Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL	0.3	311,268	22	0	14,149
59	281	Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA	0.3	181,837	8	0	22,730
60	301	Mobile, AL	0.1	409,988	25	0	16,400
61	302	Cookeville, TN (micro)	0.1	147,320	6	0	24,553
62	316	Albany, GA	0.0	146,146	12	0	12,179
63	316	Albemarle, NC (micro)	0.0	64,578	1	0	64,578
64	316	Albertville, AL (micro)	0.0	99,770	7	0	14,253
65	316	Alexander City, AL (micro)	0.0	41,205	2	0	20,602
66	316	Americus, GA (micro)	0.0	32,964	3	0	10,988
67	316	Anderson Creek, NC (micro)	0.0	141,366	3	0	47,122
68	316	Anniston-Oxford, AL	0.0	115,169	8	0	14,396
69	316	Arcadia, FL (micro)	0.0	34,998	1	0	34,998
70	316	Athens, TN (micro)	0.0	68,022	3	0	22,674
71	316	Bainbridge, GA (micro)	0.0	29,528	2	0	14,764
72	316	Bluefield, WV-VA (micro)	0.0	97,524	2	0	48,762
73	316	Boone, NC (micro)	0.0	55,899	4	0	13,975
74	316	Brevard, NC (micro)	0.0	33,311	1	0	33,311
75	316	Brunswick-St. Simons, GA	0.0	114,994	6	0	19,166
76	316	Calhoun, GA (micro)	0.0	59,516	2	0	29,758
77	316	Cedartown, GA (micro)	0.0	43,957	4	0	10,989
78	316	Cleveland, TN	0.0	130,608	5	0	26,122
79	316	Clewiston, FL (micro)	0.0	53,648	1	0	53,648
80	316	Cordele, GA (micro)	0.0	19,366	1	0	19,366
81	316	Cornelia, GA (micro)	0.0	48,089	2	0	24,044
82	316	Crossville, TN (micro)	0.0	64,480	2	0	32,240
83	316	Cullman, AL (micro)	0.0	91,886	4	0	22,972
84	316	Dalton, GA	0.0	143,196	6	0	23,866
85	316	Danville, VA (micro)	0.0	101,251	3	0	33,750
86	316	Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	0.0	256,041	11	0	23,276
87	316	Decatur, AL	0.0	158,155	9	0	17,573
88	316	Dothan, AL	0.0	153,928	8	0	19,241
89	316	Douglas, GA (micro)	0.0	51,591	2	0	25,796
90	316	Dublin, GA (micro)	0.0	59,226	4	0	14,806
91	316	Dyersburg, TN (micro)	0.0	36,200	1	0	36,200
92	316	Elizabeth City, NC (micro)	0.0	41,092	3	0	13,697
93	316	Enterprise, AL (micro)	0.0	55,392	1	0	55,392
94	316	Eufaula, AL-GA (micro)	0.0	26,726	2	0	13,363
95	316	Fayetteville, TN (micro)	0.0	36,266	2	0	18,133
96	316	Fitzgerald, GA (micro)	0.0	17,031	2	0	8,516
97	316	Florence, SC	0.0	199,109	10	0	19,911
98	316	Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL	0.0	154,475	11	0	14,043
99	316	Forest City, NC (micro)	0.0	64,327	3	0	21,442
100	316	Fort Payne, AL (micro)	0.0	71,799	1	0	71,799
101	316	Gadsden, AL	0.0	103,117	6	0	17,186
102	316	Gaffney, SC (micro)	0.0	56,453	1	0	56,453
103	316	Goldsboro, NC	0.0	116,089	5	0	23,218
104	316	Greeneville, TN (micro)	0.0	71,527	4	0	17,882
105	316	Greenville, NC	0.0	174,066	9	0	19,341
106	316	Greenwood, SC (micro)	0.0	93,560	3	0	31,187
107	316	Harrisonburg, VA	0.0	138,163	8	0	17,270
108	316	Henderson, NC (micro)	0.0	41,671	2	0	20,836
109	316	Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	0.0	368,733	14	1	26,338
110	316	Hinesville, GA	0.0	86,480	6	0	14,413
111	316	Homosassa Springs, FL	0.0	164,302	7	0	23,472
112	316	Jacksonville, NC	0.0	210,815	15	0	14,054
113	316	Jefferson, GA (micro)	0.0	89,301	3	0	29,767
114	316	Jesup, GA (micro)	0.0	31,351	2	0	15,676
115	316	Key West-Key Largo, FL (micro)	0.0	83,702	3	0	27,901
116	316	Kill Devil Hills, NC (micro)	0.0	38,579	3	0	12,860
117	316	Kingsland, GA (micro)	0.0	57,758	2	0	28,879
118	316	Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA	0.0	310,262	16	0	19,391
119	316	Kinston, NC (micro)	0.0	53,889	3	0	17,963
120	316	LaGrange, GA-AL (micro)	0.0	105,309	4	0	26,327
121	316	Lake City, FL (micro)	0.0	72,288	4	0	18,072
122	316	Lake of the Woods, VA (micro)	0.0	38,249	1	0	38,249
123	316	Laurinburg, NC (micro)	0.0	33,604	1	0	33,604
124	316	Lawrenceburg, TN (micro)	0.0	45,608	1	0	45,608
125	316	Lewisburg, TN (micro)	0.0	36,539	1	0	36,539
126	316	Lumberton, NC (micro)	0.0	113,748	2	0	56,874
127	316	Lynchburg, VA	0.0	265,181	9	1	29,465
128	316	Marion, NC (micro)	0.0	44,731	2	0	22,366
129	316	Martin, TN (micro)	0.0	32,681	1	0	32,681
130	316	Martinsville, VA (micro)	0.0	62,967	1	0	62,967
131	316	McMinnville, TN (micro)	0.0	42,333	2	0	21,166
132	316	Milledgeville, GA (micro)	0.0	43,224	2	0	21,612
133	316	Morehead City, NC (micro)	0.0	68,242	4	0	17,060
134	316	Morristown, TN	0.0	122,762	9	0	13,640
135	316	Moultrie, GA (micro)	0.0	46,132	2	0	23,066
136	316	Mount Airy, NC (micro)	0.0	71,049	3	0	23,683
137	316	Murrells Inlet, SC (micro)	0.0	65,503	5	0	13,101
138	316	New Bern, NC (micro)	0.0	122,049	3	0	40,683
139	316	Newberry, SC (micro)	0.0	38,175	1	0	38,175
140	316	Newport, TN (micro)	0.0	36,884	2	0	18,442
141	316	North Wilkesboro, NC (micro)	0.0	65,148	3	0	21,716
142	316	Okeechobee, FL (micro)	0.0	39,699	2	0	19,850
143	316	Orangeburg, SC (micro)	0.0	81,924	6	0	13,654
144	316	Ozark, AL (micro)	0.0	49,424	1	0	49,424
145	316	Palatka, FL (micro)	0.0	75,062	2	0	37,531
146	316	Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL	0.0	211,899	15	1	14,127
147	316	Paris, TN (micro)	0.0	32,282	3	0	10,761
148	316	Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC	0.0	107,568	2	0	53,784
149	316	Punta Gorda, FL	0.0	207,605	13	0	15,970
150	316	Roanoke Rapids, NC (micro)	0.0	63,616	2	0	31,808
151	316	Rockingham, NC (micro)	0.0	42,295	2	0	21,148
152	316	Rocky Mount, NC	0.0	143,430	6	0	23,905
153	316	Rome, GA	0.0	99,332	5	0	19,866
154	316	Russellville, AL (micro)	0.0	32,039	1	0	32,039
155	316	Sanford, NC (micro)	0.0	66,330	4	0	16,582
156	316	Scottsboro, AL (micro)	0.0	52,730	2	0	26,365
157	316	Sebring, FL	0.0	105,165	3	0	35,055
158	316	Selma, AL (micro)	0.0	36,523	1	0	36,523
159	316	Seneca, SC (micro)	0.0	81,448	3	0	27,149
160	316	Sevierville, TN (micro)	0.0	101,831	8	0	12,729
161	316	Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC (micro)	0.0	101,097	6	0	16,850
162	316	Shelbyville, TN (micro)	0.0	52,970	3	0	17,657
163	316	Statesboro, GA (micro)	0.0	95,191	4	0	23,798
164	316	Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA	0.0	127,914	5	0	25,583
165	316	Summerville, GA (micro)	0.0	24,919	2	0	12,460
166	316	Sumter, SC	0.0	104,589	4	0	26,147
167	316	Talladega-Sylacauga, AL (micro)	0.0	90,988	3	0	30,329
168	316	Thomaston, GA (micro)	0.0	28,191	2	0	14,096
169	316	Thomasville, GA (micro)	0.0	72,288	4	0	18,072
170	316	Tifton, GA (micro)	0.0	50,866	3	0	16,955
171	316	Toccoa, GA (micro)	0.0	26,638	2	0	13,319
172	316	Troy, AL (micro)	0.0	33,132	3	0	11,044
173	316	Tullahoma-Manchester, TN (micro)	0.0	67,485	5	0	13,497
174	316	Union City, TN (micro)	0.0	30,313	2	0	15,156
175	316	Valdosta, GA	0.0	152,271	8	0	19,034
176	316	Vidalia, GA (micro)	0.0	35,508	2	0	17,754
177	316	Washington, NC (micro)	0.0	43,743	3	0	14,581
178	316	Waycross, GA (micro)	0.0	56,070	3	0	18,690
179	316	Waynesville, NC (micro)	0.0	63,235	2	0	31,618
180	316	Wilson, NC (micro)	0.0	78,477	4	0	19,619
181	316	Winchester, TN (micro)	0.0	44,417	1	0	44,417
182	316	Winchester, VA-WV	0.0	149,639	8	0	18,705