Find clients for your agency in Boston
The Boston–Cambridge–Newton metro area counts 17,769 local businesses of the kinds agencies sell websites, SEO and ads to. The biggest groups: 4,652 full-service restaurants, 3,263 remodelers and 2,169 plumbing and HVAC contractors. 212 advertising agencies compete for them.
The local businesses agencies sell to in Boston
Counts of establishments by trade in the Boston–Cambridge–Newton metro area, per 10,000 residents, against the median of the 50 largest US metro areas.
| Trade | Businesses | Per 10,000 residents | vs median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nail salons | 907 | 1.8 | +75% |
| Remodelers | 3,263 | 6.5 | +71% |
| Electricians | 1,813 | 3.6 | +57% |
| Hair and beauty salons | 2,025 | 4.0 | +52% |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 2,169 | 4.3 | +38% |
| Full-service restaurants | 4,652 | 9.2 | +26% |
| Auto repair shops | 1,236 | 2.5 | +4% |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 1,704 | 3.4 | −31% |
Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023; population 5,034,221 (Census Bureau estimate, July 2025). Counts change as businesses open and close.
Where Boston stands out
- Nail salons: 1.8 per 10,000 residents, 75% above the median of the 50 largest US metro areas (rank 8 of 50).
- Remodelers: 6.5 per 10,000 residents, 71% above the median (rank 3).
- Real estate agents and brokers: scarcer here (31% below the median), so fewer prospects, each with fewer rivals.
- Competition: 212 advertising agencies for 133,807 businesses of all kinds, one for every 631. The median across the 50 largest US metro areas is one for every 512, so Boston ranks 12 of 50 on businesses per agency (1 is the least crowded): more businesses per agency than most, more room for you.
How Boston compares with nearby and similar cities
Of these 7 cities, Seattle has the most of these businesses per resident and Riverside the most businesses per agency.
| City | Local businesses | Per 10,000 residents | Businesses per agency | Strongest trade, vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | 17,769 | 35 | 631 | Nail salons (+75%) |
| Riverside | 11,164 | 23 | 846 | Nail salons (+55%) |
| San Francisco | 16,663 | 36 | 406 | Nail salons (+93%) |
| Detroit | 10,117 | 23 | 492 | Auto repair shops (at the median) |
| Seattle | 15,358 | 37 | 571 | Remodelers (+83%) |
| Minneapolis | 11,543 | 30 | 370 | Remodelers (+45%) |
| Tampa | 10,976 | 32 | 437 | Real estate agents and brokers (+69%) |
Your first three lists in Boston
- Full-service restaurants: 4,652 businesses, 26% more per resident than the median city, so owners compete hard for customers (rank 6 of 50).
- Remodelers: 3,263 businesses, 71% more per resident than the median city, so owners compete hard for customers (rank 3 of 50).
- Hair and beauty salons: 2,025 businesses, 52% more per resident than the median city, so owners compete hard for customers (rank 4 of 50).
How to work a list, from the "No website" filter to the first call: LeadsIt for agencies.
Frequently asked questions
How many local businesses can an agency prospect in Boston?
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 counts 17,769 establishments in the trades on this page in the Boston–Cambridge–Newton metro area, including 4,652 full-service restaurants, 3,263 remodelers and 2,169 plumbing and HVAC contractors.
How many marketing agencies are there in Boston?
212 advertising agencies in the Boston–Cambridge–Newton metro area (US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023), one for every 631 businesses, against a median of one for every 512 across the 50 largest US metro areas.
Which trade should an agency target first in Boston?
By volume, full-service restaurants (4,652). Relative to its size, Boston stands out most on nail salons: 1.8 per 10,000 residents, rank 8 of 50.