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Business phone system for car washes in Colorado

390 car washes operated in Colorado in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.

Establishments
390CBP 2023
Employees
2,961mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
6.5U.S. 5.8
State rank
17th of 51by count

How many car washes operate in Colorado

Colorado had 390 car washes in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 811192, Car Washes). They employed 2,961 people in mid-March and reported $88.6 million in annual payroll. That is the 17th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Car washes make up 0.21% of the 182,486 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Colorado has 6.5 car washes, 12.4% above the national rate of 5.8. The average establishment has 7.6 employees against 8.7 nationally. Payroll per employee is $29,927, in line with the U.S. figure of $29,378.

Car washes: Colorado compared with the U.S., 2023
MeasureColoradoUnited States
Establishments39019,807
Mid-March employees2,961172,644
Annual payroll$88,615,000$5,071,953,000
Employees per establishment7.68.7
Payroll per employee$29,927$29,378
Establishments per 100,000 residents6.55.8

Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Car washes by metro area in Colorado

Census published car wash counts for 12 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Colorado. The largest is Denver, CO, with 180 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 94% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Car washes by metro or micropolitan area, Colorado, 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployeesPer 100k residents
Denver, CO1801,6665.9
Colorado Springs, CO594417.6
Greeley, CO251176.8
Fort Collins, CO221135.9
Grand Junction, CO21—13.0
Boulder, CO13—3.9
Pueblo, CO12677.1
Montrose, CO113624.6
Durango, CO8—14.1
Rifle, CO6217.5
Cañon City, CO4208.0
Steamboat Springs, CO4—10.4

Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Team sizes at car washes in Colorado

62.1% of Colorado's car washes with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 52.3% nationally. 76.5% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.

Car washes in Colorado by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees24162.1%52.3%
5–9 employees5614.4%18.5%
10–19 employees6216.0%18.8%
20–49 employees235.9%8.6%
50 or more employees61.5%1.8%

Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.

Calls a car wash in Colorado has to catch

Car washes take calls about hours, memberships and detailing appointments. Membership questions and billing issues are often handled by phone.

Calls a car wash in Colorado might handle in a typical week include:

After-hours calls

After-hours calls are usually about hours or memberships.

Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.

What a phone system costs a car wash in Colorado

Car washes in Colorado average 7.6 employees, so the comparison uses an 8-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $199.60 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $240.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 8 people cost $159.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.

The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $972. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.

Monthly list price for an 8-person car wash
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer year
Callata (Callata Office)$99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user$159.00$1,908.00
Quo (Starter)$19.00 per user$152.00$1,824.00
Nextiva (Core)$23.00 per user$184.00$2,208.00
Ooma (Office Pro)$24.95 per user$199.60$2,395.20
Dialpad (Standard)$27.00 per user$216.00$2,592.00
RingCentral (RingEX Core)$30.00 per user$240.00$2,880.00

Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.

Area codes in Colorado

Colorado has 6 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your customers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.

Area codes in Colorado by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
720785Mountain1998303, 983
303784Mountain1947720, 983
970775Mountain1995748
719665Mountain1988none
98346Mountain2022303, 720
7480Mountain2025970

Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.

How Callata works for car washes in Colorado

For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.

If you already have a number in Colorado, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.

Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.

Frequently asked questions

How many car washes are in Colorado?

390 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 2,961 people in mid-March.

Which Colorado metro area has the most car washes?

Denver, CO, with 180 establishments in 2023.

What does a phone system cost an 8-person car wash?

$240.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $199.60 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $159.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).

Do I need to register to text customers from a Colorado number?

Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.