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Business phone system for used car dealers in Texas

2,549 used car dealers operated in Texas in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.

Establishments
2,549CBP 2023
Employees
17,728mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
8.1U.S. 7.4
State rank
1st of 50by count

The used car dealership industry in Texas

Texas had 2,549 used car dealers in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 441120, Used Car Dealers). They employed 17,728 people in mid-March and reported $1.0 billion in annual payroll. That is the 1st highest count among the 50 states and DC with published figures. Used car dealers make up 0.38% of the 670,878 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Texas has 8.1 used car dealers, 10.2% above the national rate of 7.4. The average establishment has 7.0 employees against 6.4 nationally. Payroll per employee is $56,480, in line with the U.S. figure of $55,819.

Used car dealers: Texas compared with the U.S., 2023
MeasureTexasUnited States
Establishments2,54925,147
Mid-March employees17,728162,048
Annual payroll$1,001,286,000$9,045,411,000
Employees per establishment7.06.4
Payroll per employee$56,480$55,819
Establishments per 100,000 residents8.17.4

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.

Texas's largest markets for used car dealers

Census published used car dealership counts for 47 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Texas. The largest is Dallas, TX, with 718 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 97% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Used car dealers by metro or micropolitan area, Texas, 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployeesPer 100k residents
Dallas, TX7185,2998.6
Houston, TX6314,8328.1
San Antonio, TX2141,6237.7
Austin, TX1351,0465.3
El Paso, TX9977411.3
McAllen, TX834749.1
Brownsville, TX5727413.2
Lubbock, TX4334311.7
Amarillo, TX3913114.2
Corpus Christi, TX362068.0
Killeen, TX352356.9
Longview, TX32—10.8
Tyler, TX3119312.4
Waco, TX302099.8
Beaumont, TX281017.0
Laredo, TX24728.8
Abilene, TX2217711.9
Wichita Falls, TX189112.0
Lufkin, TX1610218.2
College Station, TX14454.9
Sherman, TX13858.6
Texarkana, TX-AR13968.9
Odessa, TX12—7.1
San Angelo, TX10448.2
Victoria, TX9409.1

Top 25 of 47 areas by establishments. Source: Census CBP 2023.

Team sizes at used car dealers in Texas

68.6% of Texas's used car dealers with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 68.9% nationally. 86.0% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.

Used car dealers in Texas by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees1,74768.6%68.9%
5–9 employees44417.4%17.7%
10–19 employees2188.6%8.4%
20–49 employees933.7%3.5%
50 or more employees451.8%1.5%

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 used car dealership in Texas has to catch

Independent used car dealers sell through inbound calls about specific vehicles, often with a small staff. Missing a shopper's call can lose a sale to another lot. That holds for used car dealers in Texas as much as anywhere.

A few of the calls that come in to used car dealers in Texas:

Business texting for used car dealers

Dealers text photos, availability updates and appointment times.

Texting from a local number in Texas requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.

Callata vs. per-seat pricing for used car dealers in Texas

Used car dealers in Texas average 7.0 employees, so the comparison uses a 7-person team. Priced per seat, 7 users would run $210.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $174.65 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $139.00 a month for 7 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $852 less than RingCentral for a used car dealership in Texas of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Monthly list price for a 7-person used car dealership
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer year
Callata (Callata Office)$99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user$139.00$1,668.00
Quo (Starter)$19.00 per user$133.00$1,596.00
Nextiva (Core)$23.00 per user$161.00$1,932.00
Ooma (Office Pro)$24.95 per user$174.65$2,095.80
Dialpad (Standard)$27.00 per user$189.00$2,268.00
RingCentral (RingEX Core)$30.00 per user$210.00$2,520.00

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 Texas

Texas has 29 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a used car dealership can hold a number in more than one of them.

Area codes in Texas by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
281786Central1996346, 621, 713, 832
469786Central1999214, 945, 972
832786Central1999281, 346, 713
512785Central1947737
713785Central1947281, 346, 621, 832
972785Central1996214, 469, 945
210784Central1992726
214784Central1947469, 945, 972
817780Central1953682
903771Central1990430
346752Central2014281, 621, 713, 832
956735Central1997none
806734Central1957none
254671Central1997none
361537Central1999none
940506Central1997none
830496Central1997none
409433Central1982none
936422Central2000none
682421Central2000817

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 used car dealers in Texas

Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.

Porting a number you already use in Texas is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.

AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.

Frequently asked questions

How many used car dealers are in Texas?

2,549 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 17,728 people in mid-March.

Which Texas metro area has the most used car dealers?

Dallas, TX, with 718 establishments in 2023.

What does a phone system cost a 7-person used car dealership?

$210.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $174.65 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $139.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).

Do I need to register to text customers from a Texas 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.