Local operating-model alignment analysis

Best Franchise Opportunities We Assessed in Rock Hill, South Carolina

We compared 14 franchise concepts for Rock Hill, South Carolina. University and government account demand was a leading positive mechanism.

What “best” means in this ranking“Best” means the strongest modeled local operating alignment among the franchise concepts assessed on this page. It does not estimate earnings or determine which franchise is best for a particular candidate.
Analysis by Thomas Jepsen, MSc Model: 0.9.0
View the ranking Read the methodology
14Concepts evaluated
27Sources used
21Primary sources
29Local metrics

Evaluation set

Why these concepts were evaluated

This is not a ranking of every franchise that may be offered in the city.

14Concepts assessed

Concepts were included when enough operating-model information existed to assign a provisional local-sensitivity profile. Unresolved inputs reduce confidence or remain conditional rather than automatically excluding a concept.

A brand’s participation in our referral network does not add points or change its position.

City-level conclusions

What stood out in our assessment

Highest category average (limited comparison)Restoration

70.1 average across 2 concepts

Largest positive factorTarget-market demand

0.5 points average among 6 affected concepts

Most assumption-sensitive rankCity Wide

Tested rank range spans 12 positions

Executive conclusion

What the ranking means for Rock Hill, South Carolina

City Wide, Jan-Pro International, and FASTSIGNS produced the highest modeled local-alignment scores in the evaluated set. University and government account demand was the strongest positive scored mechanism among 6 exposed concepts, adding 0.5 points on average. City Wide was especially relationship-sensitive: removing university and government account demand moved it from #1 to #13 in the full model rerun. These scores describe local operating alignment, not expected returns or overall franchise quality; the offered territory and franchise economics still require separate diligence.

How this differs from a directory: the model does not award points for brand popularity, advertising placement, or referral compensation. It tests how documented local conditions interact with each concept’s operating requirements.

Best franchise opportunities assessed

Top 10 local-alignment scores from 14 concepts assessed

“Best” refers to modeled local operating alignment among the concepts assessed—not expected earnings, franchise-system quality, or candidate fit.

Rankings use full-precision scores.Displayed values use one decimal place. Identical displayed scores can therefore have different ranks, and close results should be treated as effectively similar.
RankFranchiseAlignment and tierLargest advantageLargest constraintEvidence confidence
1City WideFacility managementInvestment: $229,729–$410,730
71.1Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+1.1 ptsTarget-market demand No material negative local adjustmentModerate evidence confidence
2Jan-Pro InternationalCommercial cleaningInvestment: $130,000–$421,500
70.8Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.8 ptsTarget-market demand No material negative local adjustmentModerate evidence confidence
3FASTSIGNSSigns and graphicsInvestment: $231,226–$386,285
70.5Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.5 ptsTarget-market demand No material negative local adjustmentModerate evidence confidence
4HomeSmilesProperty maintenance servicesInvestment: $148,110–$201,800
70.4Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.4 ptsTarget-market demand No material negative local adjustmentModerate evidence confidence
5ActionCOACHBusiness coachingInvestment: $71,668–$303,513
70.3Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.3 ptsTarget-market demand No material negative local adjustmentModerate evidence confidence
6Aire ServHVAC installation, repair, and maintenanceInvestment: $113,308–$271,708
70.2Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.2 ptsProperty replacement-cycle demand No material negative local adjustmentModerate evidence confidence
7Rainbow International RestorationRestorationInvestment: $185,336–$351,900
70.2Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.1 ptsTarget-market demand No material negative local adjustmentModerate evidence confidence
8ZOOM DRAINDrain and sewer serviceInvestment: $266,250–$570,500
70.2Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.2 ptsProperty replacement-cycle demand No material negative local adjustmentModerate evidence confidence
9Mr. RooterPlumbingInvestment: $152,900–$298,675
70.2Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.2 ptsProperty replacement-cycle demand No material negative local adjustmentModerate evidence confidence
10Mister Sparky ElectricElectrical
70.1Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.1 ptsProperty replacement-cycle demand No material negative local adjustmentModerate evidence confidence

View all 14 score calculations

Conditions that changed the analysis

What mattered most in Rock Hill, South Carolina

01

Three local higher-education institutions create addressable institutional account demand

This relationship affected 6 concepts and added 0.5 points on average among those exposed. Local evidence: Colleges and universities listed by the City in Rock Hill: count: 3; institutions: Clinton College, Winthrop University, York Technical College. [17] [3] [18]

02

A single 2025 sports event generated an estimated $2.3 million in direct economic impact and 5,205 hotel room nights, while the 2026 calendar lists multiple major multi-day event windows

Sports tourism is economically meaningful but temporally and geographically concentrated around event dates and venues. The evidence supports event-sensitive demand for concepts exposed to those visitors, not a uniform uplift to citywide everyday walk-in demand. The same concentration can create staffing and utilization variance for concepts that scale labor to event peaks. [9] [10] [8] [1]

03

recurring-commercial-service

This operating-model cluster separated from the broader set because its exposure to local support and constraints differed. The strongest positive factor was target-market demand, while the main constraint was property replacement-cycle demand. [17] [18]

Evidence behind the city mechanisms

Large 2000s housing cohort is entering common HVAC and water-heater replacement windows1 modeled effect
Housing-system replacement demandProperty replacement-cycle demand
Three local higher-education institutions create addressable institutional account demand1 modeled effect
University and government account demandTarget-market demand
Major sports events create recurring demand spikes concentrated around event dates and venues2 local facts · 2 modeled effects · 3 sources
  • 2025 NBPA Top 100 Camp direct local impact and hotel-room nights: estimated direct economic impact usd: 2,300,000; hotel room nights: 5,205 usd and room nights [9]
  • Major listed spring and summer 2026 sports-event windows: listed major event windows: 8; first start date: 2026-04-25; last end date: 2026-08-02 [10] [8]
Event-driven demand upsideTarget-market demand
Event-demand volatilityTarget-market demand
Charlotte commuting can shift part of weekday demand away from Rock Hill resident neighborhoods2 local facts · 2 modeled effects · 3 sources
  • Mean travel time to work: 25 minutes [4]
  • City financial report states that many Rock Hill residents commute to Charlotte, North Carolina: many residents commute to Charlotte, North Carolina documented condition [8] [1]
Midday walk-in demand constraintTarget-market demand
Residential after-hours demandTarget-market demand

Compare all assessed concepts

Local impact by franchise concept

14 concepts shown. Expand a concept to see the score-changing factors and their modeled drivers; the full audit ledger stays collapsed.

#1Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment71.1

City Wide

Facility management · B2B facility management and vendor coordination

Initial investment: $229,729–$410,730

Increase +1.1 pts Target-market demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Target-market demand
  • University and government account demand Evidence+1.1 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #1 → #13
+1.1 pts
Net local movement+1.09 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+1.1
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score71.09
Published local-market alignment71.1

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Target-market demand +1.1 pts
Tested rank range
#1–#13
#2Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.8

Jan-Pro International

Commercial cleaning · recurring commercial route service

Initial investment: $130,000–$421,500

Increase +0.8 pts Target-market demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Target-market demand
  • University and government account demand Evidence+0.8 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #2 → #14
+0.8 pts
Net local movement+0.80 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
1 image
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.8
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.80
Published local-market alignment70.8

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Target-market demand +0.8 pts
Tested rank range
#2–#14
#3Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.5

FASTSIGNS

Signs and graphics · B2B production and installation center

Initial investment: $231,226–$386,285

Increase +0.5 pts Target-market demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Target-market demand
  • University and government account demand Evidence+0.5 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #3 → #11
+0.5 pts
Net local movement+0.52 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Item 19 — Financial Performance Representation
2 images
Public company data assessed
3 sources
YouTube video 1YouTube video 2YouTube video 3
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.5
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.52
Published local-market alignment70.5

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Target-market demand +0.5 pts
Tested rank range
#3–#11
#4Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.4

HomeSmiles

Property maintenance services · Home-based mobile property-maintenance franchise using equipped service vans and technician crews to deliver bundled…

Initial investment: $148,110–$201,800

Increase +0.4 pts Target-market demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Target-market demand
  • University and government account demand Evidence+0.4 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #4 → #8
+0.4 pts
Net local movement+0.35 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.4
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.35
Published local-market alignment70.4

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Adequate
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Target-market demand +0.4 pts
Tested rank range
#4–#8
#5Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.3

ActionCOACH

Business coaching · home-based B2B advisory

Initial investment: $71,668–$303,513

Increase +0.3 pts Target-market demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Target-market demand
  • University and government account demand Evidence+0.3 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #5 → #10
+0.3 pts
Net local movement+0.33 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.3
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.33
Published local-market alignment70.3

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Target-market demand +0.3 pts
Tested rank range
#5–#10
#6Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.2

Aire Serv

HVAC installation, repair, and maintenance · Manager-led mobile HVAC installation, repair, maintenance, and emergency service business using skilled technicians…

Initial investment: $113,308–$271,708

Increase +0.2 pts Property replacement-cycle demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Property replacement-cycle demand
  • Housing-system replacement demand Evidence+0.2 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #6 → #7
+0.2 pts
Net local movement+0.23 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
1 image
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Item 19 — Financial Performance Representation
1 image
Public company data assessed
1 source
YouTube video 1
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demandNot applicable to this operating model
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.2
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.23
Published local-market alignment70.2

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Adequate
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Property replacement-cycle demand +0.2 pts
Tested rank range
#1–#7
#7Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.2

Rainbow International Restoration

Restoration · emergency property restoration

Initial investment: $185,336–$351,900

Increase +0.1 pts Target-market demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Stable

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Target-market demand
  • University and government account demand Evidence+0.1 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: rank stays #7
+0.1 pts
Property replacement-cycle demand
  • Housing-system replacement demand Evidence+0.1 pts
+0.1 pts
Net local movement+0.18 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.1
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.1
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.18
Published local-market alignment70.2

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Target-market demand +0.1 pts
Tested rank range
#6–#7
#8Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.2

ZOOM DRAIN

Drain and sewer service · emergency skilled-trade route service

Initial investment: $266,250–$570,500

Increase +0.2 pts Property replacement-cycle demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Property replacement-cycle demand
  • Housing-system replacement demand Evidence+0.2 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #8 → #9
+0.2 pts
Net local movement+0.17 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demandNot applicable to this operating model
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.2
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.17
Published local-market alignment70.2

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Property replacement-cycle demand +0.2 pts
Tested rank range
#2–#9
#9Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.2

Mr. Rooter

Plumbing · scheduled and emergency skilled-trade service

Initial investment: $152,900–$298,675

Increase +0.2 pts Property replacement-cycle demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Property replacement-cycle demand
  • Housing-system replacement demand Evidence+0.2 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #9 → #10
+0.2 pts
Net local movement+0.17 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demandNot applicable to this operating model
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.2
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.17
Published local-market alignment70.2

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Property replacement-cycle demand +0.2 pts
Tested rank range
#3–#10
#10Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.1

Mister Sparky Electric

Electrical · skilled-trade home service

Increase +0.1 pts Property replacement-cycle demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Property replacement-cycle demand
  • Housing-system replacement demand Evidence+0.1 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #10 → #11
+0.1 pts
Net local movement+0.14 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demandNot applicable to this operating model
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.1
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.14
Published local-market alignment70.1

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Property replacement-cycle demand +0.1 pts
Tested rank range
#4–#11
#11Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.1

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors

Home inspection · mobile property inspection service

Initial investment: $102,690–$134,290

Increase +0.1 pts Property replacement-cycle demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Property replacement-cycle demand
  • Housing-system replacement demand Evidence+0.1 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #11 → #12
+0.1 pts
Net local movement+0.08 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 19 — Financial Performance Representation
1 image
Public company data assessed
2 sources
YouTube video 1YouTube video 2
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demandNot applicable to this operating model
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.1
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.08
Published local-market alignment70.1

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Property replacement-cycle demand +0.1 pts
Tested rank range
#5–#12
#12Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.1

PuroClean

Restoration · emergency property restoration

Initial investment: $54,575–$262,145

Increase +0.1 pts Property replacement-cycle demandNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

Local factorModeled driversImpact
Property replacement-cycle demand
  • Housing-system replacement demand Evidence+0.1 pts
    Primary modeled driverRelationship test: #12 → #13
+0.1 pts
Net local movement+0.06 pts

Net uses full-precision effects; displayed factor and driver rows are rounded.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demandNot applicable to this operating model
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.1
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.06
Published local-market alignment70.1

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Property replacement-cycle demand +0.1 pts
Tested rank range
#6–#13
#13Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.0

Tiger Adjusters

Public insurance adjusting · Home-based, referral-led public insurance adjusting business combining local property inspections with…

Initial investment: $43,050–$159,500

No material positive local adjustment identifiedNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

No material scored local adjustment was identified for this concept.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 19 — Financial Performance Representation
1 image
Public company data assessed
1 source
YouTube video 1
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demandNot applicable to this operating model
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.00
Published local-market alignment70.0

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Adequate
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
0.0 pts
Tested rank range
#8–#13
#14Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment70.0

Workout Anytime

Fitness · fixed-location membership fitness

Initial investment: $1,060,850–$1,840,550

No material positive local adjustment identifiedNo material negative local adjustment identified

Rank sensitivity: Moderately sensitive

Why it ranks here

Score-changing local factors only. Evidence links open the underlying city finding.

No material scored local adjustment was identified for this concept.

Franchise evidence

Source material assessed

Item 3 — Litigation
1 image
Item 6 — Other Fees
1 image
Item 7 — Estimated Initial Investment
2 images
Item 12 — Territory
1 image
Item 20 — Outlets and Franchise Information
1 image
Full calculation and evidence confidence

Audit layer

Full factor ledger

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demandNot applicable to this operating model
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score70.00
Published local-market alignment70.0

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Adequate
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Strong
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
0.0 pts
Tested rank range
#12–#14

Worked score example

How we calculated City Wide

This example uses the same ledger shown for every concept and must reconcile exactly to the published score.

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+1.1
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing frictionMeasured; no meaningful local adjustment
Transportation, routing, and parkingDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Real estate and site feasibilityNot included in the score
Sales and customer acquisitionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Referral ecosystemNot included in the score
Territory qualityDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score71.09
Published local-market alignment71.1

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Starting pointThe operating-model baseline shown in the first ledger row.
InteractionsAny interaction or gate is included in the relevant contribution or calibration row.
Confidence treatmentEvidence confidence is disclosed separately unless the model definition explicitly applies a calibration adjustment.
RoundingFull-precision contributions are summed before the final displayed score is rounded to one decimal place; whole-number results are shown without a trailing decimal.

Factor impact

Which local conditions changed scores or rankings?

We neutralized one factor at a time, recalculated every score, and then measured both absolute score movement and changes in rank order.

Observed model effectMixed or model dependent

Target-market demand

We tested how much of the city’s theoretical customer and business demand remained usable after operating friction.

Why concepts react differently

We applied a measurable adjustment to 6 of 14 concepts. When we neutralized the factor and recalculated the table, 13 concepts changed position. FASTSIGNS moved from #3 to #13, the largest movement among concepts directly affected by this factor.

Concepts adjusted6 of 14
Average among affected+0.5 pts
Average across all concepts+0.2 pts
Concepts changing rank13

What we observed

  • Colleges And Universities Listed By The City In Rock Hillcount: 3; institutions: Clinton College, Winthrop University, York Technical College
  • Winthrop University Fall 2025 Total Enrollment5,287 students
  • Downtown Reporting Found Mixed Business Owner Experiences With Foot Traffic And A City Project Intended To Improve Connection From The Sports & Event Centermixed owner reports; some below expectations and some positive reported condition

Concepts helped most

City WideFacility management
+1.1 pts
Jan-Pro InternationalCommercial cleaning
+0.8 pts
FASTSIGNSSigns and graphics
+0.5 pts
HomeSmilesProperty maintenance services
+0.4 pts
ActionCOACHBusiness coaching
+0.3 pts
Measured but not differentiating in this concept set
  • Competitive environmentNo material score adjustment
  • Labor and staffing frictionNo material score adjustment
  • Transportation, routing, and parkingNo material score adjustment
  • Real estate and site feasibilityNo material score adjustment
  • Sales and customer acquisitionNo material score adjustment
  • Referral ecosystemNo material score adjustment
  • Territory qualityNo material score adjustment
  • Regulatory and operating frictionNo material score adjustment

Rank stability

Which positions depend most on individual assumptions?

The line shows the best and worst rank reached when one factor was removed from every concept. A narrow range indicates a more stable position.

#1 City WideHighly sensitive · tested #1–#13
#2 Jan-Pro InternationalHighly sensitive · tested #2–#14
#3 FASTSIGNSHighly sensitive · tested #3–#11
#4 HomeSmilesHighly sensitive · tested #4–#8
#5 ActionCOACHHighly sensitive · tested #5–#10
#6 Aire ServHighly sensitive · tested #1–#7
#7 Rainbow International RestorationStable · tested #6–#7
#8 ZOOM DRAINHighly sensitive · tested #2–#9
#9 Mr. RooterHighly sensitive · tested #3–#10
#10 Mister Sparky ElectricHighly sensitive · tested #4–#11
#11 Pillar To Post Home InspectorsHighly sensitive · tested #5–#12
#12 PuroCleanHighly sensitive · tested #6–#13
#13 Tiger AdjustersHighly sensitive · tested #8–#13
#14 Workout AnytimeModerately sensitive · tested #12–#14

Neutralizing a factor removes it from every concept. A concept can move down even when its own score improves because competitors may benefit more.

Original factor comparison

How each factor affected the highest-rated franchise concepts

The graph includes the top 14 concepts by local-alignment score. Only nonzero score contributions are plotted. A factor is removed when every displayed concept received 0.0 points from it. Hover or focus a concept name to highlight all of its remaining data points.

Factor impact among the highest-rated franchise conceptsDiverging dot plot showing nonzero factor score contributions for the top 14 concepts. Zero-point concept-factor pairs are omitted, and factors with no nonzero contributions are excluded.+1.5+0.80.0-0.8-1.5
Target-market demand
#1 City Wide · Target-market demand · +1.1 pts1#2 Jan-Pro International · Target-market demand · +0.8 pts2#3 FASTSIGNS · Target-market demand · +0.5 pts3#4 HomeSmiles · Target-market demand · +0.4 pts4#5 ActionCOACH · Target-market demand · +0.3 pts5#7 Rainbow International Restoration · Target-market demand · +0.1 pts7
Property replacement-cycle demand
#6 Aire Serv · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.2 pts6#7 Rainbow International Restoration · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.1 pts7#8 ZOOM DRAIN · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.2 pts8#9 Mr. Rooter · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.2 pts9#10 Mister Sparky Electric · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.1 pts10#11 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.1 pts11#12 PuroClean · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.1 pts12
Primary source records by factorTarget-market demand: [4] [5] [8] [9] [10] [17] [18] [24] [1]Property replacement-cycle demand: [5] [6] [7] [1]Competitive environment: [26] [4] [13] [27] [1]Labor and staffing friction: [21] [22] [2] [1]Transportation, routing, and parking: [19] [20] [4] [2]Real estate and site feasibility: [23] [25] [5] [11] [20] [27] [1]Sales and customer acquisition: [14] [15] [16] [17] [26] [3]Referral ecosystem: [17] [18] [14] [16] [1]Territory quality: [4] [8] [23] [25] [24] [11] [20] [19]Regulatory and operating friction: [11] [12] [13] [27] [8] [20] [2] [3]
View the chart data as a table
ConceptTarget-market demandProperty replacement-cycle demand
#1 City Wide+1.1 pts—
#2 Jan-Pro International+0.8 pts—
#3 FASTSIGNS+0.5 pts—
#4 HomeSmiles+0.4 pts—
#5 ActionCOACH+0.3 pts—
#6 Aire Serv—+0.2 pts
#7 Rainbow International Restoration+0.1 pts+0.1 pts
#8 ZOOM DRAIN—+0.2 pts
#9 Mr. Rooter—+0.2 pts
#10 Mister Sparky Electric—+0.1 pts
#11 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors—+0.1 pts
#12 PuroClean—+0.1 pts
#13 Tiger Adjusters——
#14 Workout Anytime——

Interpretation

How to interpret the result

City Wide, Jan-Pro International, FASTSIGNS led because their operating requirements captured more of the local support from target-market demand while remaining less exposed to competitive environment. The same city condition can help one operating model and constrain another, so score differences should be read through each concept's factor pattern rather than as a universal franchise-quality verdict. The ordering is most assumption-sensitive for City Wide, Jan-Pro International, FASTSIGNS; their ranks move more widely when individual factors are neutralized.

Category comparisons

Best franchise categories we assessed in Rock Hill, South Carolina

Category summaries are shown only when at least two concepts qualified. Two-concept comparisons are explicitly labeled as limited.

Limited two-concept comparison

Best Restoration franchise opportunities we assessed in Rock Hill, South Carolina

70.1

2 Restoration concepts qualified for comparison, with scores ranging from 70.1 to 70.2. Rainbow International Restoration ranked highest at 70.2. Target-market demand added 0.1 points on average among the affected concepts.

Interpret cautiously: A 0.1-point spread is too small to support a strong brand-level conclusion from city alignment alone.

Concepts compared
2
Score range
70.1–70.2
Category average
70.1
Rainbow International Restoration70.2
PuroClean70.1

Metric registry

The 29 local metrics behind this analysis

The registry shows each public metric’s raw value, period, geography, source, and its actual role in the compiled analysis.

View all local metrics
MetricRaw valuePeriodGeographyRole in analysisSource
Resident population estimate on July 1, 202575,911peoplePopulation estimate July 1, 2025; household and socioeconomic measures 2020-2024; business sales 2022Rock Hill, South CarolinaContext only [4]
Population change from the April 2020 estimate base to July 20252.1percentPopulation estimate July 1, 2025; household and socioeconomic measures 2020-2024; business sales 2022Rock Hill, South CarolinaContext only [4]
Households in the 2020-2024 QuickFacts reference period31,307householdsPopulation estimate July 1, 2025; household and socioeconomic measures 2020-2024; business sales 2022Rock Hill, South CarolinaContext only [4]
Owner-occupied housing-unit rate54.2percentPopulation estimate July 1, 2025; household and socioeconomic measures 2020-2024; business sales 2022Rock Hill, South CarolinaContext only [4]
2022 retail and accommodation/food-service salesretail sales usd: 2,179,912,000; retail sales per capita usd: 28,926; accommodation and food services sales usd: 351,911,000usd and usd per capitaPopulation estimate July 1, 2025; household and socioeconomic measures 2020-2024; business sales 2022Rock Hill, South CarolinaContext only [4]
Mean travel time to work25minutesPopulation estimate July 1, 2025; household and socioeconomic measures 2020-2024; business sales 2022Rock Hill, South CarolinaSupports modeled relationship [4]
City financial report states that many Rock Hill residents commute to Charlotte, North Carolinamany residents commute to Charlotte, North Carolinadocumented conditionFiscal year ended June 30, 2025 with economic context through 2025Rock Hill, South CarolinaSupports modeled relationship [8] [1]
Residential properties by selected construction cohortbuilt 2000 2009: 10,277; built 2010 2019: 3,532; built since 2020: 469; table total 2016 2020 acs: 31,265housing units2025-2029 planning period; housing data primarily Census/ACS 2016-2023 with 2024 market contextRock Hill, South CarolinaUsed in scoring [5]
Approximate 2000-2009 construction cohort as share of the Consolidated Plan residential-property table total32.87percent2025-2029 planning period; housing data primarily Census/ACS 2016-2023 with 2024 market contextRock Hill, South CarolinaUsed in scoring [5]
Housing-stock age summary reported in the 2025-2029 Consolidated Planoccupied units approx: 29,360; older than 40 years percent: 33.8; built within last 20 years percent: 37.3; under 40 years latest summary percent: 66.2mixed housing metrics2025-2029 planning period; housing data primarily Census/ACS 2016-2023 with 2024 market contextRock Hill, South CarolinaContext only [5]
ENERGY STAR age thresholds for considering HVAC replacementair conditioner or heat pump years: 10; furnace or boiler years: 15yearsCurrent consumer guidance accessed August 2026United StatesUsed in scoring [6]
DOE life guidance for water heatersconventional storage years low: 10; conventional storage years high: 15; tankless years more than: 20yearsCurrent Energy Saver guidance accessed August 2026United StatesUsed in scoring [7]
2025 NBPA Top 100 Camp direct local impact and hotel-room nightsestimated direct economic impact usd: 2,300,000; hotel room nights: 5,205usd and room nights2025 NBPA Top 100 CampRock Hill Sports & Event Center and local hospitality marketSupports modeled relationship [9]
Major listed spring and summer 2026 sports-event windowslisted major event windows: 8; first start date: 2026-04-25; last end date: 2026-08-02event windowsMajor listed events April-August 2026Rock Hill Sports & Event Center, Bleachery, and associated venuesSupports modeled relationship [10] [8]
Colleges and universities listed by the City in Rock Hillcount: 3; institutions: Clinton College, Winthrop University, York Technical CollegeinstitutionsCurrent city visitor/institution listing accessed August 2026Rock Hill, South CarolinaUsed in scoring [17]
Winthrop University fall 2025 total enrollment5,287studentsFall 2025 enrollmentWinthrop University, Rock HillUsed in scoring [18] [3]
City procurement local-provider price-adjustment conditionsrock hill provider adjustment percent: 5; york county provider adjustment percent: 3; minimum submissions for adjustment: 3percent and submission countCurrent procurement rules accessed August 2026City of Rock Hill procurementConditional relationship [14]
City and Winthrop procurement use formal solicitation and purchasing workflowscity solicitation methods: IFB, RFP, RFQ; city electronic platform: OpenGov; winthrop formal advertising threshold usd more than: 10,000procurement conditionsCurrent solicitation workflow accessed August 2026City of Rock Hill and Winthrop UniversityConditional relationship [15] [16]
Temporary I-77 bridge-deck repair work near Exit 82milepost range: 81.5-83; near roads: Cherry Road, Celanese Road, Dave Lyle Boulevard; initial closures start: 2026-08-02; periodic work expected through: 2026-12-31temporary work zoneTemporary work beginning August 2, 2026 with periodic work through end of 2026I-77 near Exit 82, Rock HillConditional relationship [19]
Exterior changes and signage on Historic Overlay District properties are subject to design review and Certificate of Appropriateness requirementshistoric overlay districts city states count: 5; board review typical days low: 30; board review typical days high: 45rule and daysCurrent preservation rules accessed August 2026Rock Hill Historic Overlay District propertiesConditional relationship [11] [12] [3]
Business-license and selected local-tax conditionsannual business license required: yes; first year fee exempt if projected gross below usd: 1,000,000; hospitality tax prepared food beverage percent: 2; accommodations tax short term percent: 3rule and percentCurrent licensing and local tax guidance accessed August 2026Rock Hill, South CarolinaContext only [13] [8]
Proposed Manchester Creek Tributary 1 project is expected to alter floodway, Base Flood Elevation, and Special Flood Hazard Area boundaries after completionproject status: proposed not active; corridor: I-77 to Canterbury Glen Lane; anticipated post project action: LOMRproject conditionProposed Manchester Creek Tributary 1 project and anticipated post-project map revisionManchester Creek Tributary 1, Rock HillConditional relationship [20] [2]
York County industrial submarket conditions in Q2 2026inventory sqft: 32,571,979; vacant sqft: 2,859,618; vacancy percent: 8.8; current quarter absorption sqft: 289,006; ytd leasing sqft: 844,060; under construction sqft: 0; q2 completions sqft: 464,384; weighted asking rent manufacturing usd psf: 8.06; additional values omittedsqft percent and usd psfQ2 2026York County industrial submarketConditional relationship [23]
Charlotte market flex asking rent reached a record high amid limited availability14.1usd per sqftQ2 2026Charlotte industrial marketContext only [23]
Current Rock Hill Galleria listing availabilityavailable spaces: 20; available sqft total: 125,082; asking rent: contact for pricingspaces and sqftListing inventory updated August 5, 2026Rock Hill Galleria MallConditional relationship [25]
Downtown reporting found mixed business-owner experiences with foot traffic and a City project intended to improve connection from the Sports & Event Centermixed owner reports; some below expectations and some positivereported conditionDowntown business conditions reported March 2024Downtown Rock HillConditional relationship [24] [1]
Charlotte metropolitan occupational wage contextall occupations mean hourly usd: 33.13; food preparation and serving mean hourly usd: 17.29; building and grounds cleaning maintenance mean hourly usd: 18.48; personal care service mean hourly usd: 18.55; office admin share percent: 10.8; transportation material moving share percent: 10.5; sales share percent: 10.3usd per hour and percentMay 2025 occupational employment and wagesCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia metropolitan areaContext only [21]
York County unemployment rate in June 20264.2percentJune 2026 county unemployment rate and recent monthly historyYork County, South CarolinaContext only [22]
City development dashboard reports current impact-fee collections but not a complete commercial fee formula on the dashboard151,055usd dashboard snapshotCurrent dashboard snapshot accessed August 19, 2026Rock Hill, South CarolinaContext only [27] [8]

How to use the ranking

What the model can and cannot establish

  • Scores measure local operating alignment, not expected financial performance or franchise-system quality.
  • Citywide evidence may not describe the exact site or territory ultimately offered.
  • Conditional effects are shown for diligence but do not change the published score until their applicability is established.

Methodology

How the local-alignment ranking is calculated

01

Measure the city

Collect reusable local metrics with source, period, geography, and confidence fields.

02

Profile each operating model

Map each franchise to controlled operating attributes and local sensitivities.

03

Apply scoreable effects

Score only effects that apply without an unresolved site, territory, customer, or project gate.

04

Preserve conditional effects

Keep location- or territory-dependent issues visible for diligence without automatically changing the score.

05

Test rank sensitivity

Remove one factor at a time from every concept and rerank using full-precision scores.

06

Generate public output

Create the ranking, factor-status ledger, visuals, metric registry, and automated quality report from the same data.

How the common baseline becomes a city-specific score

Every concept starts from the same 70.0 reference point, so differences come only from modeled local interactions. In this city, City Wide reached 71.09 after target-market demand +1.1 pts. The current model caps total local movement at ±18.0 points. The score is not a percentage, probability, or estimate of investment quality.

Precision and materiality

Calculations use full-precision values. Published scores and factor contributions display one decimal place, while ranks use full precision. Effects smaller than 0.1 points are identified as below the publication threshold rather than presented as a meaningful zero.

Score tiers

Tier 1 · Strongest modeled alignment80.0–100.0
Tier 2 · Favorable modeled alignment72.0–<80.0
Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment64.0–<72.0
Tier 4 · Higher-friction modeled alignment0.0–<64.0

How factor rows are classified

Positive local adjustmentNegative local adjustmentMeasured; no meaningful local adjustmentEffect below the publication thresholdNot applicable to this operating modelDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating conditionNot included in the score
What “best” means here

“Best” means the strongest modeled local operating alignment among the franchise concepts assessed on this page.

Model 0.9.0 · Compiler 0.15.1-franchise-image-filter · Report generated August 19, 2026 (site timezone)

Model governance

How this report is calculated and corrected

Calculation controls

Model designer
Thomas Jepsen

No concept’s final score is manually raised or lowered after calculation. Before this template is activated, the report is reviewed for source scope, classification, arithmetic, unsupported claims, duplication, and readability.

Model history

  1. Model 0.9.0-calibration · August 19, 2026Added compiler-derived decision intelligence and observation usage mapping., Changed factor sensitivity and channel counterfactuals to full model reruns., Added data-dependent city content signals while preserving legacy public report fields., and Added model-owned semantic compatibility gates and backward-compatible channel-level evidence attribution.

Corrections policy

Corrected source, geography, or operating-profile evidence triggers a full compiler rerun so every dependent score and visual is recalculated.

Source registry

Evidence represented in this report

Each source identifies its period, scope, and the local metrics it supports. Internal or supplied research is not presented as independently accessible evidence.

  1. 1
    I 182(5): supplied structural franchise operating-fit research docketInternal or supplied research; not publicly accessible.

    Used for: City financial report states that many Rock Hill residents commute to Charlotte, North Carolina and Downtown reporting found mixed business-owner experiences with foot traffic and a City project intended to improve connection from the Sports & Event Center

    Publisher
    Supplied research material
    Data period
    Rock Hill section supplied August 19, 2026; cited public material generally accessed through February 24, 2026
    Scope
    Rock Hill, South Carolina section within a multi-city docket
    Locator
    Rock Hill, South Carolina section: macro-physical, infrastructure/micro-geography, and Smart Money subsections
    Source tier
    Tier 5 · supplied bespoke research
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  2. 2
    F 182 (1)(4): supplied municipal forensic auditInternal or supplied research; not publicly accessible.

    Used for: Proposed Manchester Creek Tributary 1 project is expected to alter floodway, Base Flood Elevation, and Special Flood Hazard Area boundaries after completion

    Publisher
    Supplied research material
    Data period
    Rock Hill section supplied August 19, 2026; cited public material generally accessed through February 21, 2026
    Scope
    Rock Hill, South Carolina section within a multi-city docket
    Locator
    Section 5, Rock Hill, South Carolina, subsections A-F
    Source tier
    Tier 5 · supplied bespoke research
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  3. 3
    Franchise data - remake - 181(4).csvInternal or supplied research; not publicly accessible.

    Used for: Winthrop University fall 2025 total enrollment and Exterior changes and signage on Historic Overlay District properties are subject to design review and Certificate of Appropriateness requirements

    Publisher
    Supplied research material
    Data period
    Neighborhood research rows supplied August 19, 2026
    Scope
    Rock Hill neighborhood and district rows
    Locator
    Rows for India Hook, Oakland Avenue, Old Town, Catawba Terrace, Ebenezer Avenue, and University Center
    Source tier
    Tier 5 · supplied bespoke research
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  4. 4
    QuickFacts: Rock Hill city, South Carolina

    Used for: Resident population estimate on July 1, 2025, Population change from the April 2020 estimate base to July 2025, Households in the 2020-2024 QuickFacts reference period, Owner-occupied housing-unit rate, and 2022 retail and accommodation/food-service sales

    Publisher
    U.S. Census Bureau
    Published
    May 14, 2026
    Data period
    Population estimate July 1, 2025; household and socioeconomic measures 2020-2024; business sales 2022
    Scope
    Rock Hill city, South Carolina
    Locator
    Population, households, owner occupancy, commute, income, poverty, and business-sales facts
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  5. 5
    2025-2029 Consolidated Plan

    Used for: Residential properties by selected construction cohort, Approximate 2000-2009 construction cohort as share of the Consolidated Plan residential-property table total, and Housing-stock age summary reported in the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Data period
    2025-2029 planning period; housing data primarily Census/ACS 2016-2023 with 2024 market context
    Scope
    City of Rock Hill, South Carolina
    Locator
    Housing Market Analysis: housing construction cohorts, occupied units, housing age, vacancy, rent, and sale-price discussion
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  6. 6
    When is it time to replace?

    Used for: ENERGY STAR age thresholds for considering HVAC replacement

    Publisher
    ENERGY STAR
    Data period
    Current consumer guidance accessed August 2026
    Scope
    United States
    Locator
    Heating and cooling equipment age/replacement guidance
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  7. 7
    Tankless or Demand-Type Water Heaters

    Used for: DOE life guidance for water heaters

    Publisher
    U.S. Department of Energy
    Data period
    Current Energy Saver guidance accessed August 2026
    Scope
    United States
    Locator
    Equipment life discussion comparing tankless and conventional storage water heaters
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  8. 8
    Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2025

    Used for: City financial report states that many Rock Hill residents commute to Charlotte, North Carolina, Major listed spring and summer 2026 sports-event windows, Business-license and selected local-tax conditions, and City development dashboard reports current impact-fee collections but not a complete commercial fee formula on the dashboard

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Published
    December 16, 2025
    Data period
    Fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 with economic context through 2025
    Scope
    City of Rock Hill, South Carolina
    Locator
    Introductory/economic sections on commuting, business parks, hospitality fee, impact-fee program, and Sports & Event Center
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  9. 9
    Rock Hill Celebrates Double Victory: Economic Impact & Programming Awards Boost City’s Sports Tourism and Inclusivity Efforts

    Used for: 2025 NBPA Top 100 Camp direct local impact and hotel-room nights

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Published
    December 29, 2025
    Data period
    2025 NBPA Top 100 Camp
    Scope
    Rock Hill Sports & Event Center and local hospitality market
    Locator
    Estimated direct economic impact and hotel-room-night figures
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  10. 10
    Rock Hill welcomes spring and summer national sporting events

    Used for: Major listed spring and summer 2026 sports-event windows

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Published
    April 3, 2026
    Data period
    Major listed events April-August 2026
    Scope
    Rock Hill Sports & Event Center, Bleachery, and associated event venues
    Locator
    Major multi-day national and international amateur-sports event windows
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  11. 11
    Historic Preservation

    Used for: Exterior changes and signage on Historic Overlay District properties are subject to design review and Certificate of Appropriateness requirements

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Data period
    Current preservation rules accessed August 2026
    Scope
    Designated Historic Overlay District properties in Rock Hill
    Locator
    Historic Overlay District scope, design guidelines, exterior-change review, and signage controls
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  12. 12
    Certificate of Appropriateness

    Used for: Exterior changes and signage on Historic Overlay District properties are subject to design review and Certificate of Appropriateness requirements

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Data period
    Current process accessed August 2026
    Scope
    Properties in Rock Hill Historic Overlay Districts
    Locator
    COA triggers; staff review and Board of Historic Review timing
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  13. 13
    Business License Application & Renewal

    Used for: Business-license and selected local-tax conditions

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Data period
    Current licensing and local tax guidance accessed August 2026
    Scope
    Businesses operating or generating income in Rock Hill
    Locator
    Annual license requirement, gross-income basis, first-year exemption threshold, hospitality and accommodations taxes
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  14. 14
    Procurement

    Used for: City procurement local-provider price-adjustment conditions

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Data period
    Current procurement rules accessed August 2026
    Scope
    City of Rock Hill procurement
    Locator
    Vendor requirements and local-provider price adjustment conditions
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  15. 15
    Solicitations and Contracts

    Used for: City and Winthrop procurement use formal solicitation and purchasing workflows

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Data period
    Current solicitation workflow accessed August 2026
    Scope
    City of Rock Hill procurement
    Locator
    OpenGov electronic submission and IFB/RFP/RFQ processes
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  16. 16
    Solicitations and Statements of Awards

    Used for: City and Winthrop procurement use formal solicitation and purchasing workflows

    Publisher
    Winthrop University
    Data period
    Current university procurement guidance accessed August 2026
    Scope
    Winthrop University procurement
    Locator
    Formal solicitation threshold and purchasing workflow
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government/institutional
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  17. 17
    Colleges & Universities

    Used for: Colleges and universities listed by the City in Rock Hill

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Data period
    Current city visitor/institution listing accessed August 2026
    Scope
    Rock Hill, South Carolina
    Locator
    Clinton College, Winthrop University, and York Technical College
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  18. 18
    Winthrop Sees Highest Enrollment Since 2019

    Used for: Winthrop University fall 2025 total enrollment

    Publisher
    Winthrop University
    Published
    October 17, 2025
    Data period
    Fall 2025 enrollment
    Scope
    Winthrop University, Rock Hill
    Locator
    Total fall 2025 enrollment and comparison to fall 2022
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government/institutional
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  19. 19
    SCDOT to Conduct Temporary Lane Closures on Interstate 77 for Bridge Repairs

    Used for: Temporary I-77 bridge-deck repair work near Exit 82

    Publisher
    South Carolina Department of Transportation
    Published
    July 31, 2026
    Data period
    Temporary work beginning August 2, 2026 with periodic work through end of 2026
    Scope
    I-77 near Exit 82, mileposts 81.5-83, Rock Hill
    Locator
    Bridge-deck patching and temporary lane closures near Cherry Road, Celanese Road, and Dave Lyle Boulevard
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  20. 20
    City of Rock Hill Public Works in accordance with National Flood Insurance Program

    Used for: Proposed Manchester Creek Tributary 1 project is expected to alter floodway, Base Flood Elevation, and Special Flood Hazard Area boundaries after completion

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Published
    September 3, 2025
    Data period
    Proposed Manchester Creek Tributary 1 project and anticipated post-project map revision
    Scope
    Manchester Creek Tributary 1 from I-77 to Canterbury Glen Lane, Rock Hill
    Locator
    Proposed floodway, Base Flood Elevation, Special Flood Hazard Area changes, and anticipated LOMR
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  21. 21
    Occupational Employment and Wages in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia — May 2025

    Used for: Charlotte metropolitan occupational wage context

    Publisher
    U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
    Published
    July 8, 2026
    Data period
    May 2025 occupational employment and wages
    Scope
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metropolitan area
    Locator
    Average hourly wage and selected occupation-group wages/shares
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  22. 22
    Unemployment Rate in York County, SC

    Used for: York County unemployment rate in June 2026

    Publisher
    Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
    Published
    July 29, 2026
    Data period
    June 2026 county unemployment rate and recent monthly history
    Scope
    York County, South Carolina
    Locator
    Latest county unemployment observations
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  23. 23
    Charlotte Industrial MarketBeat Q2 2026

    Used for: York County industrial submarket conditions in Q2 2026 and Charlotte market flex asking rent reached a record high amid limited availability

    Publisher
    Cushman & Wakefield
    Data period
    Q2 2026
    Scope
    Charlotte industrial market with York County submarket detail
    Locator
    Q2 2026 vacancy, rents, absorption, construction, flex availability, and York County submarket table
    Source tier
    Tier 3 · credible industry
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  24. 24
    Business owners focus on bringing more foot traffic to downtown Rock Hill

    Used for: Downtown reporting found mixed business-owner experiences with foot traffic and a City project intended to improve connection from the Sports & Event Center

    Publisher
    WSOC-TV
    Published
    March 1, 2024
    Data period
    Downtown business conditions reported March 2024
    Scope
    Downtown Rock Hill
    Locator
    Interviews with downtown business owners and city connection project; reports both weak and positive foot traffic
    Source tier
    Tier 3 · credible local reporting
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  25. 25
    Rock Hill Galleria Mall - Commercial Space for Rent

    Used for: Current Rock Hill Galleria listing availability

    Publisher
    CommercialCafe
    Published
    August 5, 2026
    Data period
    Listing inventory updated August 5, 2026
    Scope
    Rock Hill Galleria Mall, Rock Hill
    Locator
    Available-space count and total listed square footage; asking rent contact-for-pricing
    Source tier
    Tier 4 · directional commercial
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  26. 26
    County Business Patterns: 2023
    Publisher
    U.S. Census Bureau
    Published
    June 26, 2025
    Data period
    Calendar year 2023
    Scope
    County, metropolitan, and ZIP Code establishments by NAICS
    Locator
    Dataset geography and industry-detail documentation
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026
  27. 27
    Development Activity Reports

    Used for: City development dashboard reports current impact-fee collections but not a complete commercial fee formula on the dashboard

    Publisher
    City of Rock Hill
    Data period
    Current dashboard snapshot accessed August 19, 2026
    Scope
    City of Rock Hill
    Locator
    Current at-a-glance permit, inspection, business-license, permit-fee, and impact-fee activity
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    August 19, 2026

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Disclaimer and broker disclosure: This analysis is informational and does not constitute financial, legal, accounting, or investment advice. Market-alignment scores do not predict financial performance or business success. Offers are made only through the delivery of a Franchise Disclosure Document. We may receive referral compensation from participating franchisors; compensation is not an input to the scoring model.

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