We checked 3,320 Google Maps searches in 21 markets. Here's what the #1 business had.

Ask ten marketers how to rank first on Google Maps and nine will say "get more reviews." They're not wrong, but it's not the whole answer. We wanted to see what the businesses at the top actually had, so we looked.

What we checked

In October 2026 we checked Google Maps rankings for home-service trades (HVAC, plumbing, roofing, electrical, landscaping, cleaning and more) in 21 smaller U.S. markets, from Bismarck, North Dakota to Wichita Falls, Texas.

We searched from 3,320 points: five around each of 664 local home-service businesses (the business's own address, plus points to its north, south, east and west), using the search for that business's trade. At each point we recorded the businesses Google showed first, with their star ratings and review counts.

Two notes on what this is and isn't. It's a snapshot from one week. And every point sits at or near one of those 664 businesses, so nearby shops get a distance advantage at some points. That's real (it's how Google works; see why you rank differently across town), and it's why we used all five points per business instead of only the address.

What the #1 business had

Review counts were all over the map. Half of the #1 businesses had between 25 and 325 reviews, and a quarter had fewer than 25.

First place often wasn't the most-reviewed. At more than half the points, the business in first place had fewer reviews than one of the two businesses below it.

Ratings that weren't perfect. About 1 in 7 top-three spots went to a business rated below 4.5 stars.

So reviews clearly matter. The typical leader had a healthy number of them. But review count alone doesn't explain who wins. If it did, the business with the most reviews would be first nearly every time.

It depends heavily on the trade

The typical number of reviews at the top varied by about 50 times between trades:

HVAC and plumbing companies compete in review-heavy markets, where the leaders have hundreds. In concrete, lawn care and tree service, a business with a couple dozen reviews can lead. We break this down further in how many Google reviews you need.

What explains the rest

Google says local ranking comes down to relevance, distance and prominence. Our numbers line up with that:

• Distance. The business closest to the searcher has a built-in edge. A shop with 15 reviews a mile away can beat one with 300 reviews across town, which is the likeliest explanation for many of the small leaders.
• Relevance. The right primary category, services listed on the profile, and a website that clearly says what you do and where. A roofer listed as a "General contractor" is working against itself.
• Prominence beyond reviews. How complete and active the profile is, and how the business shows up across the web.

The practical lesson: if you're stuck in fourth or fifth behind someone with fewer reviews, more reviews alone may not fix it. Check your category, your profile and your website first.

What to do with this

1. Find your trade's number. Look up the median for your trade above. If you're well below it, reviews are your first job. Here's how to ask without being pushy.
2. If you're near or above it, look at relevance and profile quality. Our Google Business Profile checklist covers the settings that matter most.
3. Check the whole map, not one search. Who is first at your shop is often not who is first across town.

The free KarpOS audit shows your rank across your whole area and names the businesses ahead of you at each point, with their ratings and review counts.

Quick answers