NAICS 23

Construction in Auburn-Opelika, AL

Metro Market Score 31.5 (Favorable), ranked #47 of 342 metros. 379 establishments, 3,348 jobs.

Metro Market Score 31.5

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

📈Rapid Growth

Employment in Auburn-Opelika's construction sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 93.6. Combined with a 31.5 market score, this metro sits in the top quartile for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

37.1

LQ: 0.89

Rank #127 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

39.2

$70,089 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 93.6

Employment growth index

Rank #23 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

52.4

YoY wage change index

379 Construction Firms in Auburn-Opelika

379

Establishments

+8.3% YoY

3,348

Total Employment

+10.8% YoY

$70,089

Average Annual Wage

+12.1% YoY

0.89

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Alabama

#6 of 12

construction metros in state

Alabama state rank

#4 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-1.1

better than median (32.5)

Auburn-Opelika vs Alabama Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Alabama overall. The state ranks #4/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Auburn-Opelika	AL Statewide
Overall Score	31.5 Favorable	30.3 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#47 of 342 metros	#4 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Auburn-Opelika

Healthcare and Social Assistance 12.2 Finance and Insurance 19.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 25.5 Retail Trade 35.6

Construction in Other Alabama Metros

Gadsden 14.3 #3/342 Anniston-Oxford 24.0 #15/342 Tuscaloosa 26.6 #24/342 Dothan 27.3 #26/342 Montgomery 28.7 #32/342 Huntsville 32.5 #56/342 Florence-Muscle Shoals 41.5 #118/342 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley 42.8 #127/342 Decatur 45.4 #149/342 Mobile 45.8 #153/342

+ 1 more metros. View all in Alabama →

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Auburn-Opelika's 31.5 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Ithaca, NY 31.6 #48/342 Chambersburg, PA 31.6 #49/342 Salinas, CA 31.6 #50/342 Elmira, NY 31.2 #46/342 Yuma, AZ 31.9 #51/342 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 31.9 #52/342 El Centro, CA 31.0 #45/342 Sandusky, OH 32.1 #53/342 Columbia, SC 30.8 #44/342 Wausau, WI 30.7 #43/342

Construction in States Bordering Alabama

State-level entry risk for construction in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Tennessee 34.8 #10/51 Georgia 42.1 #25/51 Mississippi 50.8 #36/51 Florida 54.5 #42/51

Browse Construction in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for construction across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Auburn-Opelika's construction sector, the wage pressure component (52.4) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Auburn-Opelika, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment