NAICS 23

Construction in Tuscaloosa, AL

Metro Market Score 26.6 (Favorable), ranked #24 of 342 metros. 536 establishments, 5,493 jobs.

Metro Market Score 26.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

📈Rapid Growth✓Favorable Market

Tuscaloosa ranks in the top 10% for construction market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 26.6, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

51.2

LQ: 0.97

Rank #175 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

23.4

$65,648 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 96.2

Employment growth index

Rank #14 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

34.2

YoY wage change index

536 Construction Firms in Tuscaloosa

536

Establishments

+2.5% YoY

5,493

Total Employment

+13.1% YoY

$65,648

Average Annual Wage

+4.6% YoY

0.97

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Alabama

#3 of 12

construction metros in state

Alabama state rank

#4 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-5.9

better than median (32.5)

Tuscaloosa vs Alabama Statewide

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

Measure	Tuscaloosa	AL Statewide
Overall Score	26.6 Favorable	30.3 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#24 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 Tuscaloosa

Retail Trade 32.9 Other Services 46.5

Construction in Other Alabama Metros

Gadsden 14.3 #3/342 Anniston-Oxford 24.0 #15/342 Dothan 27.3 #26/342 Montgomery 28.7 #32/342 Auburn-Opelika 31.5 #47/342 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 Tuscaloosa's 26.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Florence, SC 26.4 #23/342 Monroe, LA 26.3 #22/342 Kankakee, IL 27.1 #25/342 Johnstown, PA 26.0 #21/342 Dothan, AL 27.3 #26/342 Ames, IA 25.8 #20/342 Eagle Pass, TX 25.7 #19/342 Tallahassee, FL 27.6 #27/342 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 27.9 #28/342 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA 28.1 #29/342

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 Tuscaloosa's construction sector, the industry concentration component (51.2) 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 Tuscaloosa, AL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment