NAICS 23

Construction in Tucson, AZ

Metro Market Score 35.1 (Moderate), ranked #65 of 342 metros. 2,114 establishments, 20,751 jobs.

Metro Market Score 35.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Tucson ranks in the top quartile for construction market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 35.1, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

57.9

LQ: 1.02

Rank #198 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

17.8

$63,850 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 69.6

Employment growth index

Rank #105 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

35.2

YoY wage change index

2,114 Construction Firms in Tucson

2,114

Establishments

+4.2% YoY

20,751

Total Employment

+4.2% YoY

$63,850

Average Annual Wage

+5.0% YoY

1.02

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Arizona

#3 of 7

construction metros in state

Arizona state rank

#16 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-4.0

better than median (39.1)

Tucson vs Arizona Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Arizona overall. The state ranks #16/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Tucson	AZ Statewide
Overall Score	35.1 Moderate	38.6 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#65 of 342 metros	#16 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 Tucson

Healthcare and Social Assistance 42.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 53.2 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 53.3 Finance and Insurance 59.4 Retail Trade 60.5 Other Services 62.7 Information 64.1 Accommodation and Food Services 64.6 Administrative and Support Services 72.9

Construction in Other Arizona Metros

Flagstaff 22.3 #12/342 Yuma 31.9 #51/342 Sierra Vista-Douglas 39.1 #100/342 Lake Havasu City-Kingman 41.2 #114/342 Prescott Valley-Prescott 50.1 #195/342 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler 55.5 #251/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Tucson's 35.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Kenosha, WI 35.3 #66/342 Morgantown, WV 34.9 #64/342 Winston-Salem, NC 35.4 #67/342 Wilmington, NC 35.6 #68/342 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 34.6 #63/342 Sheboygan, WI 35.8 #69/342 Lima, OH 35.9 #70/342 Mansfield, OH 36.0 #71/342 College Station-Bryan, TX 34.2 #62/342 Enid, OK 34.1 #61/342

Construction in States Bordering Arizona

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

Nevada 39.8 #20/51 Utah 40.1 #22/51 New Mexico 47.4 #31/51 California 47.8 #32/51 Colorado 53.2 #40/51

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 Tucson's construction sector, the industry concentration component (57.9) 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 Tucson, AZ MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment