NAICS 23

Construction in Bakersfield-Delano, CA

Metro Market Score 57.5 (Challenging), ranked #265 of 342 metros. 1,424 establishments, 15,984 jobs.

Metro Market Score 57.5

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Construction employment in Bakersfield-Delano contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the bottom quartile at 19.0. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration

35.1

LQ: 0.88

Rank #120 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

70.8

$77,329 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 19.0

Employment growth index

Rank #278 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

33.5

YoY wage change index

1,424 Construction Firms in Bakersfield-Delano

1,424

Establishments

+0.4% YoY

15,984

Total Employment

-1.4% YoY

$77,329

Average Annual Wage

+4.3% YoY

0.88

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within California

#13 of 25

construction metros in state

California state rank

#32 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (57.5)

Bakersfield-Delano vs California Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to California overall. The state ranks #32/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Bakersfield-Delano	CA Statewide
Overall Score	57.5 Challenging	47.8 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#265 of 342 metros	#32 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 Bakersfield-Delano

Healthcare and Social Assistance 18.6 Finance and Insurance 19.0 Information 28.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 46.5 Administrative and Support Services 50.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 54.7 Retail Trade 56.4 Other Services 57.7 Accommodation and Food Services 64.2

Construction in Other California Metros

Merced 30.0 #42/342 El Centro 31.0 #45/342 Salinas 31.6 #50/342 Fresno 37.4 #80/342 Visalia 38.9 #96/342 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara 39.1 #97/342 Hanford-Corcoran 39.7 #106/342 Stockton-Lodi 46.4 #161/342 Santa Cruz-Watsonville 47.5 #168/342 Modesto 48.2 #174/342

+ 14 more metros. View all in California →

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Bakersfield-Delano's 57.5 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Odessa, TX 57.5 #266/342 Cleveland, TN 57.5 #267/342 Homosassa Springs, FL 57.6 #268/342 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 57.6 #269/342 Yuba City, CA 57.6 #270/342 Paducah, KY 57.3 #264/342 Kansas City, MO 57.9 #271/342 Lexington Park, MD 58.1 #272/342 Fairbanks-College, AK 58.2 #273/342 Asheville, NC 56.7 #263/342

Construction in States Bordering California

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

Arizona 38.6 #16/51 Nevada 39.8 #20/51 Oregon 54.8 #44/51

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 Bakersfield-Delano's construction sector, the employment growth component (81.0) 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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment