NAICS 23

Construction in Fresno, CA

Metro Market Score 37.4 (Moderate), ranked #80 of 342 metros. 2,214 establishments, 25,021 jobs.

Metro Market Score 37.4

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

📈Rapid Growth

Employment in Fresno's construction sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 94.7. Combined with a 37.4 market score, this metro sits in the top quartile for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

53.2

LQ: 0.99

Rank #182 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

64.0

$75,660 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 94.7

Employment growth index

Rank #19 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

32.5

YoY wage change index

2,214 Construction Firms in Fresno

2,214

Establishments

+18.1% YoY

25,021

Total Employment

+11.2% YoY

$75,660

Average Annual Wage

+3.9% YoY

0.99

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within California

#4 of 25

construction metros in state

California state rank

#32 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-20.1

better than median (57.5)

Fresno vs California Statewide

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

Measure	Fresno	CA Statewide
Overall Score	37.4 Moderate	47.8 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#80 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 Fresno

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 23.2 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 30.3 Administrative and Support Services 34.7 Retail Trade 35.8 Healthcare and Social Assistance 36.3 Other Services 37.5 Accommodation and Food Services 39.2 Finance and Insurance 42.2 Information 44.5

Construction in Other California Metros

Merced 30.0 #42/342 El Centro 31.0 #45/342 Salinas 31.6 #50/342 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 Redding 50.9 #205/342

+ 14 more metros. View all in California →

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Fresno's 37.4 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 37.4 #81/342 Spartanburg, SC 37.5 #82/342 Bloomington, IN 37.2 #79/342 Jacksonville, NC 37.8 #83/342 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR 37.8 #84/342 Jackson, MI 36.9 #78/342 Wheeling, WV 38.0 #85/342 Hot Springs, AR 36.8 #77/342 Grants Pass, OR 36.8 #76/342 Dover, DE 36.7 #75/342

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 Fresno's construction sector, the wage competitiveness component (64.0) 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 Fresno, CA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment