NAICS 23

Construction in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

Metro Market Score 60.5 (Difficult), ranked #286 of 342 metros. 10,396 establishments, 115,175 jobs.

Metro Market Score 60.5

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Market conditions for construction in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario are tougher than average. The 60.5 market score reflects a combination of high labor costs, mixed growth signals, and an already crowded field. Rank: #286 of 342 metros.

Industry Concentration

80.7

LQ: 1.30

Rank #276 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

63.2

$75,526 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 40.1

Employment growth index

Rank #206 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

32.5

YoY wage change index

10,396 Construction Firms in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

10,396

Establishments

+1.2% YoY

115,175

Total Employment

+0.5% YoY

$75,526

Average Annual Wage

+3.9% YoY

1.30

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within California

#16 of 25

construction metros in state

California state rank

#32 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

+3.0

worse than median (57.5)

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario vs California Statewide

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

Measure	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario	CA Statewide
Overall Score	60.5 Difficult	47.8 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#286 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

Healthcare and Social Assistance 27.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 28.0 Finance and Insurance 43.9 Other Services 45.3 Information 46.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 51.6 Retail Trade 58.5 Administrative and Support Services 61.4 Accommodation and Food Services 72.8

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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario's 60.5 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Corpus Christi, TX 60.5 #287/342 Kennewick-Richland, WA 60.8 #288/342 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA 60.9 #289/342 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC 60.0 #285/342 Greeley, CO 60.0 #284/342 Omaha, NE 61.0 #290/342 Sumter, SC 59.9 #283/342 Augusta-Richmond County, GA 59.8 #282/342 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL 61.1 #291/342 Youngstown-Warren, OH 61.3 #292/342

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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario's construction sector, the industry concentration component (80.7) 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment