NAICS 23

Construction in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA

Metro Market Score 39.1 (Moderate), ranked #97 of 342 metros. 1,384 establishments, 10,344 jobs.

Metro Market Score 39.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara ranks in the upper half for construction market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 39.1, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

41.5

LQ: 0.91

Rank #142 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

54.4

$73,380 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 73.7

Employment growth index

Rank #91 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

35.9

YoY wage change index

1,384 Construction Firms in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

1,384

Establishments

+2.3% YoY

10,344

Total Employment

+4.7% YoY

$73,380

Average Annual Wage

+5.3% YoY

0.91

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within California

#6 of 25

construction metros in state

California state rank

#32 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-18.4

better than median (57.5)

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara vs California Statewide

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

Measure	Santa Maria-Santa Barbara	CA Statewide
Overall Score	39.1 Moderate	47.8 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#97 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

Finance and Insurance 42.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 45.9 Retail Trade 51.6 Other Services 54.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 61.3 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 65.8 Administrative and Support Services 76.0 Information 78.0 Accommodation and Food Services 84.9

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 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara's 39.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Jonesboro, AR 39.1 #98/342 Louisville-Jefferson County, KY 39.1 #99/342 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ 39.1 #100/342 Idaho Falls, ID 39.2 #101/342 Visalia, CA 38.9 #96/342 Tulsa, OK 38.9 #95/342 Springfield, IL 38.9 #94/342 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC 39.4 #102/342 Hinesville, GA 39.4 #103/342 Rockford, IL 39.4 #104/342

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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara's construction sector, the wage competitiveness component (54.4) 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment