NAICS 23

Construction in Dover, DE

Metro Market Score 36.7 (Moderate), ranked #75 of 342 metros. 499 establishments, 2,808 jobs.

Metro Market Score 36.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

🌱Emerging Market

Dover ranks in the top quartile for construction market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 36.7, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

16.4

LQ: 0.75

Rank #56 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

65.2

$75,867 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 69.0

Employment growth index

Rank #107 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

35.2

YoY wage change index

499 Construction Firms in Dover

499

Establishments

+2.9% YoY

2,808

Total Employment

+4.2% YoY

$75,867

Average Annual Wage

+5.0% YoY

0.75

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Delaware

#1 of 1

construction metros in state

Delaware state rank

#26 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (36.7)

Dover vs Delaware Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Delaware overall. The state ranks #26/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Dover	DE Statewide
Overall Score	36.7 Moderate	43.0 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#75 of 342 metros	#26 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 Dover

Healthcare and Social Assistance 39.2 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 40.4 Finance and Insurance 45.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 48.0 Other Services 50.8 Information 51.8 Retail Trade 69.8 Administrative and Support Services 69.9

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Dover's 36.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Grants Pass, OR 36.8 #76/342 Hot Springs, AR 36.8 #77/342 Erie, PA 36.6 #74/342 Goldsboro, NC 36.6 #73/342 Jackson, MI 36.9 #78/342 Ocala, FL 36.4 #72/342 Bloomington, IN 37.2 #79/342 Fresno, CA 37.4 #80/342 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 37.4 #81/342 Mansfield, OH 36.0 #71/342

Construction in States Bordering Delaware

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

Pennsylvania 28.4 #3/51 Maryland 35.0 #12/51 New Jersey 48.3 #33/51

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 Dover's construction sector, the wage competitiveness component (65.2) 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 Dover, DE MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment