NAICS 23

Construction in Champaign-Urbana, IL

Metro Market Score 49.7 (Challenging), ranked #187 of 342 metros. 441 establishments, 3,971 jobs.

Metro Market Score 49.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Construction employment in Champaign-Urbana contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the lower half at 7.9. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration

13.4

LQ: 0.73

Rank #46 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

53.2

$73,207 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 7.9

Employment growth index

Rank #316 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

27.2

YoY wage change index

441 Construction Firms in Champaign-Urbana

441

Establishments

+0.0% YoY

3,971

Total Employment

-5.6% YoY

$73,207

Average Annual Wage

+1.7% YoY

0.73

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Illinois

#4 of 8

construction metros in state

Illinois state rank

#34 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-0.3

better than median (50.0)

Champaign-Urbana vs Illinois Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Illinois overall. The state ranks #34/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Champaign-Urbana	IL Statewide
Overall Score	49.7 Challenging	49.1 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#187 of 342 metros	#34 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 Champaign-Urbana

Retail Trade 24.9 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 53.4 Other Services 54.0 Finance and Insurance 54.1 Administrative and Support Services 56.2 Information 58.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 59.2

Construction in Other Illinois Metros

Kankakee 27.1 #25/342 Springfield 38.9 #94/342 Rockford 39.4 #104/342 Decatur 50.0 #193/342 Bloomington 50.9 #202/342 Peoria 50.9 #204/342 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 61.1 #291/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Champaign-Urbana's 49.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Akron, OH 49.8 #188/342 Charleston-North Charleston, SC 49.8 #189/342 Cedar Rapids, IA 49.8 #190/342 Lexington-Fayette, KY 49.6 #186/342 Binghamton, NY 50.0 #191/342 Boise City, ID 50.0 #192/342 Decatur, IL 50.0 #193/342 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 50.0 #194/342 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 49.4 #185/342 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ 50.1 #195/342

Construction in States Bordering Illinois

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

Wisconsin 25.1 #1/51 Iowa 34.3 #7/51 Indiana 35.0 #11/51 Kentucky 39.8 #19/51 Missouri 54.6 #43/51

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 Champaign-Urbana's construction sector, the employment growth component (92.1) 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 Champaign-Urbana, IL MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment