NAICS 23

Construction in Topeka, KS

Metro Market Score 52.6 (Challenging), ranked #220 of 342 metros. 582 establishments, 5,749 jobs.

Metro Market Score 52.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

At #220 of 342 metros, Topeka's construction sector scores 52.6 on the market index. Concentration (52.0), wage levels (38.6), and growth (21.6) all track close to the median. Local factors like lease costs and client access will matter more than macro signals.

Industry Concentration

52.0

LQ: 0.98

Rank #178 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

38.6

$69,934 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 21.6

Employment growth index

Rank #269 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

32.0

YoY wage change index

582 Construction Firms in Topeka

582

Establishments

-0.3% YoY

5,749

Total Employment

-1.2% YoY

$69,934

Average Annual Wage

+3.7% YoY

0.98

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Kansas

#3 of 4

construction metros in state

Kansas state rank

#38 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (52.6)

Topeka vs Kansas Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Kansas overall. The state ranks #38/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Topeka	KS Statewide
Overall Score	52.6 Challenging	51.5 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#220 of 342 metros	#38 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 Topeka

Retail Trade 35.1 Information 36.2 Other Services 66.1

Construction in Other Kansas Metros

Lawrence 29.3 #34/342 Manhattan 32.4 #55/342 Wichita 54.2 #234/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Topeka's 52.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Coeur d'Alene, ID 52.6 #219/342 Birmingham, AL 52.6 #221/342 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 52.3 #218/342 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 52.3 #217/342 Reno, NV 52.8 #222/342 Charlottesville, VA 52.9 #223/342 Naples-Marco Island, FL 52.9 #224/342 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 52.9 #225/342 Madison, WI 52.1 #216/342 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA 53.0 #226/342

Construction in States Bordering Kansas

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

Nebraska 32.5 #5/51 Oklahoma 52.2 #39/51 Colorado 53.2 #40/51 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 Topeka's construction sector, the employment growth component (78.4) 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 Topeka, KS MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment