NAICS 23

Construction in Wichita, KS

Metro Market Score 54.2 (Challenging), ranked #234 of 342 metros. 1,571 establishments, 17,188 jobs.

Metro Market Score 54.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Construction conditions in Wichita are mixed. The 54.2 market score puts it at #234 of 342, with no metric pulling sharply in either direction. Wages, growth, and competition are all within a normal range for this industry.

Industry Concentration

62.9

LQ: 1.07

Rank #215 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

30.7

$67,903 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 23.4

Employment growth index

Rank #263 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

39.1

YoY wage change index

1,571 Construction Firms in Wichita

1,571

Establishments

-0.2% YoY

17,188

Total Employment

-1.1% YoY

$67,903

Average Annual Wage

+6.6% YoY

1.07

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Kansas

#4 of 4

construction metros in state

Kansas state rank

#38 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

+1.6

worse than median (52.6)

Wichita vs Kansas Statewide

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

Measure	Wichita	KS Statewide
Overall Score	54.2 Challenging	51.5 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#234 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 Wichita

Finance and Insurance 38.1 Information 39.3 Other Services 46.8 Retail Trade 48.5 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 52.5 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 54.7

Construction in Other Kansas Metros

Lawrence 29.3 #34/342 Manhattan 32.4 #55/342 Topeka 52.6 #220/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Wichita's 54.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Charleston, WV 54.2 #235/342 Alexandria, LA 54.4 #236/342 Reading, PA 54.4 #237/342 Eugene-Springfield, OR 53.9 #233/342 Glens Falls, NY 54.5 #238/342 Pittsfield, MA 54.5 #239/342 Toledo, OH 54.5 #240/342 Fargo, ND 54.6 #241/342 Boulder, CO 53.8 #232/342 Punta Gorda, FL 54.7 #242/342

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 Wichita's construction sector, the employment growth component (76.6) 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 Wichita, KS MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment