NAICS 23

Construction in Hattiesburg, MS

Metro Market Score 29.3 (Favorable), ranked #35 of 342 metros. 286 establishments, 2,250 jobs.

Metro Market Score 29.3

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

✓Favorable Market

Construction wages in Hattiesburg run well below the metro average (competitiveness index: 12.9), and year-over-year wage pressure is low at 33.5. For labor-intensive operations, this cost advantage could improve unit economics significantly.

Industry Concentration

12.0

LQ: 0.70

Rank #41 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

12.9

$61,555 avg wage

Growth Trend

45.3

Employment growth index

Rank #188 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

33.5

YoY wage change index

286 Construction Firms in Hattiesburg

286

Establishments

+2.9% YoY

2,250

Total Employment

+1.2% YoY

$61,555

Average Annual Wage

+4.3% YoY

0.70

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Mississippi

#2 of 3

construction metros in state

Mississippi state rank

#36 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (29.3)

Hattiesburg vs Mississippi Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Mississippi overall. The state ranks #36/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Hattiesburg	MS Statewide
Overall Score	29.3 Favorable	50.8 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#35 of 342 metros	#36 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 Hattiesburg

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 31.4 Other Services 34.4 Finance and Insurance 37.8 Accommodation and Food Services 53.3 Retail Trade 73.6

Construction in Other Mississippi Metros

Jackson 25.1 #18/342 Gulfport-Biloxi 34.6 #63/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Hattiesburg's 29.3 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Lawrence, KS 29.3 #34/342 Laredo, TX 29.5 #36/342 Muncie, IN 29.5 #37/342 Joplin, MO 29.0 #33/342 Hammond, LA 29.7 #38/342 Altoona, PA 29.8 #39/342 Greenville, NC 29.9 #40/342 Montgomery, AL 28.7 #32/342 Iowa City, IA 29.9 #41/342 Merced, CA 30.0 #42/342

Construction in States Bordering Mississippi

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

Alabama 30.3 #4/51 Arkansas 34.3 #8/51 Tennessee 34.8 #10/51 Louisiana 53.6 #41/51

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 Hattiesburg's construction sector, the employment growth component (54.7) 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 Hattiesburg, MS MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment