NAICS 23

Construction in Helena, MT

Metro Market Score 48.8 (Challenging), ranked #177 of 342 metros. 583 establishments, 2,646 jobs.

Metro Market Score 48.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Helena's construction market sits near the national metro median, ranking #177 of 342 with a market score of 48.8. No single metric stands out as an outlier, which means entry conditions depend more on your specific business model than on broad market forces.

Industry Concentration

69.9

LQ: 1.14

Rank #239 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

25.4

$66,532 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 32.2

Employment growth index

Rank #233 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

23.1

YoY wage change index

583 Construction Firms in Helena

583

Establishments

+100.0% YoY

2,646

Total Employment

+0.0% YoY

$66,532

Average Annual Wage

+0.0% YoY

1.14

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Montana

#2 of 4

construction metros in state

Montana state rank

#28 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-21.1

better than median (69.9)

Helena vs Montana Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Montana overall. The state ranks #28/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Helena	MT Statewide
Overall Score	48.8 Challenging	45.0 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#177 of 342 metros	#28 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 Helena

Administrative and Support Services 35.6 Retail Trade 54.2 Other Services 74.1

Construction in Other Montana Metros

Missoula 47.4 #167/342 Bozeman 69.9 #329/342 Great Falls 73.0 #334/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Helena's 48.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA 48.8 #178/342 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 49.1 #179/342 Sioux Falls, SD 49.1 #180/342 Lake Charles, LA 49.1 #181/342 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN 48.4 #176/342 Jacksonville, FL 49.2 #182/342 Fayetteville, NC 49.2 #183/342 Sebring, FL 49.2 #184/342 Lewiston, ID 48.3 #175/342 Modesto, CA 48.2 #174/342

Construction in States Bordering Montana

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

South Dakota 34.7 #9/51 North Dakota 58.3 #47/51 Idaho 58.4 #48/51 Wyoming 59.3 #49/51

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 Helena's construction sector, the employment growth component (67.8) 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 Helena, MT MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment