NAICS 23

Construction in Missoula, MT

Metro Market Score 47.4 (Moderate), ranked #167 of 342 metros. 701 establishments, 4,162 jobs.

Metro Market Score 47.4

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Despite a mature construction presence (concentration: 72.5), Missoula is still adding jobs in this sector. Growth trend sits at 60.5, and the overall 47.4 market score lands in the upper half. Established markets with growth are worth a closer look.

Industry Concentration

72.5

LQ: 1.19

Rank #248 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

42.4

$70,911 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 60.5

Employment growth index

Rank #136 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

34.0

YoY wage change index

701 Construction Firms in Missoula

701

Establishments

+0.1% YoY

4,162

Total Employment

+3.2% YoY

$70,911

Average Annual Wage

+4.5% YoY

1.19

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Montana

#1 of 4

construction metros in state

Montana state rank

#28 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-22.5

better than median (69.9)

Missoula vs Montana Statewide

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

Measure	Missoula	MT Statewide
Overall Score	47.4 Moderate	45.0 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#167 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 Missoula

Accommodation and Food Services 52.2 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 56.6 Retail Trade 58.9 Other Services 65.1

Construction in Other Montana Metros

Helena 48.8 #177/342 Bozeman 69.9 #329/342 Great Falls 73.0 #334/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Missoula's 47.4 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Green Bay, WI 47.3 #166/342 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 47.5 #168/342 Lynchburg, VA 47.1 #165/342 Flint, MI 47.1 #164/342 Victoria, TX 47.7 #169/342 Rapid City, SD 47.7 #170/342 Cleveland, OH 47.0 #163/342 Bend, OR 47.8 #171/342 Bangor, ME 47.9 #172/342 Burlington-South Burlington, VT 48.0 #173/342

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 Missoula's construction sector, the industry concentration component (72.5) 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 Missoula, MT MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment