NAICS 23

Construction in Albuquerque, NM

Metro Market Score 56.1 (Challenging), ranked #257 of 342 metros. 2,262 establishments, 27,117 jobs.

Metro Market Score 56.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Albuquerque scores 56.1 on the Metro Market Score for construction, placing it in the bottom quartile. High wage costs, strong existing competition, or slowing growth contribute to tougher entry conditions compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

78.4

LQ: 1.28

Rank #268 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

41.2

$70,782 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 37.7

Employment growth index

Rank #214 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

37.6

YoY wage change index

2,262 Construction Firms in Albuquerque

2,262

Establishments

+3.7% YoY

27,117

Total Employment

+0.3% YoY

$70,782

Average Annual Wage

+6.0% YoY

1.28

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within New Mexico

#4 of 4

construction metros in state

New Mexico state rank

#31 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

+10.9

worse than median (45.2)

Albuquerque vs New Mexico Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to New Mexico overall. The state ranks #31/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Albuquerque	NM Statewide
Overall Score	56.1 Challenging	47.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#257 of 342 metros	#31 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 Albuquerque

Healthcare and Social Assistance 48.6 Other Services 49.3 Administrative and Support Services 50.0 Information 54.3 Retail Trade 55.2

Construction in Other New Mexico Metros

Las Cruces 28.3 #30/342 Santa Fe 44.1 #138/342 Farmington 45.2 #147/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Albuquerque's 56.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Raleigh-Cary, NC 56.1 #256/342 Colorado Springs, CO 56.2 #258/342 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC 56.0 #255/342 St. Joseph, MO 56.0 #254/342 Albany, OR 56.4 #259/342 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 56.4 #260/342 Kokomo, IN 56.5 #261/342 Lincoln, NE 55.7 #253/342 Anchorage, AK 55.7 #252/342 Waterbury-Shelton, CT 56.6 #262/342

Construction in States Bordering New Mexico

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

Arizona 38.6 #16/51 Utah 40.1 #22/51 Texas 46.3 #29/51 Oklahoma 52.2 #39/51 Colorado 53.2 #40/51

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 Albuquerque's construction sector, the industry concentration 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 Albuquerque, NM MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment