NAICS 23

Construction in Columbus, OH

Metro Market Score 46.2 (Moderate), ranked #157 of 342 metros. 4,356 establishments, 53,058 jobs.

Metro Market Score 46.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

💰High-Cost Market📈Rapid Growth

Columbus ranks in the upper half for construction market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 46.2, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

43.9

LQ: 0.93

Rank #150 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

92.7

$88,802 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 91.8

Employment growth index

Rank #29 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

48.1

YoY wage change index

4,356 Construction Firms in Columbus

4,356

Establishments

+3.6% YoY

53,058

Total Employment

+9.2% YoY

$88,802

Average Annual Wage

+10.3% YoY

0.93

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Ohio

#6 of 11

construction metros in state

Ohio state rank

#24 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (46.2)

Columbus vs Ohio Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Ohio overall. The state ranks #24/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Columbus	OH Statewide
Overall Score	46.2 Moderate	41.7 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#157 of 342 metros	#24 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 Columbus

Retail Trade 46.9 Accommodation and Food Services 51.1 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 54.8 Other Services 62.2 Finance and Insurance 78.4

Construction in Other Ohio Metros

Springfield 28.4 #31/342 Sandusky 32.1 #53/342 Lima 35.9 #70/342 Mansfield 36.0 #71/342 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek 46.1 #155/342 Canton-Massillon 46.3 #158/342 Cleveland 47.0 #163/342 Akron 49.8 #188/342 Toledo 54.5 #240/342 Youngstown-Warren 61.3 #292/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Columbus's 46.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Rochester, MN 46.2 #156/342 Canton-Massillon, OH 46.3 #158/342 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH 46.1 #155/342 Fort Smith, AR 46.4 #159/342 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 46.4 #160/342 Stockton-Lodi, CA 46.4 #161/342 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 46.4 #162/342 State College, PA 46.0 #154/342 Mobile, AL 45.8 #153/342 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 45.7 #152/342

Construction in States Bordering Ohio

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

Michigan 28.0 #2/51 Pennsylvania 28.4 #3/51 Indiana 35.0 #11/51 Kentucky 39.8 #19/51 West Virginia 49.5 #35/51

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 Columbus's construction sector, the wage competitiveness component (92.7) 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 Columbus, OH MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment