NAICS 23

Construction in Medford, OR

Metro Market Score 54.8 (Challenging), ranked #243 of 342 metros. 985 establishments, 5,241 jobs.

Metro Market Score 54.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Labor costs are a clear advantage in Medford's construction sector. The wage competitiveness index of 24.9 puts it among the lowest-cost metros, and wage pressure at 34.2 suggests that gap is holding steady.

Industry Concentration

66.1

LQ: 1.10

Rank #226 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

24.9

$66,329 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 16.1

Employment growth index

Rank #288 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

34.2

YoY wage change index

985 Construction Firms in Medford

985

Establishments

-0.8% YoY

5,241

Total Employment

-2.3% YoY

$66,329

Average Annual Wage

+4.6% YoY

1.10

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Oregon

#5 of 8

construction metros in state

Oregon state rank

#44 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (54.8)

Medford vs Oregon Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Oregon overall. The state ranks #44/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Medford	OR Statewide
Overall Score	54.8 Challenging	54.8 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#243 of 342 metros	#44 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 Medford

Administrative and Support Services 39.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 48.6 Finance and Insurance 50.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 50.3 Healthcare and Social Assistance 52.7 Other Services 60.6 Information 62.5 Accommodation and Food Services 67.2 Retail Trade 78.9

Construction in Other Oregon Metros

Grants Pass 36.8 #76/342 Corvallis 45.0 #146/342 Bend 47.8 #171/342 Eugene-Springfield 53.9 #233/342 Albany 56.4 #259/342 Salem 63.0 #299/342 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro 67.3 #320/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Medford's 54.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Grand Junction, CO 54.8 #244/342 Punta Gorda, FL 54.7 #242/342 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 54.9 #245/342 Fargo, ND 54.6 #241/342 Toledo, OH 54.5 #240/342 Pittsfield, MA 54.5 #239/342 Glens Falls, NY 54.5 #238/342 Midland, MI 55.1 #246/342 Saginaw, MI 55.1 #247/342 Reading, PA 54.4 #237/342

Construction in States Bordering Oregon

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

Nevada 39.8 #20/51 California 47.8 #32/51 Washington 58.1 #46/51 Idaho 58.4 #48/51

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 Medford's construction sector, the employment growth component (83.9) 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 Medford, OR MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment