NAICS 23

Construction in Erie, PA

Metro Market Score 36.6 (Moderate), ranked #74 of 342 metros. 486 establishments, 4,140 jobs.

Metro Market Score 36.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Labor costs are a clear advantage in Erie's construction sector. The wage competitiveness index of 17.3 puts it among the lowest-cost metros, and wage pressure at 36.6 suggests that gap is holding steady.

Industry Concentration

9.4

LQ: 0.66

Rank #32 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

17.3

$63,082 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 24.6

Employment growth index

Rank #259 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

36.6

YoY wage change index

486 Construction Firms in Erie

486

Establishments

-0.8% YoY

4,140

Total Employment

-0.9% YoY

$63,082

Average Annual Wage

+5.6% YoY

0.66

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Pennsylvania

#4 of 14

construction metros in state

Pennsylvania state rank

#3 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-9.0

better than median (45.7)

Erie vs Pennsylvania Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Pennsylvania overall. The state ranks #3/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Erie	PA Statewide
Overall Score	36.6 Moderate	28.4 Low
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#74 of 342 metros	#3 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 Erie

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 17.6 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 30.6 Information 32.4 Administrative and Support Services 41.5 Accommodation and Food Services 49.0 Retail Trade 49.3 Finance and Insurance 49.5 Healthcare and Social Assistance 54.3 Other Services 55.7

Construction in Other Pennsylvania Metros

Johnstown 26.0 #21/342 Altoona 29.8 #39/342 Chambersburg 31.6 #49/342 Williamsport 40.7 #112/342 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre 43.2 #130/342 Lebanon 43.3 #132/342 Harrisburg-Carlisle 45.7 #152/342 State College 46.0 #154/342 Pittsburgh 50.9 #203/342 Gettysburg 53.4 #229/342

+ 3 more metros. View all in Pennsylvania →

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Erie's 36.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Goldsboro, NC 36.6 #73/342 Dover, DE 36.7 #75/342 Grants Pass, OR 36.8 #76/342 Hot Springs, AR 36.8 #77/342 Ocala, FL 36.4 #72/342 Jackson, MI 36.9 #78/342 Mansfield, OH 36.0 #71/342 Bloomington, IN 37.2 #79/342 Lima, OH 35.9 #70/342 Fresno, CA 37.4 #80/342

Construction in States Bordering Pennsylvania

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

Maryland 35.0 #12/51 Ohio 41.7 #24/51 Delaware 43.0 #26/51 New Jersey 48.3 #33/51 West Virginia 49.5 #35/51 New York 51.1 #37/51

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 Erie's construction sector, the employment growth component (75.4) 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 Erie, PA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment