NAICS 23

Construction in Lancaster, PA

Metro Market Score 59.0 (Challenging), ranked #276 of 342 metros. 1,930 establishments, 18,874 jobs.

Metro Market Score 59.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

With a 1.43 location quotient, Lancaster has an outsized construction presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 87.7) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

87.7

LQ: 1.43

Rank #300 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

71.9

$77,616 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 59.6

Employment growth index

Rank #139 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

34.7

YoY wage change index

1,930 Construction Firms in Lancaster

1,930

Establishments

+1.7% YoY

18,874

Total Employment

+3.1% YoY

$77,616

Average Annual Wage

+4.8% YoY

1.43

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Pennsylvania

#13 of 14

construction metros in state

Pennsylvania state rank

#3 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

+13.3

worse than median (45.7)

Lancaster vs Pennsylvania Statewide

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

Measure	Lancaster	PA Statewide
Overall Score	59.0 Challenging	28.4 Low
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#276 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 Lancaster

Administrative and Support Services 29.3 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 35.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 43.1 Accommodation and Food Services 43.4 Information 45.4 Healthcare and Social Assistance 50.7 Other Services 52.9 Finance and Insurance 54.3 Retail Trade 59.6

Construction in Other Pennsylvania Metros

Johnstown 26.0 #21/342 Altoona 29.8 #39/342 Chambersburg 31.6 #49/342 Erie 36.6 #74/342 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

+ 3 more metros. View all in Pennsylvania →

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Lancaster's 59.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Wildwood-The Villages, FL 59.3 #277/342 Syracuse, NY 58.5 #275/342 Michigan City-La Porte, IN 59.4 #278/342 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN 59.5 #279/342 Rochester, NY 59.5 #280/342 New Haven, CT 59.5 #281/342 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA 58.3 #274/342 Fairbanks-College, AK 58.2 #273/342 Lexington Park, MD 58.1 #272/342 Augusta-Richmond County, GA 59.8 #282/342

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 Lancaster's construction sector, the industry concentration component (87.7) 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 Lancaster, PA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment