NAICS 23

Construction in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

Metro Market Score 43.2 (Moderate), ranked #130 of 342 metros. 1,112 establishments, 9,582 jobs.

Metro Market Score 43.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Construction conditions in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre are mixed. The 43.2 market score puts it at #130 of 342, with no metric pulling sharply in either direction. Wages, growth, and competition are all within a normal range for this industry.

Industry Concentration

13.2

LQ: 0.72

Rank #45 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

44.1

$71,089 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 26.0

Employment growth index

Rank #254 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

33.3

YoY wage change index

1,112 Construction Firms in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre

1,112

Establishments

-0.2% YoY

9,582

Total Employment

-0.7% YoY

$71,089

Average Annual Wage

+4.2% YoY

0.72

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Pennsylvania

#6 of 14

construction metros in state

Pennsylvania state rank

#3 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-2.5

better than median (45.7)

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre vs Pennsylvania Statewide

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

Measure	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre	PA Statewide
Overall Score	43.2 Moderate	28.4 Low
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#130 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 18.4 Accommodation and Food Services 38.8 Administrative and Support Services 39.1 Other Services 40.2 Information 41.8 Healthcare and Social Assistance 45.7 Retail Trade 46.5 Finance and Insurance 53.3

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 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre's 43.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 43.2 #131/342 Lebanon, PA 43.3 #132/342 Greensboro-High Point, NC 43.0 #128/342 Sherman-Denison, TX 43.0 #129/342 Cheyenne, WY 43.5 #133/342 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL 42.8 #127/342 Rocky Mount, NC 43.5 #134/342 Killeen-Temple, TX 42.8 #126/342 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 42.6 #124/342 Ann Arbor, MI 42.6 #125/342

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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre's construction sector, the employment growth component (74.0) 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment