NAICS 23

Construction in Bellingham, WA

Metro Market Score 77.4 (Difficult), ranked #341 of 342 metros. 878 establishments, 7,564 jobs.

Metro Market Score 77.4

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

🏭Industry Hub💰High-Cost Market

With a 1.54 location quotient, Bellingham has an outsized construction presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 91.2) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

91.2

LQ: 1.54

Rank #312 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

88.9

$86,578 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 12.9

Employment growth index

Rank #299 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

31.3

YoY wage change index

878 Construction Firms in Bellingham

878

Establishments

+7.6% YoY

7,564

Total Employment

-3.7% YoY

$86,578

Average Annual Wage

+3.4% YoY

1.54

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Washington

#11 of 11

construction metros in state

Washington state rank

#46 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

+13.2

worse than median (64.3)

Bellingham vs Washington Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Washington overall. The state ranks #46/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Bellingham	WA Statewide
Overall Score	77.4 Difficult	58.1 High
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#341 of 342 metros	#46 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 Bellingham

Administrative and Support Services 43.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 47.1 Healthcare and Social Assistance 50.5 Information 55.4 Retail Trade 58.5 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 60.1 Finance and Insurance 61.5 Other Services 70.1 Accommodation and Food Services 74.1

Construction in Other Washington Metros

Yakima 39.6 #105/342 Walla Walla 41.5 #119/342 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard 53.0 #226/342 Kennewick-Richland 60.8 #288/342 Spokane-Spokane Valley 60.9 #289/342 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater 64.3 #309/342 Longview-Kelso 64.8 #311/342 Mount Vernon-Anacortes 71.4 #332/342 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 74.5 #338/342 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee 76.9 #340/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Bellingham's 77.4 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA 76.9 #340/342 Elizabethtown, KY 75.7 #339/342 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 74.5 #338/342 Vallejo, CA 80.4 #342/342 Napa, CA 73.6 #337/342 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 73.5 #336/342 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 73.3 #335/342 Great Falls, MT 73.0 #334/342 Barnstable Town, MA 72.9 #333/342

Construction in States Bordering Washington

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

Oregon 54.8 #44/51 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 Bellingham's construction sector, the employment growth component (87.1) 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 Bellingham, WA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment