NAICS 23

Construction in Yakima, WA

Metro Market Score 39.6 (Moderate), ranked #105 of 342 metros. 811 establishments, 3,965 jobs.

Metro Market Score 39.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

Construction wages in Yakima run well below the metro average (competitiveness index: 8.2), and year-over-year wage pressure is low at 37.4. For labor-intensive operations, this cost advantage could improve unit economics significantly.

Industry Concentration

9.1

LQ: 0.65

Rank #31 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

8.2

$58,460 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 7.3

Employment growth index

Rank #318 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

37.4

YoY wage change index

811 Construction Firms in Yakima

811

Establishments

+3.3% YoY

3,965

Total Employment

-5.9% YoY

$58,460

Average Annual Wage

+5.9% YoY

0.65

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Washington

#1 of 11

construction metros in state

Washington state rank

#46 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-24.7

better than median (64.3)

Yakima vs Washington Statewide

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

Measure	Yakima	WA Statewide
Overall Score	39.6 Moderate	58.1 High
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#105 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 Yakima

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 17.6 Administrative and Support Services 20.8 Information 30.0 Finance and Insurance 38.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 40.5 Accommodation and Food Services 41.3 Other Services 48.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 53.7 Retail Trade 67.8

Construction in Other Washington Metros

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 Bellingham 77.4 #341/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Yakima's 39.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Hanford-Corcoran, CA 39.7 #106/342 Rockford, IL 39.4 #104/342 Hinesville, GA 39.4 #103/342 Waco, TX 39.8 #107/342 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 39.8 #108/342 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC 39.4 #102/342 Athens-Clarke County, GA 40.0 #109/342 Idaho Falls, ID 39.2 #101/342 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ 39.1 #100/342 Louisville-Jefferson County, KY 39.1 #99/342

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 Yakima's construction sector, the employment growth component (92.7) 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 Yakima, WA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment