NAICS 23

Construction in Wheeling, WV

Metro Market Score 38.0 (Moderate), ranked #85 of 342 metros. 288 establishments, 2,680 jobs.

Metro Market Score 38.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

📈Rapid Growth

Employment in Wheeling's construction sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 78.7. Combined with a 38.0 market score, this metro sits in the top quartile for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

36.5

LQ: 0.88

Rank #125 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

56.7

$73,715 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 78.7

Employment growth index

Rank #74 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

41.3

YoY wage change index

288 Construction Firms in Wheeling

288

Establishments

+4.7% YoY

2,680

Total Employment

+5.6% YoY

$73,715

Average Annual Wage

+7.5% YoY

0.88

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within West Virginia

#3 of 5

construction metros in state

West Virginia state rank

#35 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (38.0)

Wheeling vs West Virginia Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to West Virginia overall. The state ranks #35/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Wheeling	WV Statewide
Overall Score	38.0 Moderate	49.5 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#85 of 342 metros	#35 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 Wheeling

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 14.4 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 36.8 Other Services 44.9 Information 45.2 Finance and Insurance 55.5 Retail Trade 61.5 Accommodation and Food Services 64.0

Construction in Other West Virginia Metros

Beckley 11.7 #1/342 Morgantown 34.9 #64/342 Parkersburg-Vienna 41.4 #116/342 Charleston 54.2 #235/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Wheeling's 38.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Twin Falls, ID 38.1 #86/342 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR 37.8 #84/342 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI 38.1 #87/342 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL 38.1 #88/342 Jacksonville, NC 37.8 #83/342 Harrisonburg, VA 38.2 #89/342 Carson City, NV 38.3 #90/342 Spartanburg, SC 37.5 #82/342 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 38.5 #91/342 Gainesville, GA 38.5 #92/342

Construction in States Bordering West Virginia

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

Pennsylvania 28.4 #3/51 Maryland 35.0 #12/51 Virginia 39.0 #18/51 Kentucky 39.8 #19/51 Ohio 41.7 #24/51

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 Wheeling's construction sector, the wage competitiveness component (56.7) 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 Wheeling, WV-OH MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment