Coverage varies by state, trade and authority. These are source snapshots, not a census of unique businesses or a live license check. Ratios cannot establish market saturation or contractor quality.
Arizona vs California: contractor markets, side by side
Arizona has 43,960 roster records across the trades we cover; California has 223,427. Counts come from the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) and the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Arizona | California | |
|---|---|---|
| Covered roster records | 43,960 | 223,427 |
| Snapshot records per 10k residents | 61.3 | 54.8 |
| Residents | 7,173,962 | 40,805,409 |
| Households | 3,098,364 | 14,984,242 |
| ZIP-weighted income indicator | $76,830 | $97,970 |
| Housing units authorized (source year) | 51,532 (2025) | 103,856 (2025) |
| Top covered city by records | Phoenix | Los Angeles |
Arizona has the higher snapshot ratio: 61.3 source records per 10k residents against 54.8 in California. Differences in source coverage affect this ratio; it does not measure contractors per square mile or competition for jobs.
The ZIP-weighted income indicator is higher in California: $97,970 against $76,830 in Arizona, using the Census estimates in this dataset. This indicator does not establish renovation budgets or likely sales.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Arizona | California |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 5,431 | 29,781 |
| Plumbers | 3,541 | 18,634 |
| HVAC Contractors | 4,402 | 12,571 |
| General Contractors | 16,330 | 121,774 |
| Roofing Contractors | 1,524 | 5,940 |
| Solar Contractors | — | 1,235 |
| Landscape Contractors | 2,142 | 12,976 |
| Pool Contractors | 773 | 3,041 |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | 375 | 2,332 |
| Carpenters | 2,396 | 1,116 |
| Concrete Contractors | 1,110 | 5,851 |
| Masons | 420 | 2,201 |
| Drywall Contractors | 901 | 3,432 |
| Tile Contractors | 850 | 6,630 |
| Excavating Contractors | 1,125 | 2,587 |
| Painters | 2,188 | 16,728 |
| Flooring Contractors | 1,279 | 7,312 |
Counts reflect the separate covered-trade snapshot. A “—” means no count is provided here; it says nothing about whether the trade exists or requires a license. These category counts are not reconciled with the headline roster totals.
Figures use separately generated snapshots: overall roster totals, trade counts and mapped-city counts can differ in scope and collection time and should not be added together or treated as a reconciled census. The displayed source refresh date does not date every aggregate. Population and households are sums of the covered ZIP estimates. The income indicator is a population-weighted average of ZIP-level household-income medians, not the state's household median. Census context can refer to a different period from the roster. Housing-unit authorizations refer to the displayed permit year; they are not completed projects. See the ACS estimate guidance and Building Permits Survey for the underlying statistical definitions.
Working one of these markets?
Arizona vs California: common questions
Does Arizona or California have more contractor records?
California has 223,427 covered records; Arizona has 43,960. These counts reflect different source coverage, not a census of operating businesses. Sources: Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) and the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB).
Which has the higher snapshot records-to-population ratio, Arizona or California?
Arizona has the higher snapshot ratio: 61.3 snapshot records per 10k residents against 54.8 in California.
Which has the higher ZIP-weighted income indicator, Arizona or California?
California: $97,970 against $76,830 in Arizona. This is a population-weighted average of ZIP-level income medians, not either state's household median.
Where does this Arizona vs California comparison data come from?
Roster counts derive from Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) and California Contractors State License Board (CSLB); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Counts are snapshot records, not a census of unique companies. Source scope and dates differ between states.