California vs Virginia: contractor markets, side by side
California has 223,427 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Virginia has 42,816: about 5× more licensed contractors. Counts come from the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) and the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| California | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 223,427 | 42,816 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 54.8 | 35.9 |
| Residents | 40,805,409 | 11,942,085 |
| Households | 14,984,242 | 4,997,364 |
| Median household income | $97,970 | $102,122 |
| Building permits (2025) | 103,856 | 32,274 |
| Top city by licenses | Los Angeles | Virginia Beach |
California is the denser market: 54.8 active licenses per 10k residents against 35.9 in Virginia. Density cuts both ways: more contractors to sell to per square mile, and more competition per job for the contractors themselves.
Household income runs higher in Virginia: $102,122 median against $97,970 in California, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | California | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 29,398 | 3,889 |
| Plumbers | 18,345 | 1,424 |
| HVAC Contractors | 12,372 | 2,418 |
| General Contractors | 120,055 | 30,002 |
| Roofing Contractors | 5,811 | 1,327 |
| Solar Contractors | 1,224 | — |
| Landscape Contractors | 12,792 | 2,156 |
| Pool Contractors | 3,000 | — |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | 2,305 | 408 |
| Carpenters | 1,096 | 54 |
| Concrete Contractors | 5,766 | 1,269 |
| Masons | 2,178 | 1,020 |
| Drywall Contractors | 3,389 | 140 |
| Tile Contractors | 6,551 | — |
| Excavating Contractors | 2,547 | 3,114 |
| Painters | 16,506 | 2,121 |
| Flooring Contractors | 7,230 | 154 |
Counts are active licenses only, from each state's license board. A “—” means that board doesn't issue a statewide license for the trade, not that the trade doesn't exist there.
Working one of these markets?
California vs Virginia: common questions
Does California or Virginia have more licensed contractors?
California has more: 223,427 active licensed contractors against 42,816 in Virginia, about 5× more licensed contractors. Counts come from the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) and the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR).
Which has the denser contractor market, California or Virginia?
California is denser: 54.8 active licenses per 10k residents against 35.9 in Virginia.
Where does household income run higher, California or Virginia?
Virginia: $102,122 median household income against $97,970 in California, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this California vs Virginia comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) and the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.