Colorado vs Nevada: contractor markets, side by side
Colorado has 7,671 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Nevada has 15,384: about 2× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA) and the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Colorado | Nevada | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 7,671 | 15,384 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 13.3 | 41.0 |
| Residents | 5,771,158 | 3,752,362 |
| Households | 2,500,219 | 1,578,064 |
| Median household income | $92,748 | $71,790 |
| Building permits (2025) | 33,754 | 18,628 |
| Top city by licenses | Denver | Las Vegas |
Nevada is the denser market: 41.0 active licenses per 10k residents against 13.3 in Colorado. 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 Colorado: $92,748 median against $71,790 in Nevada, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Colorado | Nevada |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 4,677 | 2,237 |
| Plumbers | 3,003 | 1,035 |
| HVAC Contractors | — | 1,236 |
| General Contractors | — | 4,097 |
| Roofing Contractors | — | 425 |
| Solar Contractors | — | 24 |
| Landscape Contractors | — | 753 |
| Pool Contractors | — | 216 |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | — | 143 |
| Carpenters | — | 1,504 |
| Concrete Contractors | — | 737 |
| Masons | — | 379 |
| Drywall Contractors | — | 330 |
| Tile Contractors | — | 413 |
| Excavating Contractors | — | 381 |
| Painters | — | 996 |
| Flooring Contractors | — | 687 |
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?
Colorado vs Nevada: common questions
Does Colorado or Nevada have more licensed contractors?
Nevada has more: 15,384 active licensed contractors against 7,671 in Colorado, about 2× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA) and the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB).
Which has the denser contractor market, Colorado or Nevada?
Nevada is denser: 41.0 active licenses per 10k residents against 13.3 in Colorado.
Where does household income run higher, Colorado or Nevada?
Colorado: $92,748 median household income against $71,790 in Nevada, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Colorado vs Nevada comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA) and the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.