Colorado vs Oregon: contractor markets, side by side
Colorado has 7,671 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Oregon has 31,562: about 4× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA) and the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Colorado | Oregon | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 7,671 | 31,562 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 13.3 | 74.6 |
| Residents | 5,771,158 | 4,229,341 |
| Households | 2,500,219 | 1,818,529 |
| Median household income | $92,748 | $80,169 |
| Building permits (2025) | 33,754 | 14,679 |
| Top city by licenses | Denver | Portland |
Oregon is the denser market: 74.6 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 $80,169 in Oregon, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Colorado | Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 4,677 | 1,183 |
| Plumbers | 3,003 | 1,912 |
| HVAC Contractors | — | 444 |
| General Contractors | — | 29,946 |
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 Oregon: common questions
Does Colorado or Oregon have more licensed contractors?
Oregon has more: 31,562 active licensed contractors against 7,671 in Colorado, about 4× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA) and the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB).
Which has the denser contractor market, Colorado or Oregon?
Oregon is denser: 74.6 active licenses per 10k residents against 13.3 in Colorado.
Where does household income run higher, Colorado or Oregon?
Colorado: $92,748 median household income against $80,169 in Oregon, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Colorado vs Oregon comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA) and the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.