Florida vs Texas: contractor markets, side by side
Florida has 110,411 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Texas has 9,656: about 11× more licensed contractors. Counts come from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Florida | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 110,411 | 9,656 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 51.0 | 3.3 |
| Residents | 21,634,506 | 29,242,689 |
| Households | 9,915,946 | 11,654,379 |
| Median household income | $71,602 | $78,473 |
| Building permits (2025) | 178,297 | 210,217 |
| Top city by licenses | Miami | Houston |
Florida is the denser market: 51.0 active licenses per 10k residents against 3.3 in Texas. 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 Texas: $78,473 median against $71,602 in Florida, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Florida | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 14,182 | 12,392 |
| Plumbers | 8,489 | — |
| HVAC Contractors | 13,921 | — |
| General Contractors | 59,596 | — |
| Roofing Contractors | 10,157 | — |
| Solar Contractors | 432 | — |
| Pool Contractors | 4,751 | — |
| Excavating Contractors | 2,643 | — |
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?
Florida vs Texas: common questions
Does Florida or Texas have more licensed contractors?
Florida has more: 110,411 active licensed contractors against 9,656 in Texas, about 11× more licensed contractors. Counts come from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
Which has the denser contractor market, Florida or Texas?
Florida is denser: 51.0 active licenses per 10k residents against 3.3 in Texas.
Where does household income run higher, Florida or Texas?
Texas: $78,473 median household income against $71,602 in Florida, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Florida vs Texas comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.