Florida vs Virginia: contractor markets, side by side
Florida has 110,411 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Virginia has 42,816: about 2.6× more licensed contractors. Counts come from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Florida | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 110,411 | 42,816 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 51.0 | 35.9 |
| Residents | 21,634,506 | 11,942,085 |
| Households | 9,915,946 | 4,997,364 |
| Median household income | $71,602 | $102,122 |
| Building permits (2025) | 178,297 | 32,274 |
| Top city by licenses | Miami | Virginia Beach |
Florida is the denser market: 51.0 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 $71,602 in Florida, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Florida | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 14,039 | 3,889 |
| Plumbers | 8,367 | 1,424 |
| HVAC Contractors | 13,726 | 2,418 |
| General Contractors | 58,802 | 30,002 |
| Roofing Contractors | 10,034 | 1,327 |
| Solar Contractors | 430 | — |
| Landscape Contractors | — | 2,156 |
| Pool Contractors | 4,666 | — |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | — | 408 |
| Carpenters | — | 54 |
| Concrete Contractors | — | 1,269 |
| Masons | — | 1,020 |
| Drywall Contractors | — | 140 |
| Excavating Contractors | 2,614 | 3,114 |
| Painters | — | 2,121 |
| Flooring Contractors | — | 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?
Florida vs Virginia: common questions
Does Florida or Virginia have more licensed contractors?
Florida has more: 110,411 active licensed contractors against 42,816 in Virginia, about 2.6× more licensed contractors. Counts come from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR).
Which has the denser contractor market, Florida or Virginia?
Florida is denser: 51.0 active licenses per 10k residents against 35.9 in Virginia.
Where does household income run higher, Florida or Virginia?
Virginia: $102,122 median household income against $71,602 in Florida, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Florida vs Virginia comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) 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.