Minnesota vs New York: contractor markets, side by side
Minnesota has 16,763 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; New York has 29,413: about 1.8× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the NYC Department of Buildings + DCWP; market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Minnesota | New York | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 16,763 | 29,413 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 29.4 | 14.7 |
| Residents | 5,695,830 | 19,994,326 |
| Households | 2,494,239 | 8,494,175 |
| Median household income | $88,902 | $89,542 |
| Building permits (2025) | 20,947 | 38,667 |
| Top city by licenses | Minneapolis | Brooklyn |
Minnesota is the denser market: 29.4 active licenses per 10k residents against 14.7 in New York. 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 New York: $89,542 median against $88,902 in Minnesota, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Minnesota | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 3,064 | 3,528 |
| Plumbers | 1,900 | 1,152 |
| HVAC Contractors | 4,744 | 103 |
| General Contractors | 14,925 | 24,160 |
| Roofing Contractors | 175 | — |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | — | 470 |
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?
Minnesota vs New York: common questions
Does Minnesota or New York have more licensed contractors?
New York has more: 29,413 active licensed contractors against 16,763 in Minnesota, about 1.8× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the NYC Department of Buildings + DCWP.
Which has the denser contractor market, Minnesota or New York?
Minnesota is denser: 29.4 active licenses per 10k residents against 14.7 in New York.
Where does household income run higher, Minnesota or New York?
New York: $89,542 median household income against $88,902 in Minnesota, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Minnesota vs New York comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the NYC Department of Buildings + DCWP; population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.