Minnesota vs Ohio: contractor markets, side by side
Minnesota has 16,763 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Ohio has 12,552: about 1.3× more licensed contractors. Counts come from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Minnesota | Ohio | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 16,763 | 12,552 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 29.4 | 10.7 |
| Residents | 5,695,830 | 11,774,683 |
| Households | 2,494,239 | 5,251,186 |
| Median household income | $88,902 | $71,229 |
| Building permits (2025) | 20,947 | 33,640 |
| Top city by licenses | Minneapolis | Cincinnati |
Minnesota is the denser market: 29.4 active licenses per 10k residents against 10.7 in Ohio. 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 Minnesota: $88,902 median against $71,229 in Ohio, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Minnesota | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 3,064 | 4,514 |
| Plumbers | 1,900 | 3,084 |
| HVAC Contractors | 4,744 | 4,956 |
| General Contractors | 14,925 | — |
| Roofing Contractors | 175 | — |
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 Ohio: common questions
Does Minnesota or Ohio have more licensed contractors?
Minnesota has more: 16,763 active licensed contractors against 12,552 in Ohio, about 1.3× more licensed contractors. Counts come from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB).
Which has the denser contractor market, Minnesota or Ohio?
Minnesota is denser: 29.4 active licenses per 10k residents against 10.7 in Ohio.
Where does household income run higher, Minnesota or Ohio?
Minnesota: $88,902 median household income against $71,229 in Ohio, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Minnesota vs Ohio comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.