Minnesota vs Utah: contractor markets, side by side
Minnesota has 16,763 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Utah has 4,281: about 4× more licensed contractors. Counts come from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Minnesota | Utah | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 16,763 | 4,281 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 29.4 | 13.0 |
| Residents | 5,695,830 | 3,282,203 |
| Households | 2,494,239 | 1,160,621 |
| Median household income | $88,902 | $90,304 |
| Building permits (2025) | 20,947 | 26,775 |
| Top city by licenses | Minneapolis | Salt Lake City |
Minnesota is the denser market: 29.4 active licenses per 10k residents against 13.0 in Utah. 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 Utah: $90,304 median against $88,902 in Minnesota, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Minnesota | Utah |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 3,064 | 251 |
| Plumbers | 1,900 | 214 |
| HVAC Contractors | 4,744 | 440 |
| General Contractors | 14,925 | 2,708 |
| Roofing Contractors | 175 | 142 |
| Solar Contractors | — | 24 |
| Carpenters | — | 584 |
| Concrete Contractors | — | 362 |
| Masons | — | 392 |
| Drywall Contractors | — | 457 |
| Tile Contractors | — | 392 |
| Excavating Contractors | — | 236 |
| Painters | — | 457 |
| Flooring Contractors | — | 584 |
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 Utah: common questions
Does Minnesota or Utah have more licensed contractors?
Minnesota has more: 16,763 active licensed contractors against 4,281 in Utah, about 4× more licensed contractors. Counts come from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL).
Which has the denser contractor market, Minnesota or Utah?
Minnesota is denser: 29.4 active licenses per 10k residents against 13.0 in Utah.
Where does household income run higher, Minnesota or Utah?
Utah: $90,304 median household income against $88,902 in Minnesota, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Minnesota vs Utah comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.