Minnesota vs Washington: contractor markets, side by side
Minnesota has 16,763 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Washington has 70,520: about 4× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the Washington Labor & Industries (L&I); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Minnesota | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 16,763 | 70,520 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 29.4 | 83.7 |
| Residents | 5,695,830 | 8,422,710 |
| Households | 2,494,239 | 3,540,228 |
| Median household income | $88,902 | $95,237 |
| Building permits (2025) | 20,947 | 34,913 |
| Top city by licenses | Minneapolis | Seattle |
Washington is the denser market: 83.7 active licenses per 10k residents against 29.4 in Minnesota. 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 Washington: $95,237 median against $88,902 in Minnesota, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Minnesota | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 3,064 | — |
| Plumbers | 1,900 | 539 |
| HVAC Contractors | 4,744 | 844 |
| General Contractors | 14,925 | 59,229 |
| Roofing Contractors | 175 | 673 |
| Landscape Contractors | — | 1,788 |
| Pool Contractors | — | 72 |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | — | 121 |
| Carpenters | — | 1,422 |
| Concrete Contractors | — | 905 |
| Masons | — | 372 |
| Drywall Contractors | — | 455 |
| Tile Contractors | — | 1,238 |
| Excavating Contractors | — | 423 |
| Painters | — | 2,812 |
| Flooring Contractors | — | 2,312 |
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 Washington: common questions
Does Minnesota or Washington have more licensed contractors?
Washington has more: 70,520 active licensed contractors against 16,763 in Minnesota, about 4× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the Washington Labor & Industries (L&I).
Which has the denser contractor market, Minnesota or Washington?
Washington is denser: 83.7 active licenses per 10k residents against 29.4 in Minnesota.
Where does household income run higher, Minnesota or Washington?
Washington: $95,237 median household income against $88,902 in Minnesota, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Minnesota vs Washington comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and the Washington Labor & Industries (L&I); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.