Nevada vs Virginia: contractor markets, side by side
Nevada has 15,178 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Virginia has 42,424 — about 2.8× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) and the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Nevada | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 15,178 | 42,424 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 40.4 | 35.5 |
| Residents | 3,752,362 | 11,942,085 |
| Households | 1,578,064 | 4,997,364 |
| Median household income | $71,790 | $102,122 |
| Building permits (2025) | 18,628 | 32,274 |
| Top city by licenses | Las Vegas | Virginia Beach |
Nevada is the denser market: 40.4 active licenses per 10k residents against 35.5 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 $71,790 in Nevada — which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Nevada | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 2,207 | 3,849 |
| Plumbers | 1,019 | 1,388 |
| HVAC Contractors | 1,217 | 2,373 |
| General Contractors | 4,047 | 29,762 |
| Roofing Contractors | 420 | 1,316 |
| Solar Contractors | 24 | — |
| Landscape Contractors | 742 | 2,141 |
| Pool Contractors | 214 | — |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | 142 | 408 |
| Carpenters | 1,482 | 53 |
| Concrete Contractors | 730 | 1,262 |
| Masons | 376 | 1,015 |
| Drywall Contractors | 327 | 139 |
| Tile Contractors | 407 | — |
| Excavating Contractors | 368 | 3,096 |
| Painters | 985 | 2,104 |
| Flooring Contractors | 678 | 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.