Oregon vs Washington: contractor markets, side by side
Oregon has 32,286 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Washington has 71,213: about 2.2× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) and the Washington Labor & Industries (L&I); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Oregon | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 32,286 | 71,213 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 76.3 | 84.5 |
| Residents | 4,229,341 | 8,422,710 |
| Households | 1,818,529 | 3,540,228 |
| Median household income | $80,169 | $95,237 |
| Building permits (2025) | 14,679 | 34,913 |
| Top city by licenses | Portland | Seattle |
Washington is the denser market: 84.5 active licenses per 10k residents against 76.3 in Oregon. 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 $80,169 in Oregon, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Oregon | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 1,191 | — |
| Plumbers | 1,933 | 541 |
| HVAC Contractors | 458 | 880 |
| General Contractors | 30,673 | 61,761 |
| Roofing Contractors | — | 696 |
| Landscape Contractors | — | 1,859 |
| Pool Contractors | — | 75 |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | — | 124 |
| Carpenters | — | 1,465 |
| Concrete Contractors | — | 927 |
| Masons | — | 380 |
| Drywall Contractors | — | 465 |
| Tile Contractors | — | 1,265 |
| Excavating Contractors | — | 438 |
| Painters | — | 2,923 |
| Flooring Contractors | — | 2,380 |
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?
Oregon vs Washington: common questions
Does Oregon or Washington have more licensed contractors?
Washington has more: 71,213 active licensed contractors against 32,286 in Oregon, about 2.2× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) and the Washington Labor & Industries (L&I).
Which has the denser contractor market, Oregon or Washington?
Washington is denser: 84.5 active licenses per 10k residents against 76.3 in Oregon.
Where does household income run higher, Oregon or Washington?
Washington: $95,237 median household income against $80,169 in Oregon, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Oregon vs Washington comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) and the Washington Labor & Industries (L&I); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.