Pennsylvania vs Texas: contractor markets, side by side
Pennsylvania has 9,064 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Texas has 9,387: about the same number of licensed contractors. Counts come from the Philadelphia L&I + Pittsburgh Permits and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Pennsylvania | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 9,064 | 9,387 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 6.5 | 3.2 |
| Residents | 13,983,292 | 29,242,689 |
| Households | 6,205,690 | 11,654,379 |
| Median household income | $78,687 | $78,473 |
| Building permits (2025) | 25,709 | 210,217 |
| Top city by licenses | — | Houston |
Pennsylvania is the denser market: 6.5 active licenses per 10k residents against 3.2 in Texas. 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 Pennsylvania: $78,687 median against $78,473 in Texas, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Pennsylvania | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 1,773 | 11,230 |
| Plumbers | 684 | — |
| HVAC Contractors | 246 | — |
| General Contractors | 6,042 | — |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | 119 | — |
| Excavating Contractors | 182 | — |
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?
Pennsylvania vs Texas: common questions
Does Pennsylvania or Texas have more licensed contractors?
Texas has more: 9,387 active licensed contractors against 9,064 in Pennsylvania, about the same number of licensed contractors. Counts come from the Philadelphia L&I + Pittsburgh Permits and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
Which has the denser contractor market, Pennsylvania or Texas?
Pennsylvania is denser: 6.5 active licenses per 10k residents against 3.2 in Texas.
Where does household income run higher, Pennsylvania or Texas?
Pennsylvania: $78,687 median household income against $78,473 in Texas, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Pennsylvania vs Texas comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Philadelphia L&I + Pittsburgh Permits and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.