Coverage varies by state, trade and authority. These are source snapshots, not a census of unique businesses or a live license check. Ratios cannot establish market saturation or contractor quality.
Pennsylvania vs Virginia: contractor markets, side by side
Pennsylvania has 9,064 roster records across the trades we cover; Virginia has 42,816. Counts come from the Philadelphia L&I + Pittsburgh Permits and the Virginia DPOR (Dept. of Professional & Occupational Regulation); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Pennsylvania | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Covered roster records | 9,064 | 42,816 |
| Snapshot records per 10k residents | 6.5 | 35.9 |
| Residents | 13,983,292 | 11,942,085 |
| Households | 6,205,690 | 4,997,364 |
| ZIP-weighted income indicator | $78,687 | $102,122 |
| Housing units authorized (source year) | 25,709 (2025) | 32,274 (2025) |
| Top covered city by records | Pittsburgh | Virginia Beach |
Virginia has the higher snapshot ratio: 35.9 source records per 10k residents against 6.5 in Pennsylvania. Differences in source coverage affect this ratio; it does not measure contractors per square mile or competition for jobs.
The ZIP-weighted income indicator is higher in Virginia: $102,122 against $78,687 in Pennsylvania, using the Census estimates in this dataset. This indicator does not establish renovation budgets or likely sales.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Pennsylvania | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 1,795 | 3,922 |
| Plumbers | 693 | 1,443 |
| HVAC Contractors | 252 | 2,442 |
| General Contractors | 6,207 | 30,296 |
| Roofing Contractors | — | 1,338 |
| Landscape Contractors | — | 2,169 |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | 120 | 410 |
| Carpenters | — | 54 |
| Concrete Contractors | — | 1,277 |
| Masons | — | 1,029 |
| Drywall Contractors | — | 142 |
| Excavating Contractors | 185 | 3,134 |
| Painters | — | 2,141 |
| Flooring Contractors | — | 158 |
Counts reflect the separate covered-trade snapshot. A “—” means no count is provided here; it says nothing about whether the trade exists or requires a license. These category counts are not reconciled with the headline roster totals.
Figures use separately generated snapshots: overall roster totals, trade counts and mapped-city counts can differ in scope and collection time and should not be added together or treated as a reconciled census. The displayed source refresh date does not date every aggregate. Population and households are sums of the covered ZIP estimates. The income indicator is a population-weighted average of ZIP-level household-income medians, not the state's household median. Census context can refer to a different period from the roster. Housing-unit authorizations refer to the displayed permit year; they are not completed projects. See the ACS estimate guidance and Building Permits Survey for the underlying statistical definitions.
Working one of these markets?
Pennsylvania vs Virginia: common questions
Does Pennsylvania or Virginia have more contractor records?
Virginia has 42,816 covered records; Pennsylvania has 9,064. These counts reflect different source coverage, not a census of operating businesses. Sources: Philadelphia L&I + Pittsburgh Permits and the Virginia DPOR (Dept. of Professional & Occupational Regulation).
Which has the higher snapshot records-to-population ratio, Pennsylvania or Virginia?
Virginia has the higher snapshot ratio: 35.9 snapshot records per 10k residents against 6.5 in Pennsylvania.
Which has the higher ZIP-weighted income indicator, Pennsylvania or Virginia?
Virginia: $102,122 against $78,687 in Pennsylvania. This is a population-weighted average of ZIP-level income medians, not either state's household median.
Where does this Pennsylvania vs Virginia comparison data come from?
Roster counts derive from Philadelphia L&I + Pittsburgh Permits and Virginia DPOR (Dept. of Professional & Occupational Regulation); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Counts are snapshot records, not a census of unique companies. Source scope and dates differ between states.