Pennsylvania vs Virginia: contractor markets, side by side
Pennsylvania has 9,064 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Virginia has 42,816: about 5× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Philadelphia L&I + Pittsburgh Permits and the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Pennsylvania | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 9,064 | 42,816 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 6.5 | 35.9 |
| Residents | 13,983,292 | 11,942,085 |
| Households | 6,205,690 | 4,997,364 |
| Median household income | $78,687 | $102,122 |
| Building permits (2025) | 25,709 | 32,274 |
| Top city by licenses | — | Virginia Beach |
Virginia is the denser market: 35.9 active licenses per 10k residents against 6.5 in Pennsylvania. 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 $78,687 in Pennsylvania, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Pennsylvania | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 1,773 | 3,889 |
| Plumbers | 684 | 1,424 |
| HVAC Contractors | 246 | 2,418 |
| General Contractors | 6,042 | 30,002 |
| Roofing Contractors | — | 1,327 |
| Landscape Contractors | — | 2,156 |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | 119 | 408 |
| Carpenters | — | 54 |
| Concrete Contractors | — | 1,269 |
| Masons | — | 1,020 |
| Drywall Contractors | — | 140 |
| Excavating Contractors | 182 | 3,114 |
| Painters | — | 2,121 |
| Flooring Contractors | — | 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.
Working one of these markets?
Pennsylvania vs Virginia: common questions
Does Pennsylvania or Virginia have more licensed contractors?
Virginia has more: 42,816 active licensed contractors against 9,064 in Pennsylvania, about 5× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Philadelphia L&I + Pittsburgh Permits and the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR).
Which has the denser contractor market, Pennsylvania or Virginia?
Virginia is denser: 35.9 active licenses per 10k residents against 6.5 in Pennsylvania.
Where does household income run higher, Pennsylvania or Virginia?
Virginia: $102,122 median household income against $78,687 in Pennsylvania, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Pennsylvania vs Virginia comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Philadelphia L&I + Pittsburgh Permits and the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.