Utah vs Virginia: contractor markets, side by side
Utah has 4,281 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Virginia has 42,424 — about 10× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) and the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Utah | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 4,281 | 42,424 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 13.0 | 35.5 |
| Residents | 3,282,203 | 11,942,085 |
| Households | 1,160,621 | 4,997,364 |
| Median household income | $90,304 | $102,122 |
| Building permits (2025) | 26,775 | 32,274 |
| Top city by licenses | Salt Lake City | Virginia Beach |
Virginia is the denser market: 35.5 active licenses per 10k residents against 13.0 in Utah. 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 $90,304 in Utah — which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Utah | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 251 | 3,849 |
| Plumbers | 214 | 1,388 |
| HVAC Contractors | 440 | 2,373 |
| General Contractors | 2,708 | 29,762 |
| Roofing Contractors | 142 | 1,316 |
| Solar Contractors | 24 | — |
| Landscape Contractors | — | 2,141 |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | — | 408 |
| Carpenters | 584 | 53 |
| Concrete Contractors | 362 | 1,262 |
| Masons | 392 | 1,015 |
| Drywall Contractors | 457 | 139 |
| Tile Contractors | 392 | — |
| Excavating Contractors | 236 | 3,096 |
| Painters | 457 | 2,104 |
| Flooring Contractors | 584 | 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.