Virginia vs Washington: contractor markets, side by side
Virginia has 42,816 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Washington has 70,520: about 1.6× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) and the Washington Labor & Industries (L&I); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Virginia | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 42,816 | 70,520 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 35.9 | 83.7 |
| Residents | 11,942,085 | 8,422,710 |
| Households | 4,997,364 | 3,540,228 |
| Median household income | $102,122 | $95,237 |
| Building permits (2025) | 32,274 | 34,913 |
| Top city by licenses | Virginia Beach | Seattle |
Washington is the denser market: 83.7 active licenses per 10k residents against 35.9 in Virginia. 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 $95,237 in Washington, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Virginia | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 3,889 | — |
| Plumbers | 1,424 | 539 |
| HVAC Contractors | 2,418 | 844 |
| General Contractors | 30,002 | 59,229 |
| Roofing Contractors | 1,327 | 673 |
| Landscape Contractors | 2,156 | 1,788 |
| Pool Contractors | — | 72 |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | 408 | 121 |
| Carpenters | 54 | 1,422 |
| Concrete Contractors | 1,269 | 905 |
| Masons | 1,020 | 372 |
| Drywall Contractors | 140 | 455 |
| Tile Contractors | — | 1,238 |
| Excavating Contractors | 3,114 | 423 |
| Painters | 2,121 | 2,812 |
| Flooring Contractors | 154 | 2,312 |
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?
Virginia vs Washington: common questions
Does Virginia or Washington have more licensed contractors?
Washington has more: 70,520 active licensed contractors against 42,816 in Virginia, about 1.6× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) and the Washington Labor & Industries (L&I).
Which has the denser contractor market, Virginia or Washington?
Washington is denser: 83.7 active licenses per 10k residents against 35.9 in Virginia.
Where does household income run higher, Virginia or Washington?
Virginia: $102,122 median household income against $95,237 in Washington, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Virginia vs Washington comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) and the Washington Labor & Industries (L&I); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.