Vio study · updated November 6, 2026
The best and worst states to be a contractor heading into 2027
We ranked all 50 states and Washington, DC on how much building work is coming and how fast the construction trade is growing, using only official government data. Nebraska comes out on top. New York comes last.
Map: where contractors are winning
The 10 best states for contractors
- 1. Nebraska (80.0): 5.34 new homes permitted per 1,000 residents, construction jobs +7.5%*, permits +2.9% year over year.
- 2. Utah (79.0): 7.41 new homes permitted per 1,000 residents, construction jobs +3.8%, permits +7.9% year over year.
- 3. Wisconsin (73.9): 4.22 new homes permitted per 1,000 residents, construction jobs +5.3%, permits +7.4% year over year.
- 4. Arkansas (73.2): 4.97 new homes permitted per 1,000 residents, construction jobs +1.8%, permits +12.1% year over year.
- 5. South Carolina (72.1): 8.17 new homes permitted per 1,000 residents, construction jobs +4.4%, permits -2.9% year over year.
- 6. Nevada (70.4): 5.42 new homes permitted per 1,000 residents, construction jobs +3.5%, permits -4.1% year over year.
- 7. Oklahoma (69.4): 3.71 new homes permitted per 1,000 residents, construction jobs +4.0%, permits +15.0% year over year.
- 8. Wyoming (68.6): 3.56 new homes permitted per 1,000 residents, construction jobs +8.4%, permits +1.4% year over year.
- 9. Florida (67.0): 7.42 new homes permitted per 1,000 residents, construction jobs +0.5%, permits -0.2% year over year.
- 10. Ohio (65.6): 2.82 new homes permitted per 1,000 residents, construction jobs +5.8%, permits +12.3% year over year.
The 5 hardest states for contractors right now
- 51. New York (13.6): construction jobs -0.3%, permits -15.9%, 1.91 homes permitted per 1,000 residents.
- 50. Maryland (15.1): construction jobs -0.8%*, permits -17.6%, 2.20 homes permitted per 1,000 residents.
- 49. Alaska (18.1): construction jobs -5.3%, permits -1.3%, 1.20 homes permitted per 1,000 residents.
- 48. New Hampshire (20.2): construction jobs -2.2%, permits -9.5%, 3.10 homes permitted per 1,000 residents.
- 47. New Jersey (21.7): construction jobs -1.9%, permits -14.0%, 3.38 homes permitted per 1,000 residents.
What the November 2026 election means for contractors
Voters approved a record number of housing measures on November 3, 2026. More public money for housing usually means more building and renovation work in the following years, so these states are worth watching even where they rank low today. Results below are unofficial counts reported after election night; we list only measures with a called result.
- Florida (ranked 9): Voters approved Amendment 3 (about 62% yes), raising the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028.
- North Carolina (ranked 13): Charlotte voters approved a $125 million housing bond (62% yes) and Raleigh voters a $101.5 million housing bond (about 65% yes).
- Rhode Island (ranked 35): Voters approved Question 2, a $120 million housing bond (about 61% yes).
- California (ranked 38): Voters approved Proposition 1, an $11.25 billion housing bond (about 59% yes), and Proposition 37, a homebuyer loan program for newly built homes (about 61% yes).
California shows the gap most clearly: it ranks 38th today on permits and job growth, but its new housing bond is the largest on any 2026 ballot. Rhode Island already had the biggest jump in home permits in the country before its voters approved new housing money.
Georgia: a slower year
Georgia ranks 32nd. Home permits fell 9.7% in 2025 and construction jobs fell 2.1% over the last 12 months, while the number of construction businesses grew +3.9%. More companies competing for less new work means sharp pricing and fast follow-up matter more than usual.
Full ranking: all 50 states and DC
Tap a column to sort. ballot = housing measure approved in the November 2026 election.
| Rank | State | Score | Homes permitted per 1,000 residents | Permit change 2025 | Construction jobs, 12 mo. | Construction businesses, 12 mo. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | 80.0 | 5.34 | +2.9% | +7.5%* | +1.9% |
| 2 | Utah | 79.0 | 7.41 | +7.9% | +3.8% | +1.0% |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 73.9 | 4.22 | +7.4% | +5.3% | +2.3% |
| 4 | Arkansas | 73.2 | 4.97 | +12.1% | +1.8% | +9.0% |
| 5 | South Carolina | 72.1 | 8.17 | -2.9% | +4.4% | +0.1% |
| 6 | Nevada | 70.4 | 5.42 | -4.1% | +3.5% | +7.6% |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 69.4 | 3.71 | +15.0% | +4.0% | +0.4% |
| 8 | Wyoming | 68.6 | 3.56 | +1.4% | +8.4% | +0.7% |
| 9 | Florida ballot | 67.0 | 7.42 | -0.2% | +0.5% | +3.3% |
| 10 | Ohio | 65.6 | 2.82 | +12.3% | +5.8% | +0.5% |
| 11 | Iowa | 65.3 | 4.07 | +10.2% | +3.9% | -0.6% |
| 12 | Louisiana | 64.8 | 3.13 | +1.1% | +13.9% | +1.2% |
| 13 | North Carolina ballot | 63.6 | 7.45 | -11.0% | +5.7% | -3.7% |
| 14 | Colorado | 63.3 | 5.56 | +5.0% | +3.2% | -1.7% |
| 15 | Idaho | 63.0 | 8.71 | +1.1% | +2.7% | -6.2% |
| 16 | Arizona | 62.3 | 6.73 | -12.0% | +2.2% | +3.2% |
| 17 | Texas | 62.3 | 6.57 | -7.4% | +1.7% | +1.8% |
| 18 | Indiana | 61.1 | 4.22 | +9.9% | +1.7% | +0.5% |
| 19 | Delaware | 60.4 | 5.88 | -2.6% | +1.6%* | +0.6% |
| 20 | Kansas | 59.2 | 3.30 | +8.4% | +5.8% | -2.7% |
| 21 | South Dakota | 58.1 | 5.68 | -14.6% | +2.7% | +1.7% |
| 22 | Mississippi | 57.6 | 2.78 | +8.1% | +3.2% | +2.7% |
| 23 | New Mexico | 57.0 | 3.69 | -9.5% | +5.3% | +1.7% |
| 24 | Tennessee | 54.7 | 5.96 | -1.9% | +0.5%* | -0.7% |
| 25 | Missouri | 52.7 | 2.71 | -9.0% | +5.7% | +3.7% |
| 26 | Alabama | 51.2 | 3.65 | -8.6% | +2.5% | +2.6% |
| 27 | Minnesota | 50.4 | 3.48 | -8.7% | +5.6% | -0.4% |
| 28 | Oregon | 49.5 | 3.50 | +6.9% | +3.1% | -4.4% |
| 29 | Maine | 49.1 | 4.64 | +8.7% | -1.1% | -0.9% |
| 30 | Montana | 49.1 | 4.53 | +4.6% | +0.8% | -4.9% |
| 31 | Connecticut | 47.9 | 1.87 | +19.9% | +3.3% | -0.2% |
| 32 | Georgia | 44.6 | 5.27 | -9.7% | -2.1% | +3.9% |
| 33 | Vermont | 43.4 | 3.80 | -6.7% | 0.0% | +0.2% |
| 34 | Michigan | 42.8 | 2.33 | +12.3% | -1.5% | +4.0% |
| 35 | Rhode Island ballot | 40.6 | 1.49 | +33.8% | +1.3% | +0.2% |
| 36 | Washington | 40.4 | 4.29 | -7.1% | +0.4% | -3.9% |
| 37 | Illinois | 40.2 | 1.49 | -2.6% | +6.0% | -2.1% |
| 38 | California ballot | 40.1 | 2.60 | +1.8% | -0.5% | +2.7% |
| 39 | Kentucky | 38.8 | 3.13 | -4.3% | 0.0% | +1.4% |
| 40 | North Dakota | 36.7 | 3.00 | +6.4% | -0.6% | -0.5% |
| 41 | District of Columbia | 34.9 | 2.29 | -8.4% | +3.6%* | -1.8% |
| 42 | Pennsylvania | 29.7 | 1.95 | +1.2% | -0.5% | +0.2% |
| 43 | Virginia | 29.3 | 3.56 | -7.8% | -1.4% | -1.1% |
| 44 | Massachusetts | 27.4 | 1.69 | -16.8% | +1.1% | +2.8% |
| 45 | Hawaii | 26.4 | 2.41 | -7.3% | -1.0%* | +0.4% |
| 46 | West Virginia | 24.2 | 2.26 | -0.0% | -4.0% | +0.3% |
| 47 | New Jersey | 21.7 | 3.38 | -14.0% | -1.9% | -1.1% |
| 48 | New Hampshire | 20.2 | 3.10 | -9.5% | -2.2% | -0.9% |
| 49 | Alaska | 18.1 | 1.20 | -1.3% | -5.3% | +0.5% |
| 50 | Maryland | 15.1 | 2.20 | -17.6% | -0.8%* | -0.5% |
| 51 | New York | 13.6 | 1.91 | -15.9% | -0.3% | -3.3% |
* Job figures for District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Nebraska, Tennessee include mining and logging, because BLS publishes construction jobs combined with those industries for these states. Download the full data (CSV).
How we ranked the states
Each state gets a score from 0 to 100 on four measures, based on where it falls among all 51. The total score is a weighted average:
- 35% New homes permitted per 1,000 residents (2025)
- 30% Construction job growth, last 12 months
- 20% Change in homes permitted, 2025 vs 2024
- 15% Change in construction businesses, last 12 months
- Home permits: new privately owned housing units authorized by building permits, US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, full years 2024 and 2025, divided by 2025 resident population (US Census Bureau), both via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
- Construction jobs: all employees in construction, seasonally adjusted, BLS Current Employment Statistics, September 2025 to September 2026.
- Construction businesses: private construction establishments (NAICS 23), BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, third quarter 2025 compared with third quarter 2024.
- Election measures: statewide and city housing measures on the November 3, 2026 ballot with a called result in news reports. They are shown for context and do not change the score.
Limits: home permits count new homes, not remodeling, so states with older housing and lots of renovation work may be under-rated. Recent BLS monthly numbers are revised later. This is a snapshot of where demand and growth are today, not a forecast.
Use this data
Journalists, bloggers and associations are welcome to use these findings, charts and the data file. Please credit Vio and link to this page:
Source: Vio, Best States for Contractors 2027 (https://withvio.com/best-states-for-contractors/)
Questions or a custom cut for your state: info@withvio.com.
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