Market Saturation Index

Plumbers Market Saturation
by State (2024)

Plumbers install and repair pipe systems for water, gas, and drainage in residential and commercial buildings. Use this data to find states with the most demand and the least competition before you commit to getting licensed.

1:746

National average

Massachusetts

1 per 455 residents

Most competitive market

Georgia

1 per 1,485 residents

Most opportunity

Nationally, there is 1 plumber for every 746 residents. States below this ratio have more professionals per capita than average — a more competitive market. States above it have fewer — more room for new entrants.

All States — Ranked by Saturation

Sorted from most saturated (most competitive) to least saturated (most opportunity).

Rank	State	Employed	Population	Ratio	vs. National	Saturation
1	Massachusetts	15,670	7,136,171	1 per 455 residents	39% above average	🔴 Very High
2	Nebraska	4,240	2,005,465	1 per 473 residents	37% above average	🔴 Very High
3	North Dakota	1,650	796,568	1 per 483 residents	35% above average	🔴 Very High
4	Louisiana	9,040	4,597,740	1 per 509 residents	32% above average	🔴 Very High
5	Iowa	6,350	3,241,488	1 per 510 residents	32% above average	🔴 Very High
6	South Dakota	1,800	924,669	1 per 514 residents	31% above average	🔴 Very High
7	Wyoming	1,140	587,618	1 per 515 residents	31% above average	🔴 Very High
8	Utah	6,770	3,503,613	1 per 518 residents	31% above average	🔴 Very High
9	Idaho	3,710	2,001,619	1 per 540 residents	28% above average	🔴 Very High
10	Maryland	11,490	6,263,220	1 per 545 residents	27% above average	🔴 Very High
11	Hawaii	2,640	1,446,146	1 per 548 residents	27% above average	🔴 Very High
12	New Hampshire	2,530	1,409,032	1 per 557 residents	25% above average	🔴 Very High
13	Maine	2,480	1,405,012	1 per 567 residents	24% above average	🟠 High
14	Oklahoma	7,110	4,095,393	1 per 576 residents	23% above average	🟠 High
15	Indiana	11,620	6,924,275	1 per 596 residents	20% above average	🟠 High
16	Colorado	9,970	5,957,493	1 per 598 residents	20% above average	🟠 High
17	Nevada	5,330	3,267,467	1 per 613 residents	18% above average	🟠 High
18	Arizona	12,330	7,582,384	1 per 615 residents	18% above average	🟠 High
19	Rhode Island	1,790	1,112,308	1 per 621 residents	17% above average	🟠 High
20	Montana	1,810	1,137,233	1 per 628 residents	16% above average	🟠 High
21	Washington	12,210	7,958,180	1 per 652 residents	13% above average	🟠 High
22	Wisconsin	9,120	5,960,975	1 per 654 residents	12% above average	🟠 High
23	Alabama	7,880	5,157,699	1 per 655 residents	12% above average	🟠 High
24	Virginia	13,190	8,811,195	1 per 668 residents	10% above average	🟠 High
25	Delaware	1,570	1,051,917	1 per 670 residents	10% above average	🟠 High
26	Vermont	960	648,493	1 per 676 residents	9% above average	🟡 Moderate
27	Illinois	18,730	12,710,158	1 per 679 residents	9% above average	🟡 Moderate
28	Minnesota	8,520	5,793,151	1 per 680 residents	9% above average	🟡 Moderate
29	Oregon	6,080	4,272,371	1 per 703 residents	6% above average	🟡 Moderate
30	Kansas	4,090	2,970,606	1 per 726 residents	3% above average	🟡 Moderate
31	New Mexico	2,900	2,130,256	1 per 735 residents	1% above average	🟡 Moderate
32	Texas	42,290	31,290,831	1 per 740 residents	1% above average	🟡 Moderate
33	North Carolina	14,300	11,046,024	1 per 772 residents	3% below average	🟡 Moderate
34	Michigan	12,830	10,140,459	1 per 790 residents	6% below average	🟡 Moderate
35	Missouri	7,900	6,245,466	1 per 791 residents	6% below average	🟡 Moderate
36	Ohio	14,490	11,883,304	1 per 820 residents	10% below average	🟡 Moderate
37	Tennessee	8,810	7,227,750	1 per 820 residents	10% below average	🟡 Moderate
38	Kentucky	5,500	4,588,372	1 per 834 residents	12% below average	🟡 Moderate
39	Alaska	870	740,133	1 per 851 residents	14% below average	🟢 Low
40	California	45,460	39,431,263	1 per 867 residents	16% below average	🟢 Low
41	Florida	26,730	23,372,215	1 per 874 residents	17% below average	🟢 Low
42	New York	22,630	19,867,248	1 per 878 residents	18% below average	🟢 Low
43	Connecticut	4,180	3,675,069	1 per 879 residents	18% below average	🟢 Low
44	Pennsylvania	13,990	13,078,751	1 per 935 residents	25% below average	🟢 Low
45	West Virginia	1,860	1,769,979	1 per 952 residents	28% below average	🟢 Low
46	Mississippi	3,050	2,943,045	1 per 965 residents	29% below average	🟢 Low
47	New Jersey	9,840	9,500,851	1 per 966 residents	29% below average	🟢 Low
48	South Carolina	5,480	5,478,831	1 per 1,000 residents	34% below average	🟢 Low
49	Arkansas	3,080	3,088,354	1 per 1,003 residents	34% below average	🟢 Low
50	District Of Columbia	640	702,250	1 per 1,097 residents	47% below average	🟢 Low
51	Georgia	7,530	11,180,878	1 per 1,485 residents	99% below average	🟢 Low

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 · US Census Vintage 2024 · SOC 47-2152

🟢 LOW Saturation — Most Opportunity

Fewer plumbers per resident means less competition for clients, higher potential rates, and easier path to building a sustainable book of business. Ideal if you're entering the profession or relocating.

🔴 VERY HIGH Saturation — Need to Differentiate

Many plumbers per resident means you'll face more competition. Success in these markets requires a niche specialization, strong referral network, or competitive pricing. Not impossible — just harder.

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← Back to Market Saturation Index

Plumbers Market Saturation
by State (2024)

1:746

National average

Massachusetts

1 per 455 residents

Most competitive market

Georgia

1 per 1,485 residents

Most opportunity

All States — Ranked by Saturation

Sorted from most saturated (most competitive) to least saturated (most opportunity).

Rank	State	Employed	Population	Ratio	vs. National	Saturation
1	Massachusetts	15,670	7,136,171	1 per 455 residents	39% above average	🔴 Very High
2	Nebraska	4,240	2,005,465	1 per 473 residents	37% above average	🔴 Very High
3	North Dakota	1,650	796,568	1 per 483 residents	35% above average	🔴 Very High
4	Louisiana	9,040	4,597,740	1 per 509 residents	32% above average	🔴 Very High
5	Iowa	6,350	3,241,488	1 per 510 residents	32% above average	🔴 Very High
6	South Dakota	1,800	924,669	1 per 514 residents	31% above average	🔴 Very High
7	Wyoming	1,140	587,618	1 per 515 residents	31% above average	🔴 Very High
8	Utah	6,770	3,503,613	1 per 518 residents	31% above average	🔴 Very High
9	Idaho	3,710	2,001,619	1 per 540 residents	28% above average	🔴 Very High
10	Maryland	11,490	6,263,220	1 per 545 residents	27% above average	🔴 Very High
11	Hawaii	2,640	1,446,146	1 per 548 residents	27% above average	🔴 Very High
12	New Hampshire	2,530	1,409,032	1 per 557 residents	25% above average	🔴 Very High
13	Maine	2,480	1,405,012	1 per 567 residents	24% above average	🟠 High
14	Oklahoma	7,110	4,095,393	1 per 576 residents	23% above average	🟠 High
15	Indiana	11,620	6,924,275	1 per 596 residents	20% above average	🟠 High
16	Colorado	9,970	5,957,493	1 per 598 residents	20% above average	🟠 High
17	Nevada	5,330	3,267,467	1 per 613 residents	18% above average	🟠 High
18	Arizona	12,330	7,582,384	1 per 615 residents	18% above average	🟠 High
19	Rhode Island	1,790	1,112,308	1 per 621 residents	17% above average	🟠 High
20	Montana	1,810	1,137,233	1 per 628 residents	16% above average	🟠 High
21	Washington	12,210	7,958,180	1 per 652 residents	13% above average	🟠 High
22	Wisconsin	9,120	5,960,975	1 per 654 residents	12% above average	🟠 High
23	Alabama	7,880	5,157,699	1 per 655 residents	12% above average	🟠 High
24	Virginia	13,190	8,811,195	1 per 668 residents	10% above average	🟠 High
25	Delaware	1,570	1,051,917	1 per 670 residents	10% above average	🟠 High
26	Vermont	960	648,493	1 per 676 residents	9% above average	🟡 Moderate
27	Illinois	18,730	12,710,158	1 per 679 residents	9% above average	🟡 Moderate
28	Minnesota	8,520	5,793,151	1 per 680 residents	9% above average	🟡 Moderate
29	Oregon	6,080	4,272,371	1 per 703 residents	6% above average	🟡 Moderate
30	Kansas	4,090	2,970,606	1 per 726 residents	3% above average	🟡 Moderate
31	New Mexico	2,900	2,130,256	1 per 735 residents	1% above average	🟡 Moderate
32	Texas	42,290	31,290,831	1 per 740 residents	1% above average	🟡 Moderate
33	North Carolina	14,300	11,046,024	1 per 772 residents	3% below average	🟡 Moderate
34	Michigan	12,830	10,140,459	1 per 790 residents	6% below average	🟡 Moderate
35	Missouri	7,900	6,245,466	1 per 791 residents	6% below average	🟡 Moderate
36	Ohio	14,490	11,883,304	1 per 820 residents	10% below average	🟡 Moderate
37	Tennessee	8,810	7,227,750	1 per 820 residents	10% below average	🟡 Moderate
38	Kentucky	5,500	4,588,372	1 per 834 residents	12% below average	🟡 Moderate
39	Alaska	870	740,133	1 per 851 residents	14% below average	🟢 Low
40	California	45,460	39,431,263	1 per 867 residents	16% below average	🟢 Low
41	Florida	26,730	23,372,215	1 per 874 residents	17% below average	🟢 Low
42	New York	22,630	19,867,248	1 per 878 residents	18% below average	🟢 Low
43	Connecticut	4,180	3,675,069	1 per 879 residents	18% below average	🟢 Low
44	Pennsylvania	13,990	13,078,751	1 per 935 residents	25% below average	🟢 Low
45	West Virginia	1,860	1,769,979	1 per 952 residents	28% below average	🟢 Low
46	Mississippi	3,050	2,943,045	1 per 965 residents	29% below average	🟢 Low
47	New Jersey	9,840	9,500,851	1 per 966 residents	29% below average	🟢 Low
48	South Carolina	5,480	5,478,831	1 per 1,000 residents	34% below average	🟢 Low
49	Arkansas	3,080	3,088,354	1 per 1,003 residents	34% below average	🟢 Low
50	District Of Columbia	640	702,250	1 per 1,097 residents	47% below average	🟢 Low
51	Georgia	7,530	11,180,878	1 per 1,485 residents	99% below average	🟢 Low

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 · US Census Vintage 2024 · SOC 47-2152

Plumbers Market Saturationby State (2024)

All States — Ranked by Saturation

Found your target state? Get your personalized Plumber licensing roadmap.

Plumbers Market Saturationby State (2024)

All States — Ranked by Saturation

Found your target state? Get your personalized Plumber licensing roadmap.

Plumbers Market Saturation
by State (2024)

Plumbers Market Saturation
by State (2024)