Best Cities to Start a Brickmason Business

Where a solo brickmason business has the most room Our calculation

Charleston, SC ranks first. One-person foundation, framing & exterior work businesses there average $110,531 a year in revenue, with 12.0 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses for every 10,000 residents (typical metro: 11.8). We scored all 149 metros where the Census publishes foundation, framing & exterior work business counts.

1
CharlestonSOUTH CAROLINA · SC · $110,531 avg solo revenue · 12.0 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
79
2
Myrtle BeachSOUTH CAROLINA · SC · $120,634 avg solo revenue · 15.9 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
79
3
WilmingtonNORTH CAROLINA · NC · $107,318 avg solo revenue · 15.4 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
74
4
College StationTEXAS · TX · $127,555 avg solo revenue · 16.3 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
74
5
SpartanburgSOUTH CAROLINA · SC · $114,434 avg solo revenue · 16.4 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
74
6
MadisonWISCONSIN · WI · $109,527 avg solo revenue · 10.3 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
71
7
RaleighNORTH CAROLINA · NC · $106,500 avg solo revenue · 15.8 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
71
8
NashvilleTENNESSEE · TN · $123,621 avg solo revenue · 16.5 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
71
9
ColumbiaSOUTH CAROLINA · SC · $97,212 avg solo revenue · 10.9 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on fast population growth
70
10
CharlottesvilleVIRGINIA · VA · $92,176 avg solo revenue · 8.9 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on fewer competitors per resident and lots of new building
70
11
BozemanMONTANA · MT · $119,111 avg solo revenue · 32.0 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
69
12
GreenvilleNORTH CAROLINA · NC · $91,195 avg solo revenue · 10.3 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on fast population growth
69
13
New HavenCONNECTICUT · CT · $123,935 avg solo revenue · 8.6 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fewer competitors per resident
69
14
GreeleyCOLORADO · CO · $124,312 avg solo revenue · 25.9 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
67
15
GreenvilleSOUTH CAROLINA · SC · $101,317 avg solo revenue · 14.9 foundation, framing & exterior work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on fast population growth and lots of new building
67

Weights: average solo revenue 3, fewer competitors per resident 3, revenue compared with the local employee wage 2, new home permits 2, population growth 1. Each factor is a percentile among these metros.

Top 5 by each factor Government data

Highest solo revenue

College Station, TX: $127,555
Greeley, CO: $124,312
New Haven, CT: $123,935
Nashville, TN: $123,621
Myrtle Beach, SC: $120,634

Least competition

Charleston, WV: 4.6 per 10k residents
Honolulu, HI: 4.8 per 10k residents
San Jose, CA: 4.9 per 10k residents
San Francisco, CA: 5.0 per 10k residents
Las Vegas, NV: 5.4 per 10k residents

Most new building

Lafayette, IN: 17.9 home permits per 1k
Myrtle Beach, SC: 17.0 home permits per 1k
Wilmington, NC: 16.8 home permits per 1k
Cape Coral, FL: 16.6 home permits per 1k
Fayetteville, AR: 15.5 home permits per 1k

Fastest-growing population

Myrtle Beach, SC: +20.9%
Lakeland, FL: +19.8%
St. George, UT: +17.4%
Wilmington, NC: +15.9%
Daphne, AL: +14.8%

Every metro Government data

Click a column to sort. “Rate to match it” is the hourly rate you'd need to bill to replace the local employee median, at our default assumptions (25% for tax and benefits, $30,000 overhead, 1,400 billable hours). Try your own numbers in the rate calculator.

#	Metro	Score	Solo revenue	Businesses / 10k people	Employee median	Rate to match it	Permits / 1k
1	Charleston, SC	79	$110,531	12.0	$48,690	$65/hr	8.7
2	Myrtle Beach, SC	79	$120,634	15.9	$47,220	$64/hr	17.0
3	Wilmington, NC	74	$107,318	15.4	$48,200	$64/hr	16.8
4	College Station, TX	74	$127,555	16.3	$48,250	$65/hr	8.6
5	Spartanburg, SC	74	$114,434	16.4	$47,990	$64/hr	11.6
6	Madison, WI	71	$109,527	10.3	$82,420	$95/hr	10.0
7	Raleigh, NC	71	$106,500	15.8	$49,920	$66/hr	11.8
8	Nashville, TN	71	$123,621	16.5	$66,380	$81/hr	9.2
9	Columbia, SC	70	$97,212	10.9	$48,590	$65/hr	7.1
10	Charlottesville, VA	70	$92,176	8.9	$52,800	$69/hr	9.5
11	Bozeman, MT	69	$119,111	32.0	$54,870	$70/hr	12.4
12	Greenville, NC	69	$91,195	10.3	$44,370	$61/hr	7.3
13	New Haven, CT	69	$123,935	8.6	$73,670	$87/hr	1.8
14	Greeley, CO	67	$124,312	25.9	$63,070	$78/hr	8.5
15	Greenville, SC	67	$101,317	14.9	$49,730	$66/hr	8.6
16	Knoxville, TN	67	$107,012	13.6	$64,090	$79/hr	8.4
17	Lafayette, IN	67	$87,609	8.6	$60,320	$75/hr	17.9
18	Fort Collins, CO	66	$118,193	16.2	$67,110	$81/hr	6.6
19	Allentown, PA	66	$106,352	8.6	$62,400	$77/hr	2.3
20	Roanoke, VA	66	$109,991	10.6	$48,460	$65/hr	2.8
21	Columbus, OH	66	$110,188	12.6	$73,550	$87/hr	7.2
22	Dayton, OH	66	$115,528	9.9	$66,140	$80/hr	2.4
23	Kansas City, MO	66	$116,814	12.1	$72,370	$86/hr	4.5
24	York, PA	65	$98,636	9.1	$60,140	$75/hr	3.4
25	Charlotte, NC	65	$104,051	16.3	$52,500	$68/hr	8.0
26	Crestview, FL	65	$102,149	16.0	$58,180	$73/hr	11.5
27	Austin, TX	64	$105,805	18.8	$60,270	$75/hr	11.3
28	Richmond, VA	64	$92,944	11.3	$51,800	$68/hr	6.8
29	Sioux Falls, SD	64	$108,177	17.0	$61,460	$76/hr	7.8
30	Fargo, ND	64	$97,402	10.9	$62,110	$77/hr	5.8
31	Pensacola, FL	63	$97,877	13.6	$50,390	$66/hr	6.3
32	Omaha, NE	63	$117,659	18.6	$63,870	$78/hr	6.5
33	Colorado Springs, CO	62	$115,993	17.8	$65,520	$80/hr	7.6
34	Des Moines, IA	62	$112,798	17.6	$75,810	$89/hr	8.5
35	Cincinnati, OH	61	$109,654	11.0	$70,760	$85/hr	3.2
36	Appleton, WI	61	$120,082	14.5	$79,870	$93/hr	5.1
37	Asheville, NC	61	$101,408	16.6	$48,310	$65/hr	7.8
38	Topeka, KS	61	$117,433	12.3	$63,310	$78/hr	2.7
39	St. George, UT	61	$97,442	22.3	$51,720	$68/hr	14.5
40	Lubbock, TX	61	$107,685	23.3	$49,680	$66/hr	8.0
41	Dallas, TX	61	$106,925	21.8	$59,400	$74/hr	8.3
42	Chattanooga, TN	60	$105,074	13.3	$69,660	$84/hr	5.1
43	Birmingham, AL	60	$101,567	11.8	$50,030	$66/hr	3.6
44	Lincoln, NE	59	$99,733	15.4	$55,850	$71/hr	7.0
45	Oklahoma City, OK	59	$106,634	20.1	$51,200	$67/hr	5.9
46	Hartford, CT	58	$112,178	9.2	$87,520	$100/hr	1.3
47	Oxnard, CA	58	$100,737	8.3	$64,000	$79/hr	1.9
48	Daphne, AL	58	$88,472	18.1	$48,840	$65/hr	10.8
49	St. Louis, MO	57	$108,539	9.8	$77,490	$91/hr	2.2
50	Phoenix, AZ	56	$79,476	10.5	$59,390	$74/hr	7.9
51	Green Bay, WI	56	$104,812	13.2	$69,970	$84/hr	4.3
52	Hagerstown, MD	56	$79,958	10.3	$55,780	$71/hr	5.4
53	Fayetteville, AR	56	$95,315	25.4	$59,590	$75/hr	15.5
54	Tulsa, OK	56	$103,977	17.7	$58,080	$73/hr	5.0
55	Harrisburg, PA	55	$90,657	7.3	$72,730	$86/hr	2.0
56	Ogden, UT	55	$89,241	12.0	$60,560	$76/hr	5.5
57	Jacksonville, FL	55	$78,718	11.1	$58,490	$74/hr	8.0
58	Boston, MA	55	$109,844	9.3	$96,960	$108/hr	2.0
59	Indianapolis, IN	54	$94,382	12.3	$72,770	$86/hr	5.4
60	Denver, CO	54	$112,158	19.3	$75,120	$88/hr	5.3
61	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY	54	$96,163	13.5	$61,100	$76/hr	4.4
62	Memphis, TN	53	$104,538	12.0	$65,360	$80/hr	2.5
63	Jonesboro, AR	53	$88,421	16.4	$48,880	$65/hr	7.5
64	Santa Maria, CA	53	$87,983	7.6	$63,600	$78/hr	3.1
65	Boise City, ID	53	$92,382	20.0	$62,510	$77/hr	11.6
66	Sacramento, CA	53	$79,736	7.5	$73,810	$87/hr	4.4
67	Milwaukee, WI	52	$102,399	8.3	$96,010	$107/hr	2.0
68	Champaign, IL	52	$85,678	6.5	$83,250	$96/hr	3.8
69	Fort Wayne, IN	52	$97,172	13.9	$64,240	$79/hr	3.6
70	Columbia, MO	52	$93,062	11.2	$72,190	$86/hr	3.8
71	Little Rock, AR	51	$96,981	16.3	$58,510	$74/hr	4.1
72	Lexington, KY	51	$86,644	11.7	$59,540	$75/hr	4.5
73	Virginia Beach, VA	51	$79,124	8.1	$50,370	$66/hr	2.2
74	Philadelphia, PA	50	$89,596	8.1	$75,970	$89/hr	2.1
75	Reading, PA	50	$98,985	10.4	$69,990	$84/hr	1.3
76	Winston, NC	50	$81,556	16.0	$47,910	$64/hr	6.8
77	Seattle, WA	49	$88,227	9.0	$97,830	$109/hr	3.9
78	Worcester, MA	48	$106,994	14.2	$76,930	$90/hr	1.9
79	Bend, OR	48	$83,955	15.5	$72,650	$86/hr	12.1
80	Houston, TX	48	$84,840	20.0	$56,410	$72/hr	8.7
81	Portland, OR	48	$86,436	8.3	$81,700	$94/hr	3.3
82	Salt Lake City, UT	48	$85,369	13.6	$60,450	$75/hr	6.0
83	Spokane, WA	48	$86,631	11.0	$78,010	$91/hr	5.3
84	Palm Bay, FL	47	$66,070	10.3	$58,610	$74/hr	7.3
85	Lansing, MI	47	$91,160	8.8	$75,650	$89/hr	1.8
86	Staunton, VA	47	$68,099	11.5	$47,430	$64/hr	7.8
87	Tucson, AZ	47	$79,261	11.3	$55,310	$71/hr	4.4
88	Pittsfield, MA	47	$112,087	12.0	$87,730	$100/hr	1.2
89	Lakeland, FL	46	$67,589	14.8	$50,210	$66/hr	10.4
90	Las Vegas, NV	46	$40,216	5.4	$55,580	$71/hr	6.2
91	Eau Claire, WI	45	$93,516	13.7	$81,860	$95/hr	5.4
92	Tampa, FL	45	$73,207	12.6	$57,490	$73/hr	6.9
93	Minneapolis, MN	45	$99,158	13.1	$97,960	$109/hr	3.9
94	Idaho Falls, ID	45	$86,906	21.8	$69,050	$83/hr	9.3
95	San Jose, CA	45	$77,415	4.9	$75,930	$89/hr	2.8
96	Orlando, FL	44	$66,704	15.2	$50,470	$66/hr	10.0
97	Provo, UT	44	$71,194	14.1	$62,380	$77/hr	10.2
98	Youngstown, OH	44	$113,496	19.0	$61,420	$76/hr	0.7
99	Canton, OH	43	$117,832	20.7	$76,250	$90/hr	1.6
100	Lynchburg, VA	43	$68,929	10.6	$52,270	$68/hr	4.2
101	Albuquerque, NM	42	$63,466	9.2	$43,910	$61/hr	3.1
102	Santa Rosa, CA	42	$79,137	9.3	$74,410	$88/hr	3.5
103	Pittsburgh, PA	42	$86,665	9.6	$76,940	$90/hr	2.4
104	Honolulu, HI	42	$81,683	4.8	$81,120	$94/hr	1.4
105	Tallahassee, FL	42	$66,599	11.5	$52,760	$69/hr	7.0
106	San Antonio, TX	42	$86,688	23.3	$56,580	$72/hr	4.0
107	Lancaster, PA	42	$103,283	21.7	$63,430	$78/hr	2.3
108	Cape Coral, FL	42	$69,088	20.2	$48,800	$65/hr	16.6
109	Baltimore, MD	41	$71,786	7.9	$58,000	$73/hr	2.0
110	Albany, NY	41	$74,668	7.9	$76,890	$90/hr	2.3
111	Evansville, IN	41	$74,580	9.3	$63,690	$78/hr	3.0
112	Stockton, CA	41	$53,320	5.9	$75,490	$89/hr	3.2
113	Burlington, VT	41	$73,987	11.0	$62,060	$77/hr	5.5
114	Syracuse, NY	40	$72,363	7.4	$73,880	$87/hr	3.1
115	San Diego, CA	40	$64,453	7.0	$63,280	$78/hr	3.6
116	Riverside, CA	40	$66,763	9.2	$63,330	$78/hr	3.4
117	Salem, OR	39	$85,879	11.3	$92,110	$104/hr	3.2
118	Erie, PA	39	$77,252	8.5	$58,740	$74/hr	0.9
119	Grand Rapids, MI	39	$77,868	12.0	$66,080	$80/hr	3.7
120	Washington, DC	38	$77,259	12.1	$60,670	$76/hr	2.8
121	Kingsport, TN	38	$72,714	11.4	$57,450	$73/hr	3.7
122	Jefferson City, MO	37	$93,695	18.7	$58,120	$73/hr	1.4
123	Springfield, MO	37	$84,940	19.5	$60,530	$75/hr	3.6
124	Charleston, WV	37	$63,745	4.6	$49,670	$66/hr	0.6
125	San Francisco, CA	37	$73,688	5.0	$77,350	$90/hr	1.7
126	Fresno, CA	37	$49,640	6.6	$69,050	$83/hr	3.0
127	Duluth, MN	37	$79,902	10.0	$80,660	$93/hr	2.3
128	Los Angeles, CA	36	$65,460	6.6	$63,450	$78/hr	2.1
129	Detroit, MI	36	$77,664	10.7	$62,830	$78/hr	2.0
130	Rockford, IL	35	$95,068	13.6	$78,080	$91/hr	1.1
131	Chicago, IL	35	$81,058	9.3	$89,980	$102/hr	1.7
132	Cleveland, OH	34	$93,458	14.7	$78,530	$92/hr	1.9
133	Rochester, NY	34	$73,693	8.9	$73,860	$87/hr	1.7
134	Rochester, MN	33	$84,021	13.4	$93,070	$105/hr	3.2
135	Huntington, WV	33	$57,026	7.1	$46,090	$63/hr	0.8
136	New York, NY	33	$63,590	7.9	$92,300	$104/hr	2.2
137	South Bend, IN	33	$70,983	9.3	$73,540	$87/hr	2.3
138	St. Cloud, MN	33	$78,825	13.9	$85,530	$98/hr	3.9
139	Buffalo, NY	32	$65,685	6.5	$76,800	$90/hr	1.3
140	Salinas, CA	32	$59,822	6.2	$65,430	$80/hr	1.8
141	Flagstaff, AZ	32	$56,299	10.6	$57,760	$73/hr	4.4
142	Providence, RI	32	$76,675	9.9	$86,990	$99/hr	1.7
143	Naples, FL	31	$62,214	17.4	$58,800	$74/hr	6.9
144	Lima, OH	31	$76,079	9.2	$94,220	$106/hr	1.5
145	Altoona, PA	30	$76,111	8.6	$92,010	$104/hr	0.7
146	Toledo, OH	26	$70,234	9.9	$76,870	$90/hr	0.8
147	Mansfield, OH	25	$77,159	14.5	$62,570	$77/hr	0.9
148	Miami, FL	21	$54,497	18.9	$56,500	$72/hr	3.8
149	El Paso, TX	18	$56,954	17.9	$48,940	$65/hr	2.3

How to read this

Revenue is what one-person businesses take in before expenses, not take-home pay. A high figure with lots of competitors per resident usually means a busy but crowded market; a lower figure with few competitors can mean room to grow. Business counts come from the Census Nonemployer Statistics (2024) and County Business Patterns (2023), grouped as “foundation, framing & exterior work”, so they include some firms outside the trade itself.

For pay as an employee in any of these cities, see the brickmason salary overview or the best cities for brickmasons to work.

Census Nonemployer Statistics 2024; County Business Patterns 2023; Census Building Permits 2025; Census population estimates; BLS OEWS May 2025. Our data

Best cities to start a brickmason business