Where to Start a Drywall Installer Business

Where a solo drywall installer business has the most room Our calculation

Dover, DE ranks first. One-person building finishing work businesses there average $89,031 a year in revenue, with 16.5 building finishing work businesses for every 10,000 residents (typical metro: 22.3). We scored all 168 metros where the Census publishes building finishing work business counts.

1
DoverDELAWARE · DE · $89,031 avg solo revenue · 16.5 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fewer competitors per resident
87
2
KilleenTEXAS · TX · $71,186 avg solo revenue · 15.9 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on fewer competitors per resident and fast population growth
80
3
ClarksvilleTENNESSEE · TN · $70,721 avg solo revenue · 20.2 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on fast population growth and lots of new building
77
4
DallasTEXAS · TX · $83,322 avg solo revenue · 25.8 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
76
5
HuntsvilleALABAMA · AL · $66,659 avg solo revenue · 17.3 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on fewer competitors per resident and fast population growth
76
6
NashvilleTENNESSEE · TN · $91,492 avg solo revenue · 28.6 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
76
7
CharlestonSOUTH CAROLINA · SC · $90,992 avg solo revenue · 28.6 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
76
8
AustinTEXAS · TX · $79,389 avg solo revenue · 26.4 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
75
9
RaleighNORTH CAROLINA · NC · $82,045 avg solo revenue · 28.9 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
75
10
PhoenixARIZONA · AZ · $75,039 avg solo revenue · 21.5 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on fast population growth and lots of new building
74
11
KennewickWASHINGTON · WA · $74,437 avg solo revenue · 16.6 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on fewer competitors per resident and fast population growth
74
12
Hilton Head IslandSOUTH CAROLINA · SC · $105,571 avg solo revenue · 52.8 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
72
13
GreeleyCOLORADO · CO · $90,143 avg solo revenue · 29.3 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
71
14
CharlotteNORTH CAROLINA · NC · $81,987 avg solo revenue · 30.2 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
71
15
FargoNORTH DAKOTA · ND · $76,018 avg solo revenue · 24.0 building finishing work businesses per 10k residents · Strong on higher solo revenue and fast population growth
70

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

Hilton Head Island, SC: $105,571
Nashville, TN: $91,492
Charleston, SC: $90,992
Greeley, CO: $90,143
Dover, DE: $89,031

Least competition

El Centro, CA: 8.4 per 10k residents
Visalia, CA: 8.5 per 10k residents
Merced, CA: 9.9 per 10k residents
Yakima, WA: 10.7 per 10k residents
Honolulu, HI: 11.4 per 10k residents

Most new building

North Port, FL: 19.8 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
Ocala, FL: 15.0 home permits per 1k

Fastest-growing population

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	Dover, DE	87	$89,031	16.5	$43,540	$60/hr	6.7
2	Killeen, TX	80	$71,186	15.9	$40,100	$57/hr	6.8
3	Clarksville, TN	77	$70,721	20.2	$39,480	$57/hr	8.7
4	Dallas, TX	76	$83,322	25.8	$48,220	$64/hr	8.3
5	Huntsville, AL	76	$66,659	17.3	$46,150	$63/hr	8.7
6	Nashville, TN	76	$91,492	28.6	$50,640	$67/hr	9.2
7	Charleston, SC	76	$90,992	28.6	$38,670	$56/hr	8.7
8	Austin, TX	75	$79,389	26.4	$50,500	$67/hr	11.3
9	Raleigh, NC	75	$82,045	28.9	$45,900	$62/hr	11.8
10	Phoenix, AZ	74	$75,039	21.5	$52,270	$68/hr	7.9
11	Kennewick, WA	74	$74,437	16.6	$63,870	$78/hr	7.8
12	Hilton Head Island, SC	72	$105,571	52.8	$47,910	$64/hr	13.5
13	Greeley, CO	71	$90,143	29.3	$59,830	$75/hr	8.5
14	Charlotte, NC	71	$81,987	30.2	$45,900	$62/hr	8.0
15	Fargo, ND	70	$76,018	24.0	$47,950	$64/hr	5.8
16	Sioux Falls, SD	69	$81,975	32.4	$49,560	$66/hr	7.8
17	Sioux City, IA	68	$77,887	20.3	$48,850	$65/hr	3.9
18	Madison, WI	68	$75,385	21.8	$63,500	$78/hr	10.0
19	North Port, FL	68	$77,485	40.4	$50,440	$66/hr	19.8
20	Provo, UT	68	$66,289	21.8	$49,760	$66/hr	10.2
21	Ogden, UT	68	$70,215	17.5	$54,240	$70/hr	5.5
22	Kansas City, MO	67	$75,430	22.7	$46,720	$63/hr	4.5
23	Oklahoma City, OK	67	$73,937	24.7	$45,760	$62/hr	5.9
24	Fayetteville, AR	67	$75,006	34.9	$47,100	$63/hr	15.5
25	Boise City, ID	67	$72,751	31.4	$44,300	$61/hr	11.6
26	Trenton, NJ	67	$77,074	19.3	$53,820	$69/hr	3.0
27	Columbia, SC	67	$65,828	20.1	$44,800	$61/hr	7.1
28	Des Moines, IA	66	$73,865	28.3	$49,670	$66/hr	8.5
29	Tulsa, OK	66	$74,043	23.6	$46,080	$63/hr	5.0
30	Salt Lake City, UT	66	$78,824	25.2	$55,460	$71/hr	6.0
31	Lake Havasu City, AZ	66	$64,566	19.6	$48,780	$65/hr	8.2
32	Cape Coral, FL	65	$74,388	58.3	$47,070	$63/hr	16.6
33	Logan, UT	64	$63,537	19.2	$48,890	$65/hr	7.6
34	Fayetteville, NC	63	$63,447	14.5	$45,120	$62/hr	5.4
35	Chattanooga, TN	63	$71,111	23.8	$45,170	$62/hr	5.1
36	Asheville, NC	63	$77,538	36.4	$46,340	$63/hr	7.8
37	Birmingham, AL	62	$70,670	18.9	$48,760	$65/hr	3.6
38	Wilmington, NC	62	$74,294	36.3	$57,540	$73/hr	16.8
39	Tyler, TX	62	$84,909	28.5	$43,740	$60/hr	2.2
40	Lincoln, NE	62	$72,743	28.1	$47,130	$64/hr	7.0
41	Reno, NV	62	$64,565	14.2	$56,480	$72/hr	5.2
42	Seattle, WA	61	$78,423	19.7	$75,560	$89/hr	3.9
43	Columbus, OH	61	$75,027	24.7	$65,450	$80/hr	7.2
44	Little Rock, AR	61	$70,177	22.6	$44,570	$61/hr	4.1
45	Rapid City, SD	61	$71,814	28.5	$47,980	$64/hr	6.3
46	Pensacola, FL	61	$67,217	24.0	$47,000	$63/hr	6.3
47	Port St. Lucie, FL	60	$70,790	39.7	$48,530	$65/hr	9.3
48	Sacramento, CA	60	$68,251	15.7	$63,540	$78/hr	4.4
49	Lexington, KY	60	$72,035	24.2	$48,340	$65/hr	4.5
50	Odessa, TX	59	$71,715	28.3	$49,040	$65/hr	5.6
51	Twin Falls, ID	59	$61,384	21.9	$34,880	$53/hr	5.6
52	Indianapolis, IN	59	$73,632	23.3	$61,260	$76/hr	5.4
53	Missoula, MT	59	$75,060	36.7	$51,310	$67/hr	7.1
54	Waco, TX	59	$66,943	21.7	$49,160	$65/hr	4.8
55	Fort Wayne, IN	59	$70,858	22.3	$49,680	$66/hr	3.6
56	St. George, UT	58	$68,062	35.5	$50,900	$67/hr	14.5
57	Omaha, NE	58	$73,242	28.3	$56,430	$72/hr	6.5
58	Atlanta, GA	58	$80,684	34.7	$59,670	$75/hr	5.4
59	Colorado Springs, CO	57	$73,751	28.9	$57,080	$72/hr	7.6
60	Memphis, TN	57	$74,079	22.3	$47,100	$63/hr	2.5
61	Philadelphia, PA	56	$75,872	20.4	$61,280	$76/hr	2.1
62	Denver, CO	56	$82,452	33.1	$64,260	$79/hr	5.3
63	Baltimore, MD	55	$67,397	17.5	$48,680	$65/hr	2.0
64	Minneapolis, MN	55	$77,196	24.8	$64,080	$79/hr	3.9
65	Roanoke, VA	55	$72,637	23.2	$47,510	$64/hr	2.8
66	San Luis Obispo, CA	54	$76,411	20.5	$67,060	$81/hr	2.4
67	Salem, OR	54	$70,052	19.6	$62,400	$77/hr	3.2
68	Winston, NC	53	$62,748	25.8	$44,540	$61/hr	6.8
69	Greensboro, NC	53	$68,437	27.7	$50,530	$67/hr	4.9
70	Cincinnati, OH	52	$69,776	22.0	$55,470	$71/hr	3.2
71	Washington, DC	52	$75,414	27.2	$59,070	$74/hr	2.8
72	Houston, TX	52	$62,751	29.0	$47,610	$64/hr	8.7
73	Richmond, VA	52	$62,620	23.7	$49,260	$65/hr	6.8
74	Harrisonburg, VA	51	$62,526	23.7	$47,360	$64/hr	6.2
75	Medford, OR	51	$65,918	21.3	$50,440	$66/hr	4.2
76	San Jose, CA	51	$67,269	11.5	$79,430	$92/hr	2.8
77	Milwaukee, WI	51	$73,679	20.5	$60,800	$76/hr	2.0
78	Chico, CA	50	$62,301	13.9	$61,410	$76/hr	4.8
79	Ocala, FL	50	$60,411	33.4	$44,250	$61/hr	15.0
80	Bremerton, WA	50	$57,184	13.3	$63,550	$78/hr	6.4
81	Santa Maria, CA	50	$69,717	18.9	$64,370	$79/hr	3.1
82	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY	50	$64,376	24.5	$45,990	$62/hr	4.4
83	Jacksonville, FL	50	$63,811	32.6	$49,750	$66/hr	8.0
84	Bend, OR	49	$65,100	28.9	$63,970	$79/hr	12.1
85	Palm Bay, FL	49	$60,692	25.0	$48,810	$65/hr	7.3
86	Visalia, CA	48	$50,734	8.5	$46,600	$63/hr	3.7
87	Portland, OR	48	$67,849	18.5	$81,100	$94/hr	3.3
88	Manchester, NH	47	$85,998	34.7	$63,340	$78/hr	1.5
89	Albany, OR	47	$60,079	12.1	$50,540	$67/hr	1.4
90	Dayton, OH	47	$64,097	17.7	$61,420	$76/hr	2.4
91	Wenatchee, WA	47	$61,337	23.2	$62,400	$77/hr	8.7
92	Las Vegas, NV	47	$42,658	13.6	$52,280	$68/hr	6.2
93	Deltona, FL	47	$61,732	32.3	$47,690	$64/hr	7.7
94	Prescott Valley, AZ	46	$59,685	28.1	$46,830	$63/hr	7.0
95	Stockton, CA	46	$57,709	11.5	$73,520	$87/hr	3.2
96	Tucson, AZ	46	$57,103	18.5	$48,180	$64/hr	4.4
97	Naples, FL	46	$65,835	59.5	$52,830	$69/hr	6.9
98	Merced, CA	46	$57,154	9.9	$63,060	$78/hr	2.7
99	Orlando, FL	46	$62,032	44.3	$47,760	$64/hr	10.0
100	Riverside, CA	46	$61,029	16.8	$61,420	$76/hr	3.4
101	Fort Collins, CO	46	$66,213	29.0	$61,120	$76/hr	6.6
102	Las Cruces, NM	46	$53,528	20.9	$37,990	$55/hr	3.7
103	Albuquerque, NM	46	$58,945	13.6	$54,620	$70/hr	3.1
104	Lakeland, FL	46	$56,644	28.8	$46,590	$63/hr	10.4
105	Grand Rapids, MI	46	$69,155	27.7	$58,820	$74/hr	3.7
106	Worcester, MA	45	$86,721	30.0	$80,280	$93/hr	1.9
107	Wichita, KS	45	$60,215	21.8	$48,660	$65/hr	4.8
108	Tampa, FL	45	$63,030	34.1	$49,560	$66/hr	6.9
109	San Antonio, TX	44	$63,239	30.3	$46,550	$63/hr	4.0
110	Oxnard, CA	44	$66,107	17.4	$63,760	$78/hr	1.9
111	Honolulu, HI	44	$67,049	11.4	$105,910	$116/hr	1.4
112	St. Louis, MO	43	$63,257	18.0	$60,250	$75/hr	2.2
113	Tuscaloosa, AL	43	$52,831	14.6	$45,110	$62/hr	2.2
114	Pittsburgh, PA	43	$64,054	18.6	$60,600	$76/hr	2.4
115	Napa, CA	43	$66,242	17.4	$84,410	$97/hr	2.7
116	Yuma, AZ	42	$31,615	16.4	$54,400	$70/hr	5.5
117	Anchorage, AK	42	$69,553	21.3	$65,200	$80/hr	0.7
118	Allentown, PA	42	$63,321	19.7	$61,710	$77/hr	2.3
119	Yuba City, CA	42	$45,865	13.0	$60,970	$76/hr	4.5
120	Santa Fe, NM	42	$58,665	17.7	$54,830	$70/hr	3.2
121	Scranton, PA	42	$58,447	15.4	$47,660	$64/hr	1.1
122	San Diego, CA	42	$62,207	17.0	$76,290	$90/hr	3.6
123	Portland, ME	41	$66,645	46.5	$59,740	$75/hr	6.2
124	Albany, NY	41	$60,692	18.2	$58,020	$73/hr	2.3
125	Providence, RI	41	$69,950	28.8	$53,340	$69/hr	1.7
126	Evansville, IN	41	$55,230	15.6	$53,860	$70/hr	3.0
127	Traverse City, MI	40	$67,785	45.8	$55,750	$71/hr	5.2
128	Redding, CA	40	$62,184	15.4	$61,870	$77/hr	1.4
129	Santa Rosa, CA	40	$68,006	23.0	$82,650	$95/hr	3.5
130	Eau Claire, WI	39	$60,988	23.8	$59,220	$74/hr	5.4
131	Yakima, WA	38	$47,350	10.7	$58,950	$74/hr	2.8
132	Baton Rouge, LA	38	$53,588	22.4	$48,160	$64/hr	4.9
133	Rochester, NY	38	$62,387	18.3	$59,910	$75/hr	1.7
134	Virginia Beach, VA	38	$57,143	19.2	$48,920	$65/hr	2.2
135	Bellingham, WA	37	$55,125	22.0	$61,980	$77/hr	5.3
136	Eugene, OR	37	$49,826	15.4	$59,240	$74/hr	4.0
137	Fresno, CA	37	$41,501	12.2	$62,280	$77/hr	3.0
138	San Francisco, CA	36	$61,465	14.2	$82,160	$95/hr	1.7
139	Kahului, HI	36	$66,203	27.9	$83,190	$96/hr	5.5
140	Springfield, MO	36	$62,463	28.9	$56,550	$72/hr	3.6
141	Lynchburg, VA	36	$45,435	19.1	$48,610	$65/hr	4.2
142	Los Angeles, CA	36	$59,520	16.0	$62,800	$78/hr	2.1
143	Miami, FL	36	$63,862	53.3	$50,170	$66/hr	3.8
144	Grand Junction, CO	36	$61,688	33.7	$53,320	$69/hr	5.1
145	Syracuse, NY	35	$53,443	17.8	$54,100	$70/hr	3.1
146	Kingsport, TN	35	$47,383	20.4	$45,670	$62/hr	3.7
147	Santa Cruz, CA	35	$63,861	19.6	$74,740	$88/hr	1.8
148	Modesto, CA	34	$50,461	13.8	$65,770	$80/hr	2.2
149	Davenport, IA	33	$59,613	19.1	$57,350	$73/hr	1.6
150	Sebastian, FL	32	$61,871	35.9	$47,000	$63/hr	1.5
151	Chicago, IL	32	$63,517	22.1	$69,120	$83/hr	1.7
152	Akron, OH	31	$65,954	24.5	$66,450	$81/hr	1.1
153	El Centro, CA	31	$39,690	8.4	$78,020	$91/hr	1.3
154	Salinas, CA	31	$55,206	14.7	$73,650	$87/hr	1.8
155	Youngstown, OH	31	$65,012	25.5	$59,890	$75/hr	0.7
156	Duluth, MN	31	$50,933	18.3	$60,220	$75/hr	2.3
157	Cleveland, OH	29	$64,505	27.9	$63,150	$78/hr	1.9
158	Mount Vernon, WA	29	$52,235	20.7	$67,730	$82/hr	2.8
159	Lansing, MI	28	$54,599	20.4	$60,280	$75/hr	1.8
160	Burlington, VT	28	$58,240	29.0	$61,500	$76/hr	5.5
161	La Crosse, WI	27	$56,433	24.7	$54,830	$70/hr	2.8
162	Huntington, WV	27	$38,578	13.1	$64,700	$79/hr	0.8
163	New York, NY	25	$56,265	22.6	$71,320	$85/hr	2.2
164	Toledo, OH	24	$51,942	19.6	$62,920	$78/hr	0.8
165	El Paso, TX	23	$47,297	27.4	$44,050	$61/hr	2.3
166	Detroit, MI	21	$60,806	29.3	$60,080	$75/hr	2.0
167	Lancaster, PA	19	$59,367	38.0	$60,510	$75/hr	2.3
168	New Orleans, LA	18	$50,020	25.5	$49,230	$65/hr	1.7

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 “building finishing work”, so they include some firms outside the trade itself.

For pay as an employee in any of these cities, see the drywall installer salary overview or the best cities for drywall installers 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 drywall installer business