HVAC & Refrigeration

In the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan statistical area, there were 6,610 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a location quotient of 0.90 and an annual mean wage of $57,650.

Residential building permit activity across the 11-county Atlanta region decreased 21% in 2023 to 28,595 permits (a drop of nearly 7,500 permits compared to 2022). Construction activity stabilized and rebounded through 2024-2026, with the region recording steady month-over-month gains up to 2,289 total units permitted in March 2026.

In May 2023, the Austin-Round Rock, TX MSA employed approximately 2,860 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), with an occupational location quotient of 0.89 relative to the national average and a mean hourly wage of $26.92.

Residential building permit volume in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown MSA declined from a peak of 50,772 permitted housing units in 2021 down to 38,773 units in 2023, representing a decrease of approximately 23.6% as regional homebuilding moderated from post-pandemic highs.

In the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, there are 3,060 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers employed, representing a density of 2.344 jobs per 1,000 total jobs in the metro (location quotient of 0.90).

Total new residential units permitted in the Baltimore region fell 10.4% year-over-year to 5,775 units in 2025, while the value of residential alterations, additions, and repairs (AAR) grew 5.1% to $796.6 million.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, there are 1,760 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) employed in the Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA, representing 3.45 workers per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.32.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, residential construction activity in the Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA reached 4,384 total units over the trailing 12-month period (3.71 permits per 1,000 residents), reflecting a 59.7% year-over-year increase in permit volume, led by single-family developments in Jefferson and Shelby counties.

The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area employs approximately 6,050 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021).

Residential building permits in Greater Boston have dropped significantly from 15,019 units authorized in 2021 to under 9,000 units in 2024, with Boston proper recording 2,219 permitted units in 2024, its lowest annual permit volume since 2012.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2023), the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY MSA had 1,050 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a location quotient of 0.76 and a mean hourly wage of $28.18.

According to HUD's Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis, residential building permit activity in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls MSA reached 2,659 units for the 12 months ending July 2024, up from 2,558 units in the 12 months ending July 2023 and 2,101 units in full-year 2023.

In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, there are 3,900 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) with a location quotient of 1.14, reflecting a trade density 14% higher than the national average.

Residential building permit volume for private housing structures in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia MSA experienced a moderate pullback in single-family permitting activity (declining roughly 6.9% statewide in NC) under elevated interest rates, following peak permit issuance levels achieved during 2021-2022.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metropolitan statistical area employed 7,840 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) as of May 2023, representing an employment density of 1.74 HVAC technicians per 1,000 jobs in the metro area.

New residential building permit volume in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin MSA dropped from 17,360 authorized units in 2022 to 15,028 authorized units in 2023, representing a year-over-year decline of approximately 13.4%.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metropolitan area employed approximately 3,400 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a density of 3.145 workers per 1,000 total regional jobs and a location quotient of 1.20.

According to HUD's Housing Market Conditions analysis and Census Building Permits Survey data, residential construction permitting in the Cincinnati MSA saw a peak in 2021 with single-family permitting reaching 5,775 units (12-month period ending August 2021). Single-family construction subsequently moderated to 3,925 units for the 12 months ending August 2024 before increasing to 4,250 units for the 12 months ending August 2025, while multi-family permitting stabilized at around 2,525 to 2,650 units annually.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 OEWS data, the Cleveland-Elyria, OH MSA employs 2,800 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), yielding a location quotient of 1.07 relative to the national employment concentration.

Residential building permit activity in the Cleveland-Elyria MSA expanded significantly over recent years, reaching 4,175 total permits over a trailing 12-month period (a 28.6% year-over-year surge). Permitting growth was led by Cuyahoga County (1,601 permits, up 43.2% YoY) and Lorain County (1,183 permits, up 33.4% YoY).

In the Columbus, OH MSA, there were 2,660 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a density of 2.49 workers per 1,000 total jobs and a location quotient of 0.95 relative to the national average.

Residential building permitting in the Columbus, OH MSA experienced a strong expansion, pulling over 13,700 to 16,000 permits in recent 12-month periods (a YoY surge of over 60%), driven by intense single-family and multifamily construction.

According to Census Bureau County Business Patterns (CBP) data, there were 1,815 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contracting establishments (NAICS 238220) in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX MSA. Additionally, BLS OEWS reports 10,060 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) employed in the metro area with a location quotient of 0.97.

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA led all U.S. metropolitan areas in residential construction activity, pulling 63,775 building permits over trailing 12-month periods, a 13.2% year-over-year increase and roughly 8.17 permits per 1,000 residents.

The Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO metropolitan statistical area employed 3,870 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) with a location quotient of 0.93 relative to the national concentration.

Residential permitting and building activity in the Denver metro area experienced a slowdown, with for-sale home permitting in Denver County declining 34% to 1,175 units for the 12 months ending August 2023 compared to the prior 12-month period due to rising interest rates and geographical constraints.

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan statistical area employs approximately 4,010 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a labor density of approximately 0.91 HVAC technicians per 1,000 residents.

Residential construction permit volume in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA reached 8,825 total housing units authorized over the trailing 12 months ending May 2026, down slightly by 2.3% compared to the prior 12-month period.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 OEWS data, there were 1,780 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) employed in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA, representing an employment density of 3.16 per 1,000 total jobs and a location quotient of 1.21.

Residential building permit activity in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford MSA has fluctuated between 1,000 and 1,500 units annually over recent years. Multifamily permitting experienced a strong upward surge in 2024, reaching 1,488 units (an 89.2% increase year-over-year), with trailing 12-month totals standing at 1,270 permitted units as of mid-2026.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX MSA employed 7,230 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a density of 2.27 HVAC workers per 1,000 jobs in the metro area.

U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data show that the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA led the nation in residential permitting volume in 2023 with 68,755 total units authorized (including 50,444 single-family homes). Although this represented a slight cooling from 75,786 units in 2022, it remained the fifth-highest permitting year since 1988, contributing to a total of 343,779 permitted housing units in the metro between 2019 and 2023.

As of May 2023, the Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN MSA employed 3,320 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) with a location quotient of 1.17 (17% higher technician density than the national average) and a mean annual wage of $62,020.

Construction activity in the Indianapolis metro area has seen an upward trend, reaching 13,042 building permits pulled over the trailing 12-month period, a 26.7% year-over-year increase. Annual Census data recorded 11,463 total permits filed in the metro area valued at $3.98 billion, with single-family housing units accounting for 81.3% (9,322 permits).

According to occupational employment statistics for the Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area, there were 2,950 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) employed, representing a location quotient of 1.52 (52% higher worker density than the national average).

Single-family residential building permits across the Jacksonville metropolitan area (Clay, Duval, Nassau, and St. Johns counties) increased by 6.17% in 2024, with 12,551 permits issued compared to 11,821 in 2023.

According to occupational employment data for the Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan statistical area, there were 3,390 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021). This represents an employment density of approximately 3.15 HVAC technicians per 1,000 jobs in the metro area and a location quotient of 1.20 relative to the national average.

Residential construction permitting in the Kansas City metro area expanded rapidly, reaching 10,714 permits over the trailing 12 months (4.11 permits per 1,000 residents), representing a 38.3% year-over-year increase. Major activity centers include Jackson County, MO (3,664 permits) and Johnson County, KS (2,956 permits).

As of May 2023, the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV metropolitan statistical area employed 3,360 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a location quotient of 1.18 relative to the national average.

Residential building permit activity in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise MSA moderated from post-pandemic highs, with overall permitting issuing approximately 11,790 housing units in 2023 (including a ~12% year-over-year decline in single-family permits) as elevated interest rates transitioned the market from tight to balanced.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan statistical area employed 8,440 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers, representing a density of 1.36 jobs per 1,000 total jobs in the metro area.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, housing units authorized by building permits in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro dropped 20.3% from 13,154 units in 2023 down to 10,488 units in 2024.

In the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan statistical area, there were 2,260 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers employed as of May 2023, representing a location quotient of 1.30 and an occupational density of 3.392 workers per 1,000 jobs.

Residential building permitting in the Louisville/Jefferson County metro area experienced a sharp contraction in 2022 due to rising mortgage rates (declining ~38% in Southern Indiana submarkets), followed by a multi-year recovery in 2023-2024 driven by demand for over 9,300 new sales units and 6,350 rental units, maintaining a rate of approximately 1.13 to 1.7 permitted units per 1,000 residents.

As of May 2023, there were 1,620 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers employed in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area, representing a concentration of 2.588 workers per 1,000 total jobs (a location quotient of 0.99 relative to national average).

Residential building activity in the Memphis MSA shows a soft to stabilizing trend, with approximately 1,200 single-family homes and 1,950 rental units under construction as of mid-2024. Over a 3-year forecast period, market demand is estimated at 10,800 new single-family units and 2,675 rental units across the metro.

In the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metropolitan statistical area, there were 9,540 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a location quotient of 1.34 and a density of 3.50 workers per 1,000 total jobs.

Residential building permit activity in Miami-Dade County declined in 2024 to 10,608 total new housing units authorized (2,231 single-family and 8,377 multi-family units), down from 12,781 housing units authorized in 2023.

In the Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI MSA, there were 1,810 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) employed as of May 2023, representing approximately 2.23 positions per 1,000 total jobs and a location quotient of 0.85 relative to the national average.

Residential building permit activity in the Milwaukee metropolitan area stagnated and declined slightly in 2022 before remaining roughly flat in 2023 due to elevated mortgage interest rates and rising construction costs. Single-family housing permits in the Milwaukee-Waukesha area declined 11% from a high of 2,075 units in 2021 to 1,850 units in 2022, while multi-family permitting saw a relative increase across Wisconsin (+61.3% in 2021-2023 compared to pre-pandemic 2017-2019 averages).

In the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metropolitan statistical area, there were 2,800 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) as of May 2023, representing an employment concentration of 1.47 jobs per 1,000 total metro jobs.

Residential building permit activity in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metro area experienced a downward trend between 2020 and 2025, with single-month July permits dropping 38% from 1,988 units in July 2020 to 1,241 units in July 2025, driven by a 61% contraction in multifamily permitting.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 3,480 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) employed in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan statistical area.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey, residential construction permit volume in Nashville-Davidson, TN contracted significantly year-over-year, authorizing 6,799 housing units in 2024 down from 11,158 units in 2023 (a decline of 4,359 units or approximately 39%).

As of May 2023, there were 1,490 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers employed in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA MSA, representing 2.887 HVAC technicians per 1,000 total jobs in the metropolitan area (location quotient of 1.10).

Residential building permitting in the New Orleans-Metairie metro area experienced a significant downward trend, with total monthly permits falling by 68.4% (and single-family permits declining by 75%) between 2020 and 2025, alongside a 47.3% year-over-year contraction in 2024 multifamily unit authorizations.

In the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 22,780 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers employed in the metro area.

Residential building permit volume in the New York-Newark-Jersey City MSA remains high with 54,565 housing units authorized over trailing 12-month periods, driven predominantly by multi-family structures (83.6% of permitted units), indicating robust ongoing demand for HVAC mechanical installation and retrofit work.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Oklahoma City, OK MSA employed approximately 2,290 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) in May 2023, representing a location quotient of 1.33 (33% higher technician density than the national average).

Residential building permit activity for new private housing units in the Oklahoma City MSA moderated from peak levels of 600-890 units per month in early 2022 to approximately 310-500 units per month in 2023, reflecting higher interest rates before stabilizing.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2023 OEWS data, the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA employed 4,930 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a high employment density of approximately 3.605 HVAC mechanics per 1,000 total jobs in the metro area.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey shows sustained high construction activity in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford MSA, with annual new residential permit totals remaining robust between 24,000 and 27,000 units permitted annually from 2021 through 2024.

In the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA, there were 9,080 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers employed as of May 2023, representing an occupational density of 3.207 per 1,000 total jobs and a location quotient of 1.23 relative to the national average.

Residential building permit activity in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington MSA contracted significantly after peaking in 2021-2022, led by a sharp drop in multi-family (5+ unit) permits (down over 70% from 2020 levels), while single-family home permitting showed a modest 10% year-over-year increase in PA in late 2024.

As of May 2024, the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA employed approximately 7,920 HVAC mechanics and installers (SOC 49-9021), ranking among the top metropolitan areas nationwide for trade employment with a high location quotient of 3.86.

New residential housing permits in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler MSA peaked in 2021-2022 (reaching over 42,000 units authorized) before moderating in 2023 and 2024 due to higher interest rates, though housing completion and permitting volumes remain historically strong.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2023 OEWS report, the Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area employed approximately 3,650 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a location quotient of 1.30 compared to the national average.

According to HUD's Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis for the Pittsburgh MSA, residential building permit activity averaged 3,325 homes permitted annually during 2022-2023, representing a downward trend from an average of 3,775 homes permitted annually during 2020-2021 due to out-migration and elevated interest rates.

The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA employs approximately 2,600 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a location quotient of 0.82 relative to the national concentration.

Residential construction permitting in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro MSA decreased sharply in 2024, with single-family unit permits down 2.7% year-over-year (1,649 units) and multi-family unit permits dropping 58.5% year-over-year (2,696 units).

As of May 2023, the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metropolitan Statistical Area employed 1,370 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a density rate of 2.413 workers per 1,000 total jobs in the metropolitan area.

In 2024, multi-family housing authorized by building permits accounted for 48.9% of all new privately owned housing units in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA MSA, making it one of the highest multi-family permit shares among large U.S. metros amid historically constrained overall housing permitting in the region.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2024 OEWS data, the Raleigh-Cary, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area employed 2,570 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021).

Residential construction permitting in the Raleigh-Cary metro area reached 18,396 authorized units over the trailing 12-month period, representing a 15.5% year-over-year increase and a rate of 12.69 building permits per 1,000 residents.

In the Richmond, VA Metropolitan Statistical Area, there were 2,460 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) as of May 2023, representing a location quotient of 1.45 and a concentration of 3.805 HVAC workers per 1,000 total jobs.

According to Census Bureau permitting data, residential construction in the Richmond, VA MSA saw single-family building permits stabilize at 1,477 units in 2024 (0.0% YoY change) after previous pullbacks in 2022 and 2023, while multifamily unit authorizations declined 14.0% to 3,408 units.

In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA, there were 5,890 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) as of May 2023, representing an employment density of 3.542 workers per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.35 relative to the national average.

In 2022, the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA authorized 16,320 new residential building units according to the Census Building Permits Survey, a 4.6% increase over 2021 with a total construction value of $3.9 billion (+4.5%). Multi-family permitting grew over 45% to reach 5,150 units during the 12 months ending mid-2022, followed by a moderate slowdown in single-family permits in 2023 due to higher mortgage rates while multi-family construction remained steady.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metropolitan area employed approximately 3,030 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) as of May 2023.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, residential construction permitting in the Sacramento metro area reached 10,042 units over the trailing 12 months, reflecting a moderate softening in single-family permitting (down ~11% year-over-year) alongside a slight pullback in multi-family development compared to peak pandemic levels.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Salt Lake City, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area employed 2,530 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) as of May 2023, representing an occupational density of 3.147 per 1,000 total jobs and a Location Quotient of 1.20.

Residential building permit volume in the Salt Lake City MSA grew rapidly between 2019 and 2022 with approximately 17,000 residential housing units authorized (with 79.5% concentrated in multi-family developments), followed by a moderate slowdown in single-family housing permits during 2023-2024 due to higher interest rates and land supply constraints.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area employed 2,860 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) as of May 2023, representing a density of 2.62 mechanics per 1,000 jobs in the metro area (a location quotient of 1.00 relative to the national average).

Residential building permit activity in the San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA reached 24,006 authorized units (+7.8% year-over-year) valued at $4.2 billion in 2022, before moderating to approximately 15,000-16,000 authorized housing units annually across 2023 and 2024.

In the San Diego-Carlsbad, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, there were 3,410 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) employed as of May 2023.

Housing units authorized by building permits in San Diego, CA increased from 5,765 units in 2023 to 6,615 units in 2024 (an increase of 850 units or +14.8%). Across the broader San Diego region, 14,947 total housing units were permitted in 2024, led by multifamily construction (60%) and accessory dwelling units (27%).

In the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, there were 4,350 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), with a mean hourly wage of $38.40 and a mean annual wage of $79,870.

Residential building permitting activity in the San Francisco metropolitan area contracted sharply after 2022, with new construction permit volumes down roughly 52% from peak levels through 2025 in major sub-markets such as Alameda County due to high construction costs and interest rate pressures.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metropolitan statistical area employed 2,210 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing 1.94 workers per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 0.74 relative to the national average.

The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA saw a sharp 68% decline in total residential building permits comparing July 2020 to July 2025 (falling from 1,949 permits to 623 permits), driven primarily by a 74% collapse in 5+ unit multifamily housing permits (from 1,697 to 449 units).

In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MSA, there were 4,070 employed Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing a location quotient of 0.75 and an annual mean wage of $79,280 ($38.12 hourly mean wage).

New private housing units authorized by building permits in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MSA reached 36,866 units in 2024, down slightly from 37,080 units in 2023 and down 24.5% from 48,798 units in 2022, indicating a moderation in construction activity relative to peak pandemic-era levels.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area employed approximately 4,000 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) as of May 2023, representing a location quotient of 1.15 relative to the national average.

Residential construction permitting in the St. Louis MSA trended downward in 2025, with single-family building permits falling 10% year-over-year from 4,650 units in 2024 to 4,175 units in 2025, while multifamily unit permits decreased 19% from 2,050 to 1,650 units.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 OEWS report, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA employs 6,050 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), representing 4.28 per 1,000 jobs with a Location Quotient of 1.64. U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data indicates approximately 1,394 plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractor establishments (NAICS 238220) in the metro area, equivalent to 41.7 establishments per 100,000 residents.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA authorized 16,352 new privately-owned housing units in 2024, ranking 11th among all U.S. metropolitan areas. Permitting activity in 2025-2026 remained resilient with modest year-over-year gains in total residential authorizations, driven by multifamily construction gains.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC metropolitan area employs 3,020 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021).

According to Virginia REALTORS and U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data, residential building permit activity in the Virginia Beach metropolitan area saw a decline in single-family permits of 11.6% in 2023, reflecting a broader statewide residential permitting slowdown due to higher interest rates and housing market supply constraints.

As of May 2023, there were 7,590 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021) employed in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, representing a location quotient of 0.94 relative to national trade density and an annual mean wage of $68,420.

New residential building permits in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area declined 16% year-over-year, dropping from 21,487 permitted units in 2024 to 18,073 units in 2025.