Low-Voltage & Security

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA MSA employed approximately 1,630 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) with a location quotient of 1.05 relative to the national concentration and an annual mean wage of $47,930.

According to U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data, total new private residential units permitted in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA MSA fell to 33,401 units in 2024, down 18% from 40,687 units in 2023, reflecting a cooling trend from the 2022 post-pandemic permitting peak.

As of May 2023, the Austin-Round Rock MSA employed approximately 740 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) with a location quotient of 1.09 (9% above national employment concentration) and a mean annual wage of $55,110 ($26.50 per hour).

Residential building permit volume in the Austin-Round Rock MSA pulled back after peak pandemic-era expansion, decreasing 17% from 32,294 permitted units in 2024 down to 26,964 units in 2025 as elevated construction costs and interest rates slowed new residential starts.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA employed 1,270 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023, representing an employment density of 0.97 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.77.

Residential building permit volume in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA experienced a strong rebound, reaching 5,514 authorized private housing units over the trailing 12 months, representing a year-over-year increase of +24.2%.

In the Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA, there were 430 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed, representing a location quotient of 1.55 (55% higher worker concentration than the national average) and 0.853 installers per 1,000 jobs, with a mean hourly wage of $27.15 ($53,870 annually).

Residential building permit volume in the Birmingham-Hoover, AL metro area experienced a strong recent acceleration, reaching 4,384 total permits over a trailing 12-month period (a 59.7% year-over-year increase, representing 3.71 permits per 1,000 residents), with development heavily concentrated in Jefferson County (2,398 permits) and Shelby County (1,336 permits).

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH metropolitan area employed 1,840 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023, representing a density of 0.668 workers per 1,000 total jobs and a location quotient of 1.21 relative to national averages.

According to HUD and Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data, residential permitting in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton MSA slowed following post-pandemic peak levels, declining 12.1% in 2022 to 14,593 authorized units, with multi-family developments representing over 66% of total authorized new housing units.

In the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY MSA, there were approximately 270 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed as of May 2023, with an annual mean wage of $55,650 and a location quotient of 0.95 relative to the national average.

Residential building permit activity in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY MSA fluctuated in recent years, falling from 3,197 total permitted units in 2022 to 2,101 units in 2023, before rebounding to 2,659 units authorized during the 12 months ending July 2024.

As of May 2023, the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC MSA employed 1,220 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098), representing an employment density of 0.929 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.69 relative to national averages.

In the Charlotte MSA, single-family residential building permits held relatively steady in 2023 at 19,150 units (down less than 1% from 19,250 units in 2022), while multifamily rental building permits decreased 36% to 12,950 units in 2023 as developers responded to rising vacancy and interest rates.

In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metropolitan statistical area, there were 1,760 employed Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023, representing 0.391 jobs per 1,000 total jobs in the region (location quotient of 0.71) with an annual mean wage of $65,600.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, total authorized residential housing units in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin MSA reached 17,360 in 2022 (a 6.2% decline from 2021). In Cook County, annual housing units authorized by building permits dropped from 8,326 in 2022 to 4,854 in 2023, before rebounding to 6,507 in 2024.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area employed 470 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098), representing a location quotient of 0.78 relative to national concentration.

According to U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data reported via FRED, new private housing structures authorized by permits in the Cincinnati MSA peaked at multi-year highs in 2021 before moderating through 2022-2024, with overall construction activity shifting toward multifamily completions in 2024.

In the Cleveland-Elyria, OH MSA, there were 350 employed Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023, earning an annual mean wage of $55,320 ($28.71 hourly mean wage).

In the Cleveland-Elyria, OH MSA, total new private housing structures authorized by building permits rebounded to approximately 4,175 units over trailing 12-month tracking (+28.6% year-over-year growth), following prior multi-year moderation in local residential permitting.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Columbus, OH metropolitan area employed 370 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023, representing an occupational density of 0.343 workers per 1,000 total jobs in the metro area.

Building permit activity in the Columbus MSA surged 63.7% year-over-year, reaching 13,709 permitted housing units over a trailing 12-month period and hitting a 7-year high in multifamily permit density of 4.3 units per 1,000 residents.

According to BLS OEWS data, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX MSA employs 3,830 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098), representing a high density of 0.97 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.76 relative to the national average.

Residential construction in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA maintains a nation-leading pace, authorizing approximately 64,705 new private housing units annually in recent trailing-12-month data (comprising roughly 38,447 single-family units and 24,143 multi-family units).

In the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO metropolitan statistical area, there were 1,310 employed Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023, representing an employment density of 0.82 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.50 compared to the national rate.

Residential building permit volume across the Denver metro area reached 16,615 total units authorized in 2024 (52.6% single-family and 47.4% multi-family), continuing a multi-year trend of constrained permitting that falls well short of estimated regional demand.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan statistical area employed 450 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023, with an annual mean wage of $54,770 ($26.33 hourly mean wage).

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, building permit activity in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI MSA experienced a downward trend in recent years, reaching 4,541 total housing permits issued in 2023, the lowest annual level since 2012, driven by elevated interest rates and high material and labor costs.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA employs an estimated 200 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) with a mean annual wage of $61,400.

Residential building permit activity in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA reached 1,270 authorized housing units over the trailing 12 months through May 2026, with monthly authorizations up 79.1% year-over-year.

In the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX MSA, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 2,140 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in May 2023, representing a density of 0.67 workers per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.23.

Residential building permit activity in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA moderated to 68,755 units in 2023 after reaching a record peak of 75,786 units in 2022 (a 9.3% decline). Single-family permitting rebounded ~9% to 49,150 units in 2023, while multifamily permitted units dropped 35% to 22,200 units.

According to occupational employment data for the Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN MSA, there were 750 employed Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) in the metropolitan area, earning an annual mean wage of $52,300 ($25.15 per hour).

Single-family housing permit issuance in the Indianapolis metropolitan area expanded significantly in 2024 (up 20% to 26% year-over-year across Central Indiana), rebounding after declines in 2022 and 2023. Meanwhile, multifamily permitting slowed in 2024 compared to elevated levels of roughly 5,100 units permitted annually during 2022-2023.

As of May 2023, the Jacksonville, FL metropolitan area employed 1,160 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098), representing a high location quotient of 2.86 compared to the national average.

Total housing units authorized by building permits in the Jacksonville, FL CBSA reached 15,002 in 2024, declining from 20,326 units in 2023. However, single-family residential permits in the core four-county area grew 6.17% from 11,821 in 2023 to 12,551 in 2024.

In the Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan statistical area, there were 850 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed as of May 2023, with a location quotient of 1.43, indicating a 43% higher concentration of installers relative to the national average.

Single-family building permits across the 8-county Kansas City metro area totaled 4,388 units in 2025, representing a 3% decline from 4,509 units in 2024. Construction activity rebounded significantly in early 2026, with year-to-date single-family permits through May 2026 reaching 2,358 units, a 32% increase compared to the same period in 2025.

As of May 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) estimated 750 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV metropolitan statistical area, earning a median hourly wage of $28.81 and an annual mean wage of $59,920.

Annual private housing units authorized by building permits in Clark County (Las Vegas MSA) declined from 16,307 units in 2021 to 13,066 in 2022 (~20% decrease), before rebounding and stabilizing at 13,073 units in 2023, 14,754 units in 2024, and 14,466 units in 2025.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 3,040 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan statistical area, representing a density of 0.49 workers per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 0.89.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, annual new private housing structure permits authorized in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim MSA declined moderately from 31,295 in 2022 to 28,735 in 2023 and 27,242 in 2024, reflecting an overall ~13% reduction in multi-year residential permit volume.

In the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan statistical area, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 260 employed Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023, representing an employment density of 0.392 per 1,000 jobs in the metro area (location quotient of 0.71).

Residential building permit activity in the Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN MSA totaled 6,731 units in 2023 (3,012 single-family and 3,719 multi-family units). Permitting activity subsequently experienced a pullback into 2024, with multi-family permitting declining year-over-year amidst higher interest rates and elevated building costs.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 OEWS estimates, there were 490 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan statistical area, representing an employment concentration (location quotient) of 0.78 relative to the national average.

Residential construction and housing permit activity in the Memphis metro area softened, with total home sales declining 14% year-over-year for the 12 months ending May 2024 (down to 22,200 sales) and multifamily permitting down 1.4% year-over-year in 2024 amid weakening rental market demand and net out-migration.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) report, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metropolitan statistical area employed 2,710 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098), representing a density of 1.00 jobs per 1,000 total jobs in the metro area and a location quotient of 1.81.

According to U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data as reported by NAHB, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area authorized 15,947 multifamily building permits in 2023 (a 21% year-over-year increase), while overall single-family housing permit volume in Florida saw a 6.9% pull-back.

As of May 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 390 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in the Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI metropolitan statistical area, representing a location quotient of 0.86 relative to national density.

In 2023, the Milwaukee MSA issued 2,844 total residential building permits (including 1,678 single-family units). Multi-year permit activity in metro Milwaukee has stagnated compared to pre-pandemic levels, with multi-family authorizations declining relative to 2017-2019 while single-family construction remained roughly flat.

As of May 2023, the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metropolitan statistical area employed 670 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098), with a location quotient of 0.64 relative to the national average.

Residential building permitting in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area saw 13,577 units authorized over the 12-month period ending May 2026, representing a 6.7% decrease compared to the previous 12-month period.

In the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area, there are 620 employed Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098), representing a density of 0.58 installers per 1,000 total jobs in the metro (location quotient of 1.05).

Residential building permit volume in the Nashville metro area expanded rapidly, with 17,930 to 19,029 new private housing units authorized over a trailing 12-month period, representing a 19.0% year-over-year increase and a permitting rate of nearly 9 to 10 units per 1,000 residents.

According to BLS OEWS data, the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan statistical area employed approximately 400 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098).

New private housing structures authorized by building permits in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA MSA have maintained low overall volume over recent years, with residential permitting remaining subdued relative to historical peaks and home building intensity recorded at 3.4 authorized units per 1,000 existing homes in 2024.

In the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA metropolitan statistical area, there were 4,660 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed as of May 2023, representing an employment density of 0.49 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 0.89.

In the New York-Newark-Jersey City MSA, residential permitting declined through 2023 and 2024 following the expiration of the 421-a tax incentive program. However, single-family home permitting rebounded by 11% year-over-year in Q1 2025, and NYC Department of Buildings new building permit filings jumped 43% year-over-year in Q2 2025 following the implementation of the new 485-x tax incentive.

In the Oklahoma City, OK Metropolitan Statistical Area, there were 400 individuals employed specifically as Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023, representing a primary low-voltage and trade workforce count for the metro area.

Building permit activity in the Oklahoma City MSA shows strong upward expansion in residential development, leading major U.S. metros with a 205% increase in multifamily building permits (for the 12 months ending June 2025 compared to pre-boom baselines) while maintaining the highest single-family permit ratio in the nation at 91.0% of total residential building permits issued in 2023.

According to BLS OEWS data for the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA, there were 1,230 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in the metropolitan area, representing a location quotient of 1.63 (63% above the national average density for this occupation).

New residential permit activity in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford MSA declined from a peak of 28,683 authorized units in 2022 to 25,415 units in 2023 (an 11.4% drop). Multifamily permitting continued to moderate through mid-2024, falling 21% year-over-year to 12,000 units for the 12 months ending June 2024 as builders slowed construction to allow completed units to be absorbed.

As of May 2023, the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan statistical area employed 1,310 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098), representing an employment density of approximately 0.463 workers per 1,000 jobs.

In 2024, residential construction permitting in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington MSA experienced a significant drop in authorized multi-family housing units (-49.4% year-over-year) while single-family authorizations remained flat (-0.3%).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2024), the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA employed 1,730 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) with a Location Quotient of 3.30, demonstrating a high concentration of low-voltage security installers relative to the national average.

According to HUD's Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis, residential building permit activity in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler MSA totaled 51,101 units in 2021, 47,517 units in 2022, 45,791 units in 2023, and 46,566 units in 2024, showing a modest pullback following the 2021 peak before stabilizing near 46,000 units annually.

According to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area had 760 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed as of May 2023, representing an above-average regional employment concentration with a location quotient of 1.29.

Residential building permit volume in the Pittsburgh metro area trended downward in recent years, declining by 848 authorized housing units from 2,512 units in 2023 down to 1,664 units in 2024.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data, the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metropolitan statistical area employed 690 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) in May 2023, representing 0.58 jobs per 1,000 total jobs in the metro area (location quotient of 1.05).

Residential building permit volume in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro area has experienced a significant decline over recent years. According to U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data, total Oregon housing unit authorizations dropped 33% from a peak of 21,916 units in 2021 to 14,621 units in 2024. Within the Portland metro area, multifamily (5+ units) building permit authorizations dropped 58.5% year-over-year in 2024, alongside a 2.7% decline in single-family permits.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), there were approximately 300 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metropolitan Statistical Area in May 2023, representing a location quotient of 0.97 relative to the national average.

Residential building permit activity in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA MSA remains historically constrained, with 2023 permit volume coming in under 2 authorized units per 1,000 residents, placing it among the lowest per-capita residential permit rates in the nation for metropolitan areas over 1 million population. Statewide, Rhode Island issued permits for only 1,169 new residential units in 2023 (a 0.2% addition to housing stock), shifting low-voltage and trade demand heavily toward retrofits and commercial tenant improvements.

In the Raleigh, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, there are an estimated 570 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed, representing a concentration of 0.81 installers per 1,000 jobs and a Location Quotient of 1.48 relative to the national average.

Building permit activity in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area has trended upward, accelerating +15.5% year-over-year to 18,396 total authorized units, placing the metro among the top markets nationwide with 12.69 authorized permits per 1,000 residents.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 480 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in the Richmond, VA MSA as of May 2023, representing a location quotient of 1.36 (36% higher concentration of trade workers than the national average).

Multifamily residential building permits in the Richmond MSA dropped 11% in 2023 to 5,151 permitted units following peak construction levels in 2021-2022, with overall residential permit volume remaining lower in 2024 at approximately 58 permitted units per 10,000 residents.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 890 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA as of May 2023, representing a location quotient of 0.98 relative to the national average and an annual mean wage of $63,210 ($29.45 per hour).

According to U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data, the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA authorized 16,320 total new residential building permits in 2022 (a 4.6% increase from 2021) with a total permit valuation of $3.9 billion (+4.5%). Cumulative permitting from 2021 through 2023 reached 18,608 residential units (11,168 single-family and 7,440 multi-family), maintaining strong long-term construction activity despite moderating pace in late 2023 due to elevated interest rates.

In the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA MSA, the low-voltage and security system trade employs approximately 660 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2024, with a location quotient of 2.54, indicating a significantly higher per-capita concentration of low-voltage and security technicians than the national baseline.

Residential building permit activity in the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metropolitan area reached 10,042 authorized housing units over the 12-month period through May 2026, with latest monthly permit authorizations up +14% year-over-year (1,094 units permitted in May 2026, comprising 61.4% single-family and 30.3% multi-family 5+ units).

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Salt Lake City, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area employed 450 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098), representing an employment density of 0.559 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.02.

According to the Salt Lake City Building Services Division, 9,190 building permits were issued in 2024, a slight decline in permit volume compared to recent years, but total permitted project valuation hit an all-time high of $3.37 billion (over $1 billion higher than any previous year), driven by large multi-family residential developments, distribution warehouses, and commercial tenant improvements.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX MSA employs approximately 870 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) with an annual mean wage of $52,220. Furthermore, 2022 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data indicates approximately 300 Security Systems Services (NAICS 561621) establishments operating in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area.

Residential permit volume in the San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA totaled 14,857 new housing units authorized in 2024. Over recent years (2020-2025), single-family permitting remained largely steady at around 1,000 units per month, whereas multi-family (5+ unit) permitting experienced a sharp contraction, falling by more than 90% from 2020 peak levels.

According to U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data (reported in SANDAG and MTS regional goal methodology reports), the San Diego market features 835 establishments classified under NAICS 238210 (Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors) and 54 establishments under NAICS 561621 (Security Systems Services except Locksmiths). Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) reports 680 to 970 employed Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA.

Residential building permit activity in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA expanded significantly from 2020 through 2023, with annual permitted units nearly doubling in 2023 to multi-decade highs of approximately 9,700 housing units across the city and region. Permitting volume subsequently stabilized and slightly moderated in 2024 due to elevated borrowing costs and market absorption dynamics, while maintaining baseline construction levels well above pre-2020 averages.

In the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA metropolitan statistical area, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 1,170 employed Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023, representing a density of 0.48 workers per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 0.88.

Residential building permit activity in the San Francisco metropolitan area has experienced a downward trend over recent years due to high interest rates, elevated financing costs, and high local construction expenses. According to Census Building Permits Survey data analyzed by HUD, rental units authorized by permits in the metro's East Bay division fell from 3,150 units in 2023 to 2,650 units in 2024.

According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA MSA, there are 530 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) with an annual mean wage of $86,120, alongside 5,110 Electricians (SOC 47-2111).

Residential building permit volume in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metropolitan area fell by 68% between July 2020 and July 2025 (dropping from 1,949 permits to 623 permits), marking the steepest decline among the 100 largest U.S. metro areas based on U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2023 data, there were 730 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, representing a density of 0.35 workers per 1,000 total jobs in the MSA.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, new residential housing unit authorizations experienced a downward shift, reflecting broader regional and national trends where private housing permit authorizations decreased 10.1% nationwide from 2022 (1,680,368 units) to 2023 (1,511,102 units) as interest rates slowed overall construction momentum.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 520 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) employed in the St. Louis, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area in May 2023, representing an employment concentration of 0.393 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 0.71.

According to Census Building Permits Survey data compiled by HUD, residential permitting in the St. Louis, MO-IL MSA trended downward in 2025: preliminary single-family permits declined 10% to 4,175 units (down from 4,650 units in 2024), while multifamily permits fell 19% to 1,650 units (down from 2,050 units in 2024).

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metropolitan statistical area employed 1,270 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2023.

According to U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data, total new privately-owned housing units authorized in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA peaked at 19,305 units in 2021, moderated to 15,678 units in 2022 and 14,502 units in 2023, and recovered to 16,352 authorized units in 2024.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC metropolitan area employed 290 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098), representing a location quotient of 0.71 compared to the national average, with a mean hourly wage of $25.53 and an annual mean wage of $53,100.

According to HUD's Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis, residential permitting and construction activity in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News MSA entering 2024-2025 remained active, with projected demand for 11,000 new single-family homes and 6,175 rental units over the 2024-2027 forecast period, supported by 1,900 single-family units and 1,800 rental units under active construction.

In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area, BLS OEWS reports 2,860 employed Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098) as of May 2024, placing the metro among the highest total employment areas in the nation for this trade. In May 2023, employment was 2,050 installers with a location quotient of 1.21 and a density of 0.66 installers per 1,000 jobs.

In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area, new residential building permits authorized reached 32,296 units in 2022 (a 17.8% increase from 2021). Permitting activity subsequently contracted, falling by approximately 11% in 2023 and declining by about 16% into 2024-2025 as elevated interest rates and construction costs slowed new housing builds.