In 895 counties, home to 8.8 million people, Census counts fewer than three electrical contractors with paid staff. 670 counties are in the same spot for plumbing and HVAC.
895 U.S. counties had fewer than three electrical contracting businesses with paid employees in 2023, Census data show. About 8.8 million people live in them. For plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors, the count was 670 counties with about 4.7 million people.
551 counties, home to about 3.4 million people, were short on both. Each of these counties has one, two or none; Census doesn’t publish counts below three.
The largest counties by population with fewer than three electrical contractors:
- Starr County, Texas: 66,100 people
- Apache County, Arizona: 65,300 people
- McMinn County, Tennessee: 54,900 people
- Hoke County, North Carolina: 53,800 people
And for plumbing and HVAC contractors:
- Allegany County, New York: 47,200 people
- Logan County, West Virginia: 31,400 people
- Wythe County, Virginia: 28,200 people
- Yazoo County, Mississippi: 24,800 people
Where they are
Texas leads for both trades (98 counties for electrical contractors, 81 for plumbing and HVAC), followed for electrical by Kansas (63), Kentucky (52) and Georgia (49). Landscaping looks similar: 929 counties with about 8.5 million people had fewer than three landscaping companies with staff.
What this does and doesn’t count
These counts cover businesses with at least one paid employee that are based in the county. They leave out one-person shops with no employees, which are common in the trades, and contractors based in a neighboring county who drive in for jobs. So people in these counties can still hire an electrician or plumber; they may just have to wait longer or pay for travel time.
What this means if you’re a tradesperson thinking about your own shop
An underserved county can mean less competition, but also longer drives and a smaller customer base. Check your state’s licensing rules and line up coverage first. See our guides to electrician insurance in North Carolina and plumbing insurance in New York, where Allegany County is the largest county on the plumbing list. For a van and tools, our HVAC and plumbing business loans guide explains SBA options.
How we got these numbers
Business counts come from the Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns for 2023: industry codes 238210 (electrical contractors), 238220 (plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors) and 561730 (landscaping services). Under its disclosure rules, Census leaves out any county and industry with fewer than three businesses, so “fewer than three” is the most precise statement the data allows. Population comes from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for all 3,144 counties in the 50 states and D.C. Data pulled October 17, 2026.