Choropleth map of mean OEWS location quotient across five service trades by state, May 2025

Trade Labor Density by State — OEWS Location Quotients for Service Trades (May 2025)

Original research · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · Location quotient & jobs per 1,000 employed · Vintage May 2025 · Cross-industry statewide estimates · Published September 22, 2026

Occupational density is not the same as pay. BLS OEWS May 2025 location quotients show where site-niche trades are most concentrated versus the U.S. average (LQ = 1.00). HVAC mechanics peak in Idaho (LQ 2.02, 5.31/1k); janitors in District of Columbia (LQ 1.64, 23.36/1k); landscaping in Hawaii (LQ 1.83, 11.22/1k); childcare in North Dakota (LQ 2.81, 9.37/1k) (VT suppressed); cosmetologists in New Jersey (LQ 1.84, 3.62/1k). Across all five trades, mean LQ is highest in Idaho (1.46) and lowest in District of Columbia (0.65). Denominator: jobs per 1,000 employed in the area (OEWS), not per 1,000 population.

Key stats (OEWS May 2025)

  • U.S. jobs per 1,000 employed (OEWS May 2025): janitors 14.22; landscaping 6.13; childcare 3.33; HVAC 2.63; cosmetologists 1.97.
  • HVAC (49-9021): highest LQ Idaho 2.02 (5.31 jobs/1k, emp 4,550); lowest District of Columbia 0.21 · 51 jurisdictions ranked.
  • Janitors (37-2011): highest LQ District of Columbia 1.64 (23.36 jobs/1k, emp 16,400); lowest North Carolina 0.76 · 51 jurisdictions ranked.
  • Landscaping (37-3011): highest LQ Hawaii 1.83 (11.22 jobs/1k, emp 7,040); lowest District of Columbia 0.19 · 51 jurisdictions ranked.
  • Childcare (39-9011): highest LQ North Dakota 2.81 (9.37 jobs/1k, emp 4,030); lowest Washington 0.37 · 50 jurisdictions ranked.
  • Cosmetologists (39-5012): highest LQ New Jersey 1.84 (3.62 jobs/1k, emp 15,500); lowest Mississippi 0.45 · 51 jurisdictions ranked.
  • Mean LQ across five trades: top Idaho 1.46, Maine 1.41, Nebraska 1.37; bottom District of Columbia 0.65, Oregon 0.79, Kentucky 0.82 · 50 states/DC with all five published.
  • Suppressed: Vermont childcare worker estimates are blank (never zero-filled). Tree trimmers and barbers have wider suppression — see CSV optional columns.

Distinct from companion pages on this site:

  • Density ≠ wages. Occupation wages by state reports OEWS median $/hour for similar SOCs. This page ranks concentration (LQ and jobs per 1,000 employed) — a high-LQ state can still have modest pay, and vice versa.
  • Occupation ≠ industry payroll. Employer pay and typical location size by state uses QCEW industry average pay and mean employees per establishment. OEWS counts jobs in an occupation across industries.
  • Jobs ≠ establishments. Industry statistics hubs (cleaning, landscaping, HVAC, salon) lead with CBP/NES establishment and receipt counts — not occupational location quotients.
  • Not a hiring-tightness score. This is not openings/unemployment or a “best state to hire” index. High LQ means the occupation is more common in the local employment mix — not that workers are easy or cheap to hire.

Map & charts

Choropleth map of mean OEWS location quotient across five service trades by state, May 2025
Figure 1. Mean location quotient across HVAC, janitors, landscaping, childcare, and cosmetologists (OEWS May 2025). U.S. average concentration = 1.00. Gray = incomplete (childcare suppressed in VT).
Horizontal bar chart ranking states by mean location quotient across five service trades
Figure 2. Mean LQ across five trades (dashed line = U.S. 1.00).
Choropleth map of HVAC mechanics location quotient by state, OEWS May 2025
Figure 3. HVAC mechanics (SOC 49-9021) location quotient by state.
Horizontal bar chart of HVAC location quotient by state
Figure 4. HVAC LQ ranks (Idaho 2.02 leads).
Bar chart of U.S. jobs per 1,000 employed for five service occupations
Figure 5. U.S. OEWS May 2025 jobs per 1,000 employed by occupation (denominator = area OEWS total employment).
Scatter of HVAC employment versus location quotient by state
Figure 6. Large employment does not imply high concentration — California and Texas hire many HVAC techs at near-average LQs; Idaho is small but highly concentrated.
Janitors location quotient bar chart by state
Figure 7. Janitors and cleaners (37-2011) LQ ranks.
Landscaping location quotient bar chart by state
Figure 8. Landscaping and groundskeeping (37-3011) LQ ranks.
Childcare workers location quotient bar chart by state
Figure 9. Childcare workers (39-9011) LQ ranks (Vermont suppressed).
Cosmetologists location quotient bar chart by state
Figure 10. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists (39-5012) LQ ranks.

Ranked state table

Primary sort: mean location quotient across the five primary occupations (equal weight). Em dashes mark suppressed cells. Jobs/1k shown for HVAC as a density companion; full employment and optional SOCs (tree trimmers, preschool teachers, barbers) are in the CSV.


OEWS May 2025 location quotients — service trades by state (U.S. average = 1.00)
Rank State Mean LQ HVAC LQ HVAC /1k Janitors LQ Landscaping LQ Childcare LQ Cosmetologists LQ
1 Idaho 1.46 2.02 5.31 0.89 1.52 1.55 1.34
2 Maine 1.41 1.33 3.51 1.01 1.63 2.33 0.77
3 Nebraska 1.37 1.12 2.95 0.88 1.16 2.75 0.94
4 New Jersey 1.36 0.92 2.41 1.11 1.16 1.75 1.84
5 Connecticut 1.34 0.85 2.24 1.19 1.30 2.12 1.23
6 North Dakota 1.32 0.85 2.25 1.10 0.80 2.81 1.03
7 New Hampshire 1.30 1.42 3.75 0.97 1.44 1.24 1.45
8 Delaware 1.23 1.35 3.57 1.34 1.39 0.76 1.33
9 South Dakota 1.21 1.34 3.52 1.33 1.06 1.56 0.77
10 Rhode Island 1.20 1.10 2.89 1.02 1.32 1.08 1.49
11 Colorado 1.17 1.18 3.11 0.84 1.25 1.39 1.21
12 Virginia 1.15 1.36 3.57 1.13 1.00 1.02 1.26
13 Florida 1.14 1.50 3.94 0.93 1.41 0.66 1.21
14 New York 1.13 0.96 2.52 1.42 0.80 1.36 1.09
15 Hawaii 1.11 0.79 2.07 1.26 1.83 0.89 0.76
16 Maryland 1.08 1.18 3.10 1.03 1.03 1.06 1.08
17 Massachusetts 1.08 0.86 2.25 1.07 1.03 1.08 1.34
18 Montana 1.08 0.91 2.41 1.14 1.36 1.29 0.68
19 South Carolina 1.07 1.14 3.00 0.92 1.10 1.39 0.79
20 Michigan 1.07 1.09 2.86 1.05 1.20 0.95 1.04
21 Kansas 1.05 0.99 2.62 0.84 1.08 1.55 0.77
22 Pennsylvania 1.04 0.99 2.62 1.01 0.94 0.64 1.62
23 Missouri 1.03 0.93 2.46 0.98 1.02 1.27 0.94
24 Arkansas 1.02 1.44 3.80 1.05 0.83 1.24 0.55
25 New Mexico 1.02 0.85 2.23 1.16 0.94 1.42 0.72
26 Utah 1.02 1.22 3.21 1.00 1.21 0.83 0.82
27 Iowa 1.01 0.93 2.46 1.08 0.92 1.16 0.96
28 Tennessee 1.01 1.13 2.97 0.82 0.91 1.25 0.94
29 Oklahoma 1.00 1.25 3.31 0.97 0.89 1.33 0.57
30 Wyoming 1.00 0.93 2.46 1.19 1.04 1.19 0.65
31 Arizona 0.99 1.27 3.35 0.83 1.13 0.51 1.23
32 Nevada 0.98 1.02 2.69 1.49 1.05 0.72 0.64
33 Illinois 0.98 0.61 1.60 1.08 0.93 1.17 1.10
34 Indiana 0.96 1.01 2.67 1.08 0.98 0.78 0.94
35 Louisiana 0.94 1.05 2.78 1.00 0.72 1.24 0.71
36 Georgia 0.94 0.95 2.51 0.80 0.85 1.29 0.82
37 Alabama 0.94 1.48 3.91 0.84 0.93 0.65 0.79
38 Ohio 0.94 0.97 2.55 0.92 1.01 0.61 1.18
39 Wisconsin 0.93 0.86 2.25 1.09 1.05 0.57 1.08
40 North Carolina 0.93 1.17 3.08 0.76 1.08 0.76 0.87
41 Minnesota 0.92 0.54 1.42 1.01 0.97 1.17 0.92
42 Mississippi 0.88 0.88 2.33 0.96 0.69 1.40 0.45
43 California 0.84 0.73 1.93 0.90 0.95 0.87 0.76
44 West Virginia 0.84 0.91 2.40 0.94 0.78 0.83 0.74
45 Alaska 0.83 0.72 1.89 1.12 0.54 1.24 0.52
46 Texas 0.83 0.94 2.47 0.92 0.74 0.73 0.81
47 Washington 0.83 0.79 2.07 0.94 1.04 0.37 0.99
48 Kentucky 0.82 0.97 2.55 0.91 0.73 0.87 0.60
49 Oregon 0.79 0.77 2.03 0.93 0.99 0.80 0.48
50 District of Columbia 0.65 0.21 0.57 1.64 0.19 0.58 0.63
— Vermont — 1.22 3.20 1.19 1.45 — 0.73

Leaders by occupation

HVAC (SOC 49-9021) — top 5 by location quotient

HVAC concentration leaders, OEWS May 2025
Rank State LQ Jobs / 1,000 Employment
1 Idaho 2.02 5.31 4,550
2 Florida 1.50 3.94 39,160
3 Alabama 1.48 3.91 8,260
4 Arkansas 1.44 3.80 4,960
5 New Hampshire 1.42 3.75 2,560

Janitors (SOC 37-2011) — top 5 by location quotient

Janitors concentration leaders, OEWS May 2025
Rank State LQ Jobs / 1,000 Employment
1 District of Columbia 1.64 23.36 16,400
2 Nevada 1.49 21.16 32,830
3 New York 1.42 20.15 195,250
4 Delaware 1.34 19.02 9,220
5 South Dakota 1.33 18.87 8,630

Landscaping (SOC 37-3011) — top 5 by location quotient

Landscaping concentration leaders, OEWS May 2025
Rank State LQ Jobs / 1,000 Employment
1 Hawaii 1.83 11.22 7,040
2 Maine 1.63 10.01 6,410
3 Idaho 1.52 9.31 7,980
4 Vermont 1.45 8.88 2,700
5 New Hampshire 1.44 8.85 6,050

Childcare (SOC 39-9011) — top 5 by location quotient

Childcare concentration leaders, OEWS May 2025
Rank State LQ Jobs / 1,000 Employment
1 North Dakota 2.81 9.37 4,030
2 Nebraska 2.75 9.17 9,390
3 Maine 2.33 7.79 4,990
4 Connecticut 2.12 7.09 12,020
5 New Jersey 1.75 5.85 25,070

Cosmetologists (SOC 39-5012) — top 5 by location quotient

Cosmetologists concentration leaders, OEWS May 2025
Rank State LQ Jobs / 1,000 Employment
1 New Jersey 1.84 3.62 15,500
2 Pennsylvania 1.62 3.19 19,350
3 Rhode Island 1.49 2.93 1,470
4 New Hampshire 1.45 2.86 1,950
5 Idaho 1.34 2.63 2,250

How to read an LQ: 1.00 = same share of local employment as the U.S. average. 1.50 ≈ 50% more concentrated than average. 0.50 ≈ half the U.S. share. LQ uses OEWS employment shares — not population, not establishment counts, and not wage levels.

Forming an LLC while you size a local labor market? Compare formation options with ZenBusiness — then come back to density and wage tables before you price jobs.

Methodology

  • Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 statewide cross-industry estimates via the public OEWS Maps API (data.bls.gov/oesmap/getMapData, sourceTbl=oe_data_pub, release 2025A01).
  • Primary SOC codes: 37-2011 Janitors and Cleaners (except maids); 37-3011 Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers; 49-9021 HVAC Mechanics and Installers; 39-9011 Childcare Workers; 39-5012 Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
  • Optional CSV SOCs: 37-3013 Tree Trimmers and Pruners; 25-2011 Preschool Teachers (except special education); 39-5011 Barbers — published where not suppressed.
  • Metrics: BLS published Employment (datatype 01), Employment per 1,000 jobs (16), and Location Quotient (17). We do not invent LQs; missing cells stay blank.
  • Denominator: Jobs per 1,000 employed in the OEWS area employment total (not per 1,000 residents). LQ = (area occ share) / (U.S. occ share).
  • Composite: Equal-weight mean of the five primary LQs when all five are published. Vermont lacks childcare → no composite rank.
  • Geography: 50 states + D.C. Territories (PR, GU, VI) excluded from ranks; raw API responses retained in sources.
  • Not advice: Not legal, tax, hiring, or investment advice. High concentration ≠ easy hiring or high margins.

FAQ

Is this the same as the wages-by-state page?

No. Wages-by-state shows OEWS median hourly (and annual) pay. This page shows how common each occupation is in the local job mix (LQ and jobs per 1,000 employed) using the same May 2025 OEWS vintage family.

Why jobs per 1,000 employed instead of per 1,000 people?

That is BLS’s published OEWS density measure: occupational employment divided by total OEWS employment in the area, times 1,000. It answers “share of jobs,” not “workers per resident.”

Does a high LQ mean wages are high?

Not necessarily. Concentration and pay are different OEWS fields. Cross-check wages by state for dollar levels.

Why is Vermont missing for childcare?

BLS suppressed the May 2025 childcare worker estimate for Vermont. We leave LQ, jobs/1k, and employment blank rather than inventing values — so Vermont also has no five-trade mean LQ.

Are maids included with janitors?

No. Primary janitor series is SOC 37-2011 (except maids and housekeeping cleaners). Maids/housekeeping cleaners are 37-2012 and are not in the five-trade composite.

Can I download the data?

Yes — CSV below includes employment, jobs per 1,000, LQ, ranks, and RSEs for primary and optional occupations.

Sources

Source What we used
BLS OEWS / OEWS Maps May 2025 state employment, jobs per 1,000, location quotients (datatypes 01/16/17)
OEWS tables Confirmed May 2025 as current published vintage at build
SOC 2018 codes 37-2011, 37-3011, 49-9021, 39-9011, 39-5012 (+ optional 37-3013, 25-2011, 39-5011)

Download

Download CSV — trade labor density by state (OEWS May 2025)

About Contact Privacy Policy