The following report was compiled by the research team at Syntech Roofing & Waterproofing, a licensed building envelope contractor (CA LIC #1108385) serving commercial and institutional property owners throughout Southern California, drawing on federal employment records, market intelligence reports, and contractor survey data aggregated between 2023 and October 2026. The dataset pulls from IBISWorld's September 2026 U.S. roofing industry analysis, Mordor Intelligence's October 2026 market report, Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data for NAICS 23816, and Roofing Contractor Magazine's 2026 State of the Industry Report, which surveyed roofing contractors nationwide in fall 2025. The tables below present a current statistical picture of market size, workforce distribution, material preferences, and the business trends shaping U.S. roofing in 2026.
U.S. Roofing Industry Key Statistics at a Glance
The table below aggregates the most current headline metrics for the U.S. roofing contractor industry, drawing on IBISWorld's September 2026 analysis, Mordor Intelligence's October 2026 report, and Verisk's 2026 U.S. Roof Report.¹,²,³
The U.S. Roofing Industry Key Statistics — 2026
| Metric | 2026 Data | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total contractor industry revenue | $92.5B–$103.6B | IBISWorld¹ |
| Number of roofing businesses (U.S.) | 106,000 | IBISWorld¹ |
| Total industry employment | ~307,692 | IBISWorld¹ |
| 5-year revenue CAGR (2021–2026) | 4.9% | IBISWorld¹ |
| Residential share of total market | 57.56% | Mordor Intelligence² |
| Re-roofing / replacement share | 63.17% | Mordor Intelligence² |
| Market concentration (top 3 contractors) | Under 4% combined | ConsumerAffairs |
| U.S. homes with under 4 years of remaining roof life | 29% of insured homes | Verisk 2025³ |
| U.S. housing units built before 2000 | 73% of all units | Canopy Services 2026⁴ |
Sources: IBISWorld (September 2026)¹; Mordor Intelligence (October 2026)²; Verisk 2026 U.S. Roof Report³
The roofing contractor industry generated between $92.5B and $103.6B in 2026, growing at a 4.9% CAGR over five years.¹ Despite that scale, the market is highly fragmented: the top three contractors hold a combined share of under 4%. In this environment, operational efficiency and service breadth matter more than size.
Two structural demand drivers underpin the industry's long-term outlook. First, 73% of U.S. housing units were built before 2000, placing a large share of the national housing stock at or near typical replacement cycles.⁴ Second, 29% of U.S. homes with asphalt shingles had under four years of remaining roof life as of Verisk's 2025 data.³ Both figures represent durable replacement demand that exists independently of new construction activity.
Re-roofing and replacement account for 63.17% of total market volume, with new construction making up the remaining 36.83%.² Contractors with strong referral pipelines and repeat client relationships are less exposed to the interest rate headwinds that slowed new construction starts in 2026.
Roofing Industry Employment by State
The table below uses Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) data for NAICS 23816, covering 2024 annual averages.⁵ It is the most granular publicly available dataset for state-level roofing employment and includes both establishment count and average annual pay.
The U.S. Roofing Industry Employment by State — 2026
| Rank | State | Establishments | Employment | Avg Annual Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 5,031 | 43,126 | $57,536 |
| 2 | California | 3,398 | 33,930 | $72,560 |
| 3 | Texas | 2,706 | 19,052 | $78,489 |
| 4 | Ohio | 1,092 | 8,469 | $73,359 |
| 5 | Washington | 1,070 | 8,450 | $68,399 |
| 6 | Illinois | 1,110 | 8,302 | $85,429 |
Source: BLS QCEW, NAICS 23816, 2024 Annual Data⁵
Florida leads all states in roofing employment at 43,126 workers across 5,031 establishments, yet pays the lowest average wage in the top six at $57,536 annually.⁵ High contractor density and volume-driven competition in an insurance-dominated replacement market compress wages even as demand remains strong year-round.
California ranks second by employment with 33,930 workers across 3,398 establishments, at an average annual wage of $72,560.⁵ Southern California generates demand across the full building envelope, including roofing restoration, coatings, and waterproofing services, driven by high-value commercial properties, wildfire risk, and a large aging institutional building stock.
Illinois pays the highest average annual wage in the top six at $85,429, despite ranking sixth by employment count.⁵ High union density, concentrated commercial work, and Chicago's active institutional construction sector push wages well above the national median of $55,440.⁶ Across the U.S., the industry is projected to produce roughly 12,000 roofer job openings annually through 2035, keeping workforce competition tight in every major market.⁶
Roofing Material Market Share
Material preferences are shifting as contractors respond to durability demands, energy code updates, and a growing mix of restoration and re-roofing work. The table below combines Mordor Intelligence's 2026 market share data with Roofing Contractor Magazine's 2026 State of the Industry survey on contractor involvement by product category.²,⁷
The U.S. Roofing Material Market Share and Contractor Involvement — 2026
| Material | Market Share | Contractor Involvement | 2027–2032 Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles | 58.3% of total market | 75% of contractors | Stable; dominant position |
| Single-ply (TPO / EPDM / PVC) | Commercial-dominant segment | 70% of contractors | Fastest growing: 7.35% CAGR |
| Metal roofing | ~17% residential share | 67% of contractors | 38.07M squares projected by 2026 |
| Coatings and restoration systems | Included in commercial segment | 64% of contractors | Growing with re-roofing demand |
| Low-slope asphalt | Commercial-dominant segment | 72% of contractors | Stable |
| Solar-integrated systems | Emerging segment | 41% (up from 31% in 2024) | +15% annually |
Sources: Mordor Intelligence (October 2026)²; Roofing Contractor Magazine 2026 SOI⁷; Metal Roofing Alliance (2024)⁸
Asphalt shingles hold 58.3% of the total U.S. roofing market and are the most widely sold product, with 75% of contractors reporting active involvement.² Single-ply membranes are the fastest-growing category, forecast at a 7.35% CAGR through 2032. Commercial owners are increasingly choosing TPO and PVC systems for their energy performance and long-term cost profiles.²
Solar adoption among contractors grew sharply in 2025, with 41% reporting involvement, up from 31% in 2024.⁷ Much of that growth was driven by residential contractors capturing energy tax credits before their expiration. Three-quarters of residential contractors and 72% of commercial contractors expect solar sales to continue growing in 2026 despite the policy change.⁷
Coatings and restoration systems connect directly to building envelope service models. Contractors offering sealants, coatings, and specialty waterproofing alongside traditional roofing capture a share of re-roofing demand that would otherwise go to full replacement. Re-roofing and restoration already account for 63.17% of total market activity, and that share is growing.²
Roofing Industry Business Trends and Challenges
The 2026 market is shaped by economic pressure, workforce constraints, consolidation, and rising consumer expectations around pricing transparency and financing. The table below maps the most significant business-level trends, drawing from the Roofing Contractor Magazine 2026 State of the Industry Report, The Roofing Brief, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.⁷,⁹,¹⁰
The U.S. Roofing Industry Business Trends and Challenges — 2026
| Trend / Challenge | Key Statistic | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Economy and inflation concern | 50% of contractors cite as top challenge | RC 2026 SOI⁷ |
| Increased material costs | 38% of contractors report as a concern | RC 2026 SOI⁷ |
| Qualified worker shortage | 36% of contractors cite as a challenge | RC 2026 SOI⁷ |
| Government regulation concern | 29% cite it (up from 11% in 2024) | RC 2026 SOI⁷ |
| Contractor fraud incidents | Up 38% from 2023 to 2025 | NICB / Carrier Management⁹ |
| Private equity acquisitions | 134 acquisitions in 2024; 56 active PE platforms | Roofing Contractor / The Roofing Brief¹⁰ |
| Contractors expecting 3-year sales growth | 89% anticipate total sales volumes to grow | RC 2026 SOI⁷ |
| Homeowners willing to finance roofing work | 75% willing to finance at least part of a project | Canopy Services 2026⁴ |
Sources: RC Magazine 2026 SOI⁷; NICB via Carrier Management (2026)⁹; The Roofing Brief (2026)¹⁰; Canopy Services (2026)⁴
Despite 50% of contractors citing economic uncertainty as their top concern, 89% expect sales volumes to grow over the next three years.⁷ Roofing demand is largely non-discretionary; aging roofs and storm damage create replacement needs that do not track consumer sentiment. Re-roofing markets are more insulated from economic cycles than most home services categories.
Private equity consolidation is the most significant structural shift in the industry. PE-backed roofing platforms grew from 17 in early 2023 to 56 by the end of 2024, completing 134 acquisitions that year alone.¹⁰ For independent contractors, this raises the competitive bar on marketing, systems, and client experience. Service credibility and technical depth become the most defensible advantages against well-capitalized roll-up operators.
Contractor fraud rose 38% from 2023 to 2025, driven by storm chaser activity following 23 billion-dollar weather disasters in 2025 with approximately $115 billion in damages.⁹ For commercial property owners managing multi-building portfolios, licensed and certified contractors with documented track records reduce risk in ways unlicensed operators cannot. Building envelope contractors in Southern California operate under California CSLB licensing requirements that provide a verifiable credential layer before any contract is signed.
Requesting a Copy of This Report
The data across this report points to three consistent findings. First, the U.S. roofing industry is large and structurally fragmented: 106,000 businesses share a market where the top three operators control under 4% combined, meaning local reputation and service quality are the primary competitive variables. Second, long-term demand is driven by housing stock age and storm activity, not new construction; 73% of U.S. homes were built before 2000 and 29% of insured homes have under four years of remaining roof life, creating a durable replacement pipeline that runs independently of the interest rate environment. Third, the industry faces meaningful headwinds in labor, material costs, and PE-driven competition, but 89% of contractors still project sales growth over the next three years, reflecting the non-discretionary nature of roofing demand.
For building envelope contractors in Southern California, these conditions point to a specific opportunity: the combination of aging commercial properties, wildfire-driven restoration demand, and a dense institutional building stock creates sustained work across roofing, coatings, sealants, and waterproofing. Contractors with a full-service building envelope capability are positioned to serve that demand more completely than those working a single trade.
If you'd like to request a PDF copy of this report or learn more about our work as a licensed building envelope contractor in Southern California, you can reach out here. Book a Free Site Visit with Syntech
Last updated: October 27, 2026
Sources
- IBISWorld. Roofing Contractors in the U.S. Industry Analysis. Matthew Pigott. September 2026. https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/roofing-contractors/198/
- Mordor Intelligence. United States Roofing Market Size & Share Analysis. October 2026. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/united-states-roofing-market
- Verisk. 2026 U.S. Roof Report. 2026.
- Canopy Services. 2026 Residential Roofing Market Outlook. 2026. https://canopyserve.com/2026-residential-roofing-market-outlook/
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. QCEW, NAICS 23816, 2024 Annual Data. https://data.bls.gov/cew/apps/data_views/data_views.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Roofers (SOC 47-2181). 2025. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/roofers.htm
- Roofing Contractor Magazine. 2026 State of the Roofing Industry Report. Art Aisner / Chris Gray. January 5, 2026. https://www.roofingcontractor.com/articles/101643-2026-state-of-the-roofing-industry-report
- Metal Roofing Alliance. 2024 Industry Overview. 2024.
- National Insurance Crime Bureau via Carrier Management. Contractor Fraud Report. May 2026. https://www.carriermanagement.com/news/2026/05/19/288150.htm
- The Roofing Brief. Roofing Industry Trends 2026: Contractor Industry Report. October 2026. https://theroofingbrief.com/2026-roofing-contractor-industry-report/
