38,280
employer establishments
The U.S. counted 38,280 employer establishments in painting and wall covering contracting in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023 ↗Reference sheet · Updated September 28, 2026
Painting contractor industry statistics for 2026.
A straightforward, source-led snapshot of the U.S. painting contractor industry, the workforce behind it, and the home-improvement market it serves.
Every number below links to its original government source. Data years vary by survey and are shown with each statistic.
75%
had fewer than five employees
28,745 of the 38,280 employer establishments fell into the fewer-than-five-employees category. The percentage is calculated from the Census table.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023 ↗$11.5B
in annual payroll
Painting and wall covering contractor establishments reported $11.485 billion in annual payroll in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023 ↗51.6M
homeowners made improvements
51.6 million homeowners, or 59%, made improvements during the 2021 to 2023 period measured by the American Housing Survey.
U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2023 American Housing Survey ↗$827B
spent on home improvements
Homeowners spent $827 billion on improvements across 2021 to 2023. The survey reports a $6,500 median improvement spend.
U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2023 American Housing Survey ↗326,900
painter jobs in 2025
Construction and maintenance painters held about 326,900 jobs in 2025, and painting and wall covering contractors employed 42% of them.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025 ↗24,900
annual openings projected
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 24,900 annual openings for construction and maintenance painters from 2025 to 2035, with 3% employment growth over the decade.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025 to 2035 projection ↗What these figures cover
National context, clearly labeled.
These are national figures, not local estimates for Hesperia or the High Desert. They are included to give homeowners, writers, and industry researchers a clean starting point for understanding the market around professional painting.
Painting and wall covering contractors is the Census industry category that includes establishments primarily engaged in interior or exterior painting and interior wall covering. The workforce figures refer specifically to construction and maintenance painters, so the two sources describe related, but not identical, groups.
Methodology and sources
How to use this page.
Business figures
Employer establishment and payroll figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 County Business Patterns table for NAICS 238320, Painting and Wall Covering Contractors.
Open the Census table ↗Home-improvement figures
Household improvement activity and spending come from the 2023 American Housing Survey, sponsored by HUD and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Open the American Housing Survey summary ↗Workforce figures
Employment, pay, industry mix, and projections come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Open the Bureau of Labor Statistics profile ↗Cite this page
“Painting Contractor Industry Statistics: 2026 Reference Sheet.” Dales Painting Service, updated September 28, 2026. https://dalessmoothcoat.org/painting-industry-statistics
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