Saturation ranking
Where electrical contractors is most and least saturated in California
Every California market with sourced Electrical data, ranked on how much provision it already has. Counties are measured per 10,000 residents. Cities are measured as a share of the businesses in the same ZIP codes, because a city’s establishment counts cover its ZIP codes rather than its city limits and cannot be divided by its municipal population. Neither measure says anything about revenue or profitability, and a crowded market is not automatically a bad one: it is also where the most businesses come up for sale.
- Statewide establishments
- 10,162
- 2023 County Business Patterns
- State median density
- 2.7
- Per 10,000 residents, counties
- Counties ranked
- 50
- of 54 with data
- Cities ranked
- 275
- of 354 with data
Most saturated counties for electrical
50 of 54 counties with sourced data qualify for this ranking. Markets with fewer than 5 establishments are excluded at both levels, because a single opening or closing would move them enough to dominate the list. Counties under 2,000 residents are also excluded, where a per-capita figure is arithmetically true and analytically useless.
| # | County | Establishments | Per 10k | Vs state median | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada County101,911 residents | 58 | 5.7 | +111% | Densely served |
| 2 | El Dorado County192,323 residents | 94 | 4.9 | +81% | Densely served |
| 3 | Sonoma County486,444 residents | 234 | 4.8 | +78% | Densely served |
| 4 | Mono County12,505 residents | 6 | 4.8 | +78% | Densely served |
| 5 | Plumas County18,583 residents | 8 | 4.3 | +59% | Densely served |
| 6 | Mariposa County16,918 residents | 7 | 4.1 | +53% | Densely served |
| 7 | Placer County442,081 residents | 182 | 4.1 | +52% | Densely served |
| 8 | Marin County253,694 residents | 101 | 4.0 | +47% | Above average |
| 9 | Tuolumne County53,160 residents | 21 | 4.0 | +46% | Above average |
| 10 | San Luis Obispo County282,367 residents | 111 | 3.9 | +46% | Above average |
| 11 | Santa Cruz County258,852 residents | 95 | 3.7 | +36% | Above average |
| 12 | Shasta County181,648 residents | 64 | 3.5 | +30% | Above average |
| 13 | Calaveras County46,605 residents | 16 | 3.4 | +27% | Above average |
| 14 | San Benito County70,082 residents | 24 | 3.4 | +27% | Above average |
| 15 | Napa County132,949 residents | 44 | 3.3 | +23% | Above average |
State median for this industry: 2.7 establishments per 10,000 residents. A high figure means more provision per resident, not more demand.
Least saturated counties for electrical
The same 50 counties, read from the bottom of the ordering upward. Thin provision is worth checking against the neighbouring counties before treating it as an opening.
| # | County | Establishments | Per 10k | Vs state median | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merced County297,260 residents | 35 | 1.2 | -56% | Thinly served |
| 2 | Imperial County181,411 residents | 23 | 1.3 | -53% | Thinly served |
| 3 | Kings County154,327 residents | 23 | 1.5 | -45% | Thinly served |
| 4 | Yuba County88,691 residents | 14 | 1.6 | -42% | Thinly served |
| 5 | Tulare County485,146 residents | 79 | 1.6 | -40% | Below average |
| 6 | San Joaquin County823,815 residents | 147 | 1.8 | -34% | Below average |
| 7 | Yolo County224,410 residents | 42 | 1.9 | -31% | Below average |
| 8 | Siskiyou County42,013 residents | 8 | 1.9 | -30% | Below average |
| 9 | Fresno County1,035,456 residents | 208 | 2.0 | -26% | Below average |
| 10 | Tehama County64,665 residents | 13 | 2.0 | -26% | Below average |
| 11 | Kern County927,068 residents | 187 | 2.0 | -25% | Below average |
| 12 | Lake County67,772 residents | 14 | 2.1 | -24% | Below average |
| 13 | San Francisco County826,079 residents | 176 | 2.1 | -21% | Below average |
| 14 | Stanislaus County557,719 residents | 120 | 2.2 | -20% | Below average |
| 15 | Sacramento County1,618,460 residents | 353 | 2.2 | -19% | Below average |
State median for this industry: 2.7 establishments per 10,000 residents. A low figure can mean a genuine gap, or a market served from the next county over.
Most saturated cities for electrical
275 of 354 cities with sourced data qualify for this ranking. Markets with fewer than 5 establishments are excluded at both levels, because a single opening or closing would move them enough to dominate the list. Cities with fewer than 500 businesses in total are also excluded, because on a base that small the industry’s share moves on rounding.
| # | City | Establishments | Share of local | Vs state share | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WildomarRiverside, 577 businesses in total | 20 | 3.47% | +269% | Densely served |
| 2 | WindsorSonoma, 660 businesses in total | 21 | 3.18% | +238% | Densely served |
| 3 | MartinezContra Costa, 1,141 businesses in total | 33 | 2.89% | +208% | Densely served |
| 4 | SanteeSan Diego, 1,273 businesses in total | 36 | 2.83% | +201% | Densely served |
| 5 | BelmontSan Mateo, 694 businesses in total | 18 | 2.59% | +176% | Densely served |
| 6 | CarpinteriaSanta Barbara, 540 businesses in total | 14 | 2.59% | +176% | Densely served |
| 7 | MenifeeRiverside, 1,513 businesses in total | 38 | 2.51% | +167% | Densely served |
| 8 | BeaumontRiverside, 731 businesses in total | 18 | 2.46% | +162% | Densely served |
| 9 | El CajonSan Diego, 4,089 businesses in total | 92 | 2.25% | +139% | Densely served |
| 10 | TruckeeNevada, 1,148 businesses in total | 25 | 2.18% | +132% | Densely served |
| 11 | EscondidoSan Diego, 4,331 businesses in total | 94 | 2.17% | +131% | Densely served |
| 12 | YucaipaSan Bernardino, 891 businesses in total | 19 | 2.13% | +127% | Densely served |
| 13 | Cathedral CityRiverside, 914 businesses in total | 19 | 2.08% | +121% | Densely served |
| 14 | Jurupa Valley1,066 businesses in total | 22 | 2.06% | +120% | Densely served |
| 15 | Lake ElsinoreRiverside, 1,327 businesses in total | 27 | 2.03% | +116% | Densely served |
| 16 | AntiochContra Costa, 1,538 businesses in total | 31 | 2.02% | +114% | Densely served |
| 17 | Arroyo GrandeSan Luis Obispo, 896 businesses in total | 18 | 2.01% | +114% | Densely served |
| 18 | IndioRiverside, 1,728 businesses in total | 34 | 1.97% | +109% | Densely served |
| 19 | Simi ValleyVentura, 3,329 businesses in total | 65 | 1.95% | +108% | Densely served |
| 20 | HollisterSan Benito, 1,025 businesses in total | 20 | 1.95% | +108% | Densely served |
| 21 | NovatoMarin, 1,888 businesses in total | 36 | 1.91% | +103% | Densely served |
| 22 | PacificaSan Mateo, 637 businesses in total | 12 | 1.88% | +100% | Densely served |
| 23 | San CarlosSan Mateo, 1,357 businesses in total | 25 | 1.84% | +96% | Densely served |
| 24 | Scotts ValleySanta Cruz, 547 businesses in total | 10 | 1.83% | +94% | Densely served |
| 25 | Rancho CordovaSacramento, 2,357 businesses in total | 43 | 1.82% | +94% | Densely served |
Statewide, 0.94% of California businesses are in this industry. A higher local share means the industry takes up more of the local business base than it does statewide.
City figures are aggregated over the ZIP codes the Postal Service assigns to each place, which do not follow municipal boundaries. That is why the comparison here is a share of the businesses in those same ZIP codes rather than a figure per resident: both sides then cover the same ground, so a city that loses establishments to a separately named ZIP loses its denominator with them.
Most underserved cities for electrical
The bottom of the same ordering. These are the California cities carrying the least electrical provision per resident among those that clear both floors.
| # | City | Establishments | Share of local | Vs state share | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beverly HillsLos Angeles, 6,870 businesses in total | 10 | 0.15% | -85% | Thinly served |
| 2 | Santa MonicaLos Angeles, 7,320 businesses in total | 14 | 0.19% | -80% | Thinly served |
| 3 | Menlo ParkSan Mateo, 1,765 businesses in total | 5 | 0.28% | -70% | Thinly served |
| 4 | CupertinoSanta Clara, 1,627 businesses in total | 5 | 0.31% | -67% | Thinly served |
| 5 | PasadenaLos Angeles, 7,697 businesses in total | 24 | 0.31% | -67% | Thinly served |
| 6 | Newport BeachOrange, 6,234 businesses in total | 20 | 0.32% | -66% | Thinly served |
| 7 | BerkeleyAlameda, 4,279 businesses in total | 14 | 0.33% | -65% | Thinly served |
| 8 | Westlake VillageLos Angeles, 1,669 businesses in total | 6 | 0.36% | -62% | Thinly served |
| 9 | Palo AltoSanta Clara, 3,843 businesses in total | 14 | 0.36% | -61% | Thinly served |
| 10 | OxnardVentura, 3,760 businesses in total | 14 | 0.37% | -60% | Thinly served |
| 11 | Culver CityLos Angeles, 2,919 businesses in total | 11 | 0.38% | -60% | Thinly served |
| 12 | OaklandAlameda, 10,328 businesses in total | 39 | 0.38% | -60% | Thinly served |
| 13 | WestminsterOrange, 2,112 businesses in total | 8 | 0.38% | -60% | Thinly served |
| 14 | Laguna BeachOrange, 1,515 businesses in total | 6 | 0.40% | -58% | Thinly served |
| 15 | Los AngelesLos Angeles, 77,828 businesses in total | 309 | 0.40% | -58% | Thinly served |
| 16 | Walnut CreekContra Costa, 4,012 businesses in total | 17 | 0.42% | -55% | Thinly served |
| 17 | Manhattan BeachLos Angeles, 2,055 businesses in total | 9 | 0.44% | -53% | Thinly served |
| 18 | Hermosa BeachLos Angeles, 1,128 businesses in total | 5 | 0.44% | -53% | Thinly served |
| 19 | ArcadiaLos Angeles, 3,093 businesses in total | 14 | 0.45% | -52% | Thinly served |
| 20 | CerritosLos Angeles, 1,970 businesses in total | 9 | 0.46% | -51% | Thinly served |
| 21 | Mill ValleyMarin, 1,277 businesses in total | 6 | 0.47% | -50% | Thinly served |
| 22 | Mountain ViewSanta Clara, 2,974 businesses in total | 14 | 0.47% | -50% | Thinly served |
| 23 | CalabasasLos Angeles, 2,108 businesses in total | 10 | 0.47% | -50% | Thinly served |
| 24 | Los GatosSanta Clara, 1,893 businesses in total | 9 | 0.48% | -49% | Thinly served |
| 25 | MercedMerced, 1,653 businesses in total | 8 | 0.48% | -49% | Thinly served |
Statewide, 0.94% of California businesses are in this industry. A lower local share can mean a genuine gap, or a market served from the next town over.
How to read these rankings
- Both measures are supply measures. They say nothing about how much each business earns, how large it is, or how much demand comes from outside the market.
- The two levels are not directly comparable to each other. A county figure is establishments per resident; a city figure is this industry’s share of the local business base against the statewide share. Compare counties to counties and cities to cities.
- A thinly served market can be a genuine gap or a market already served from a neighbouring town. The individual market pages list the nearest comparable places for exactly this check.
- A densely served market means competition, but it is also where the largest pool of existing businesses sits, and therefore where the most owners reach retirement each year.
- Counties are the more stable measure. City figures rest on ZIP code geography, which the Postal Service redraws as it pleases, so a city can gain or lose a ZIP between years.
Full electrical data for California/All industry rankings/Methodology
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 County Business Patterns. Establishment counts, employment and annual payroll by NAICS. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2026Q1). Quarterly establishment counts and employment for employers covered by unemployment insurance. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ZIP Code Business Patterns. Establishment counts by ZIP code and NAICS, aggregated over the ZIP codes assigned to each city, including the all-industry totals used as the local business base. Retrieved 2026-09-10.