State of the Industry 2026
Who Took the Survey?
A closer look at the people who responded and their wins and concerns
Each year over the past decade, RC has issued a comprehensive survey to roofing contractors and industry professionals to gauge the state of the industry and highlight emerging trends impacting markets across the country.
The online survey went out to RC subscribers over the summer, with each respondent receiving a $20 gift card for their participation. The responses from RC readers across the country provide a small glimpse into the industry through honest answers about sales trends, continued challenges, technology adoption and more.
Here’s a closer look at the people who responded and shared their wins and the concerns facing them on a daily basis.
Residential vs. Commercial
Each year, we ask roofing contractors about which roofing segment they fall into: commercial or residential. This year’s survey was completed by mostly residential roofing contractors — those who generate more than half of their revenue from non-commercial projects — at 69%. Roofing contractors whose companies generate more than 50% of their annual revenue from commercial projects represent 22% of respondents. Another 9% were from companies that define their revenue streams evenly from commercial and residential projects.
Regional View
Overall, the highest number of respondents to this year’s survey was from the South at 36%. The West followed at 27%, then the Midwest (23%) and Northeast (14%). Looking closely, the highest number of Southern roofing contractor respondents (43%) work in the commercial category, compared to 36% in residential. While the number of respondents from the Northeast and Midwest were similarly divided between residential and commercial, the disparity in the West was higher, with more (11%) leaning residential.
Gender and Ethnicity
Most survey respondents were male at 71% and 29% female. That’s an increase of about 5% of women who completed the survey compared to 2024. The vast majority were white or Caucasian (88%), followed by African Americans and Latinos, each at 6%. That’s more than double the number of respondents in those categories from last year.
Age
The mean age of survey respondents was 45, which dipped slightly from last year (49%). The largest age group represented in the data is millennials (born between 1981–1996) at 50%. More than half of them are residential contractors (52%). Gen X (1965–1980) was next at 40%, split evenly at 39% between commercial and residential contractors. Roughly 8% fit into the baby boomer generation (1946–1964). Just 2% were from Gen Z (1997–2012).
Performance
Survey respondents showed their overall median annual revenue between $10-$14.9 million. The highest number of companies fell between the $2-$4.9 million range (16%), followed by $100 million or more (12%); and $50-$99.9 million.
The median company size was 51 to 100 employees, with nearly a quarter of respondents working at companies staffed within that range.
The highest number of residential contractors said they have between 26-100 employees, while most commercial contractors have 51-100 employees at 27%.
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