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US NAICS 23832 | Industry Report

Painters in the US Industry Data and Analysis

MO
Matty O'Malley
Analyst New York, United States January 2026

Painting contractors in the US have experienced pronounced volatility over the last five years, with the industry’s performance tightly intertwined with the broader construction cycle. The early years of the current period were marked by strong residential growth and federal infrastructure investment, which provided ample opportunities for painting contractors even as demand in the nonresidential market softened. However, this positive momentum was disrupted from 2022 onward as the dual impact of rising interest rates and supply chain disruptions cooled new construction, leading to intensified competition for fewer projects. Amid these headwinds, the industry’s inherently low capital requirements and ability to swiftly redeploy workforces helped painting businesses adapt more successfully than larger, less nimble general contractors. There was considerable volatility in new residential construction because of fluctuating interest rates and economic uncertainty. Still, private spending on home improvements proved more resilient and boosted the industry. Still, consumer confidence in performing DIY paint projects hindered some growth for the industry for these projects. So, while revenue has been expanding at a CAGR of 2.2% over the past five years, it masks such fluctuation as the expected 0.7% decline in 2025, when revenue will total an estimated $49.0 billion.

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What's included in this industry analysis

IBISWorld's research coverage on the Painters industry in the United States includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2016-2031. The most recent publication was released January 2026.

About this industry

What's this industry report about?

The Painters industry in the United States operates under the NAICS industry code 23832. The Painters industry includes operators primarily engaged in interior or exterior painting and interior wall covering. The painting and wall covering work performed includes new work, additions, alterations, maintenance and repairs. Enterprises in this industry perform activities ranging from bridge and ship painting to removing paint and wall coverings. Related terms covered in the Painters industry in the United States include do-it-yourself (diy), industrial coatings, thinner and timber cladding.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in Painters industry in the United States include General residential painting, General nonresidential painting and Paper hanging, wall covering and removal.

What companies are included in this industry?

The Painters industry in the United States is highly fragmented with no companies holding a market share greater than 5%.

Performance

What's included in the Performance chapter?

The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Painters industry in the United States.

Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.

Products & Markets

What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?

The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Painters industry in the United States.

Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.

Geographic Breakdown

What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?

The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Painters industry in the United States.

Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.

Competitive Forces

What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?

The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Painters industry in the United States. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.

Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.

Companies

What's included in the Companies chapter?

The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Painters industry in the United States. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.

Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.

External Environment

What's included in the External Environment chapter?

The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Painters industry in the United States. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.

Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.

Financial Benchmarks

What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?

The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Painters industry in the United States. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.

Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.

Industry Data

What's included in the Industry Data chapter?

The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Painters industry in the United States.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the market size of the Painters industry in the United States in 2026?

The market size of the Painters industry in the United States is $49.0bn in 2026.

How many businesses are there in the Painters industry in the United States in 2026?

There are 230k businesses in the Painters industry in the United States, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.7 % between 2021 and 2026.

How may import tariffs affect the Painters industry in the United States?

The Painters industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Painters industry in the United States?

The Painters industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Painters industry in the United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Painters industry in the United States has been growing at a CAGR of 2.2 % between 2021 and 2026.

What is the forecast growth of the Painters industry in the United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Painters industry in the United States is expected to grow.

What does the Painters industry in the United States include?

General residential painting and General nonresidential painting are part of the Painters industry in the United States.

How competitive is the Painters industry in the United States?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Painters industry in the United States.

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