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Nearly One in Three Construction Workers are Hispanic – Eye On Housing

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Diversifying the construction labor force remains a key priority amid persistent skilled labor shortages. According to NAHB analysis of the 2024 American Community Survey, non-Hispanic White workers account for the majority of the construction industry at 55.8%. Hispanic workers now represent nearly one-third of the labor force at 32.8%, followed by non-Hispanic Black workers at 5% and non-Hispanic Asian workers at 1.8 %.

One of the most notable trends in the construction labor force has been the steady rise of Hispanic participation. Between 2010 and 2024, the number of Hispanic workers in construction increased from 2.5 million to nearly 4 million. Over the same period, their share of the labor force climbed from 23.6% to 32.8%, meaning that nearly one in three construction workers today is Hispanic.

Hispanic workers comprise a larger share in the construction industry than in the overall U.S. workforce. In 2024, Hispanics accounted for 32.8% of the construction labor force, compared with 19.9% across all industries. Non-Hispanic White workers made up 56.7% of the construction labor force, similar to their share across all industries at 55.8%. Black and Asian workers, by contrast, remain underrepresented in construction.

The share of Hispanic workers varies widely across states. In Vermont, only 3% of workers in construction are Hispanic. While in New Mexico, Texas, and California, more than half the construction labor force are Hispanic. Overall, Hispanic construction workers are generally most concentrated in the South and West where Hispanic populations are larger.  Three states alone, Texas with 812,000 workers, California with 780,000, and Florida with 426,000, employ 51% of the nation’s Hispanic construction labor force. New Mexico has the highest Hispanic share of its construction workforce, at 65.6%, followed by Texas at 61.3% and California at 59.7%.

Other racial and ethnic groups also show great variations across states. In the Northeast, the construction industry remains dominated by non-Hispanic White workers. In New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, they account for more than 90% of the labor force. Non-Hispanic Black workers make up only 5% of construction labor force nationwide, compared with nearly 12% across all industries, though their shares are much higher in Mississippi at 21.8%, Louisiana at 15.3%, and Maryland at 14.3%. Non-Hispanic Asian workers account for less than 2% of the construction labor force overall, though they are a significant presence in Hawaii, where they comprise 30% of construction labor force.



This article was originally published by a eyeonhousing.org . Read the Original article here. .

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How Old Are Workers in the Construction Trades? – Eye On Housing

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A previous post examined the median age of the overall construction workforce and how it compares with workers in all industries. This analysis takes a closer look at workers in construction trades, where the median ages differ considerably across occupations.

According to NAHB analysis of the 2024 American Community Survey (PUMS data), the median age of construction trades workers is 40, two years younger than the median age of all workers employed in the construction industry. However, median age varies substantially across individual construction trades. Construction and building inspectors and plasterers and stucco masons share the highest median age at 46. Highway maintenance workers follow closely, with a median age of 45, while carpet, floor and tile installers and finishers have a median age of 44. At the younger end of the spectrum, roofers have a median age of 35, followed by pipelayers at 34, and helpers in construction trades at 32. With a median age of just 27, solar photovoltaic installers represent the youngest occupational group among the construction trades.

This wide variation in the median age shows that the workforce aging is not uniform across construction trades. Of the 27 construction trades analyzed, 12 have a median age above the overall median of 40 for construction trades workers. While some occupations have a relatively young workforce, others have a larger concentration of older workers.



This article was originally published by a eyeonhousing.org . Read the Original article here. .

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Wage Growth for Residential Building Workers Continues to Cool – Eye On Housing

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Wage growth for residential building workers continued to lose momentum in the second quarter of 2026, reflecting softer housing construction activity and weaker labor demand. According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, both nominal and inflation-adjusted wages have weakened further, extending the cooling trend that emerged after the strong wage gains of the post-pandemic period.

In nominal terms, average hourly earnings (AHE) for residential building workers increased 1.0% year-over-year in June 2026, reaching $39.74 per hour. This represents a notable slowdown from the 9.4% peak recorded in mid-2024 and continues the broader cooling trend observed throughout 2025 and into 2026.

After accounting for inflation, real wages declined 2.4% year-over-year in June 2026 to $11.95 per hour. Real wage growth strengthened temporarily during parts of 2024, reaching a peak of 6.2%, but has since weakened as nominal wage growth has slowed and inflationary pressures have remained elevated.

Meanwhile, the number of open, and unfilled construction sector jobs increased in June. Continued strength in construction-related activity, including data center construction, is supporting demand for construction workers.

Despite the slowdown in wage growth, residential building workers’ wages remain competitive relative to other industries:

8.2% higher than the manufacturing sector ($36.74 per hour)

22.1% higher than the transportation and warehousing sector ($32.55 per hour)

5.4% lower than the mining and logging sector ($42.01 per hour)

Note:

Data used in this post relates to all employees in the residential building industry. This group includes both new single-family housing construction (excluding for-sale builders) and residential remodelers but does not include specialty trade contractors.



This article was originally published by a eyeonhousing.org . Read the Original article here. .

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Which States and Construction Trades Depend the Most on Immigrant Workers? – Eye On Housing

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Immigrants’ share of the construction workforce reached a record high in 2024, with foreign-born workers accounting for more than a quarter of the industry’s labor force (26.3%). The share is even higher among construction trades, for which one in three craftsmen is foreign-born. In several states, reliance on foreign-born labor is especially pronounced: immigrants make up more than 40% of the construction workforce in California and Florida, 39% in Texas, and 38% in Nevada.

According to the government’s occupational classification system, the construction industry employs workers across roughly 390 occupations. Of these, only 28 are construction trades, yet these workers account for about 60% of the total construction labor force. The remaining workers are in finance, sales, administration, and other off-site roles.

The concentration of immigrants is particularly high in key construction trades essential to home building, including drywall and ceiling tile installers (57%), plasterers and stucco masons (56%), roofers (53%), painters (53%), and carpet, floor, and tile installers (51%).

The two most prevalent construction occupations, laborers and carpenters, account for more than a quarter of the industry’s labor force. Among them, 35% of carpenters and 43% of construction laborers are foreign-born. These trades typically require less formal education, yet such workers consistently rank among those with the most severe labor shortages, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) and NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) surveys.

In the April 2025 HMI survey, more than half of builders reported either some or a serious shortage of workers performing finished carpentry. Shortages are similarly widespread for other construction trades directly employed by builders, such as bricklayers and masons, despite the relatively high share of immigrant workers in these occupations.

Labor shortages are also common among more technical trades such as electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians. In contrast to labor-intensive trades, these occupations typically require longer formal training, often involve professional licensing, and tend to attract fewer immigrant workers. Over 40% of surveyed builders reported deficits in these skilled trades.

The reported craftsmen shortage is somewhat less acute for trades where the foreign-born presence is more pronounced, such as drywall, ceiling, flooring installers, painters, and roofers – the trades where immigrants make up more than half of the workforce.

More than half (52%) of the nation’s three million immigrant construction workers reside in the four most populous states – California, Texas, Florida, and New York. California and Texas each have over half a million foreign-born construction workers; together, these states account for roughly one-third of all immigrant workers in the industry. Florida and New York contribute an additional 19% combined.

These states are not only the largest by population but also longstanding immigrant gateways, making them particularly reliant on foreign-born construction labor. Immigrants comprise 42% of the construction workforce in California and 41% in Florida, followed by 39% in Texas and 37% in New York.

At the same time, reliance on foreign-born labor is expanding beyond these traditional hubs. Nevada, for example, recorded the fourth-highest share of immigrant construction workers in 2024 (38%), closely trailing Texas. Maryland and New Jersey also reflect this broader trend, with immigrants accounting for 37% of the construction labor force in each state.

In Connecticut, Massachusetts, Georgia, Virginia, Illinois, Arizona, and North Carolina, more than one-quarter of construction workers are foreign-born. At the other end of the spectrum, several states, including New Hampshire, Montana, Alaska, West Virginia, and Vermont, have immigrant shares below 5%.

Because immigrant workers are disproportionately concentrated in construction trades, their presence among craftsmen exceeds their overall share of the industry in every state. In California and Texas, immigrants account for more than half of all construction tradesmen. In Florida, Maryland, and Nevada, the shares are similarly elevated, approaching 50%, while in New Jersey and New York, more than 45% of craftsmen are foreign-born.

While most states draw most of their immigrant foreign-born workers from the Americas, Hawaii relies more heavily on Asian immigrants. European immigrants are a significant source of construction labor in New York, New Jersey, and Illinois.



This article was originally published by a eyeonhousing.org . Read the Original article here. .

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States and Construction Trades Most Reliant on Immigrant Workers, 2023

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As reported in a previous post, immigrants make up one in four workers in the construction industry. The share of immigrants is significantly higher (32.5%) among construction tradesmen. In some states, reliance on foreign-born labor is particularly evident, with immigrants comprising over 40% of the construction workforce in California and New Jersey, and 38% – in Texas and Florida.

According to the government’s system for classifying occupations, the construction industry employs workers in about 390 occupations. Out of these, only 28 are construction trades, yet they account for almost two thirds of the construction labor force. The other one-third of workers are in finance, sales, administration and other off-site activities.

The concentration of immigrants is particularly high in construction trades essential for home building, such as plasterers and stucco masons, drywall/ceiling tile installers (61%), roofers (52%), painters (51%), carpet/floor/tile installers (45%).

The two most prevalent construction occupations, laborers and carpenters, account for over a quarter of the construction labor force. A third of all carpenters and 42% of construction laborers are of foreign-born origin. These trades require less formal education but consistently register some of the highest labor shortages in the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) and NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) surveys.

In the latest February 2024 HMI Survey, 65% of builders reported some or serious shortage of workers performing finished carpentry. Looking at other tradesmen directly employed by builders, the shortages of bricklayers and masons are similarly acute, despite a high presence of immigrant workers in these trades.

Labor shortages are also high among electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians, with over half of surveyed builders reporting shortages of these craftsmen. In contrast, these trades demand longer formal training, often require professional licenses and attract fewer immigrants.

More than half (53%) of the three million immigrant construction workers reside in the four most populous states in the U.S. – California, Texas, Florida, and New York.  California and Texas have over half a million foreign-born construction workers each. Combined, these two states account for over a third (35%) of all immigrant construction workers. Florida and New York combined account for an additional 18%.

These are not only the most populous states in the U.S., but as traditional gateway states, they are also particularly reliant on foreign-born construction labor. Immigrants comprise 41% of the construction workforce in California. In Florida and Texas, 38% of the construction labor force is foreign-born. In New York, 37% of construction industry workers come from abroad. 

The reliance on foreign-born labor continues to spread outside of these traditional immigrant magnets. This is evident in states like New Jersey, that registered the second highest share of immigrant workers, 40%, in 2023, closely following California. Nevada and Maryland, where immigrants (as of 2023) account for over a third of the construction labor force (36%) also illustrate spreading reliance on immigrant labor.

In Georgia, Connecticut, North Carolina, Virginia, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Illinois, more than a quarter of construction workers are foreign-born. At the other end of the spectrum, seven states – Montana, North and South Dakota, Vermont, Maine, West Virginia, and Alaska – have share of immigrant workers of less than 5%.

Because immigrant workers are disproportionately concentrated within the construction trades, immigrant presence among craftsmen is higher than their overall representation in the industry across all states. In California and DC, immigrant workers account for more than half of all tradesmen in construction. In New Jersey and Texas, these shares are similarly high at 49%. In Maryland, Nevada, Florida, New York and Georgia, between 40% and 47% of craftsmen are foreign-born. 

While most states draw the majority of immigrant foreign-born workers from the Americas, Hawaii relies more heavily on Asian immigrants. European immigrants are a significant source of construction labor in New York, New Jersey and Illinois.

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This article was originally published by a eyeonhousing.org . Read the Original article here. .

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Share of Remote Workers Increases Despite Drop in Weekly Teleworked Hours

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The total share of workers teleworking or working from home for pay has increased from 2023, according to the latest Telework or Work at Home for Pay Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In June 2023, 19% of the labor force teleworked on a non-seasonally adjusted basis. This share rose to 22.3% in June 2024, even though the total number of workers remained stable. However, the average weekly hours of remote work among teleworkers decreased slightly by 1.7 hours, from 28.7 to 27 hours a week. This decline is due to a shift toward hybrid work, with the proportion of people working all their hours remotely dropping from 53.2% to 48.4%.

Across all occupations, the share of teleworkers has increased, while the average weekly telework hours have declined. Management, professional, and related occupations had the highest share of teleworkers, with 37.8% working remotely in June, averaging 27.1 hours per week. In contrast, natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations had the lowest share, with only 3.0% teleworking for an average of 21.4 hours a week.

By industry, financial activities saw the largest increase in teleworkers, rising by 7.5 percentage points from 44.9% in June 2023 to 52.4% in June 2024. Meanwhile, the average weekly telework hours for this industry decreased modestly from 30.4 hours to 28.8 hours. The information industry, previously the leader in telework, increased by 3.8 percentage points, from 47.8% to 51.6%. Its average weekly telework hours declined by 1.1 hours, from 31.4 to 30.3 hours.

The increase in teleworking has significant implications for the housing and real estate market. With more people working from home, there may be a growing demand to remodel their current homes to have dedicated office spaces. Additionally, commercial real estate could face challenges as businesses reconsider their office space needs, potentially leading to an increase in flexible workspaces or a reevaluation of leasing strategies.

There are also policy proposals that NAHB supports which aim to repurpose underused commercial spaces into residential real estate, such as the “Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act” that proposes a 20% tax credit to encourage converting vacant commercial properties into affordable housing, thereby addressing the nationwide housing shortage.

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This article was originally published by a eyeonhousing.org . Read the Original article here. .

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