Employment Growth Rebounds in November
Employment rebounded sharply in November after strike- and hurricane-related disruptions in October. The unemployment rate rose one percentage point to 4.2% after holding at 4.1% for two months in a row. In…
Employment Growth Rebounds in November
Employment rebounded sharply in November after strike- and hurricane-related disruptions in October. The unemployment rate rose one percentage point to 4.2% after holding at 4.1% for two months in a row. In November, wage growth remained unchanged from the previous month. Wages grew at a…
House Price Appreciation by State and Metro Area: Third Quarter 2024
House prices posted modest annual growth for the third quarter of 2024, as elevated mortgage rates kept many potential home buyers away from the housing market. Nonetheless, housing inventory has improved in recent months. Nationally, house price appreciation has decelerated for two straight quarters. According…
Where Residential Construction Thrives: Metro Area Hotspots for Jobs and Businesses
The residential construction industry plays a crucial role in driving economic growth and local community development. It has a lasting impact on local communities by creating jobs, improving infrastructure, boosting local businesses, and enhancing property values. The residential construction industry is more reliant on labor…
Construction Labor Market Continues to Ease
After a period of slowing associated with declines for some elements of the residential construction industry, the count of open construction sector jobs trended lower in the October data, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The data indicates the…
HBGI Q3 2024: A New Status Quo for the Geography of Residential Construction?
Residential construction has remained in low density suburbs and outlying areas, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ latest release of the Home Building Geography Index (HBGI). This trend is driven by persistent factors that continue to affect housing affordability including a limited supply…
Private Residential Construction Spending Rises in October
Private residential construction spending increased by 1.5% in October, according to the latest U.S. Census Construction Spending data. Year-over-year, the October report showed a 6.4% increase. The monthly increase in total private construction spending was primarily driven by higher spending on residential improvements. Improvement spending…
Apartment Completions Rise Resulting in Slower Absorption Rates
The percentage of new apartment units that were absorbed within three months of completion rose from 50% to 55% in the second quarter of 2024, according to the Census Bureau’s latest release of the Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units (SOMA). The survey…