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  • More Young Workers Join the Construction Labor Force

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    The latest labor force statistics from the 2019 American Community Survey show that more young people are entering the construction trades. The share of workers under the age of 25 reached 10.8% in the construction industry in 2019, compared to only 9.7% in 2015. Consequently, the median age of construction workforce is 41 in 2019, a year younger than in… Read More ›

  • June Gains for Private Residential Spending

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    NAHB analysis of Census Construction Spending data shows that total private residential construction spending rose 1.1% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $763.4 billion. Total private residential construction spending was 29.3% higher than a year ago. The monthly gains are attributed to the strong growth of spending on single-family construction and improvements. Single-family construction spending rose to… Read More ›

  • Disposable Personal Income Dips in June

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    The most recent data release from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) showed that personal income edged up in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $20,414 billion. The increase in personal income was largely due to the increase in compensation of employees, which was partly offset by the declines in the government social benefits, including the economic… Read More ›

  • Second Quarter of 2021 Homeownership Rate at 65.4%

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    The Census Bureau’s Housing Vacancy Survey (CPS/HVS) reported the U.S. homeownership rate declined to 65.4% in the second quarter of 2021. Compared to prior reports, the data was affected less significantly by the pandemic, since in-person interviews were back in 99% of the sample area. The national homeowner vacancy rate stayed at a record low of 0.9%, while the rental… Read More ›

  • Private Residential Spending Edges Up in May

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    NAHB analysis of Census Construction Spending data shows that total private residential construction spending rose 0.2% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $751.7 billion. Total private residential construction spending was 28.7% higher than a year ago. The monthly gains are attributed to the strong growth of spending on single-family construction. Single-family construction spending rose to a $402.3… Read More ›

  • Home Building Construction Times Accelerated in 2020

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    The 2020 Survey of Construction (SOC) from the Census Bureau shows that the average completion time of a single-family house is around 7.8 months, which usually includes a little over a month from authorization to start and another 6.8 months to finish the construction. Moreover, tt took around 10 days less in 2020 than in 2019, pausing the upward trend… Read More ›

  • Time to Build an Apartment Building in 2020

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    The average length of time to complete construction of a multifamily building, after obtaining authorization, is 17.4 months, according to the 2020 Survey of Construction (SOC) from the Census Bureau. The authorization-to-completion time in 2020 was relatively unchanged from 2019, slowing down the upward trend since 2013.   The average time to build multifamily homes varies with the number of… Read More ›

  • The Aging Housing Stock

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    The median age of owner-occupied homes is 39 years, according to the latest data from the 2019 American Community Survey. Compared to a median age of 31 years in 2005, the U.S. owner-occupied housing stock is aging gradually. The residential construction continues to fall behind in the number of new homes built especially after the Great Recession. This aging housing… Read More ›

  • Private Residential Spending Rises Modestly in April

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    NAHB analysis of Census Construction Spending data shows that total private residential construction spending rose 1.0% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $729.2 billion. Total private residential construction spending was 29.7% higher than a year ago. The monthly gains are largely attributed to the strong growth of spending on multifamily and single family construction. Multifamily construction spending… Read More ›

  • Median Age of Construction Workforce

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    NAHB analysis of the most recent 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) data reveals that the median age of construction workers is 41, the same as a typical worker in the national labor force. While the residential construction has been adding jobs during the pandemic, access to skilled labor is still a business challenge in 2021. The median age of construction… Read More ›