According to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry added 11,000 jobs in June 2026. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has expanded by 64,000 jobs, an increase of 0.8%. “Today’s jobs report was full of positive signs,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “The nonresidential segment continued to add jobs in June and has grown several times faster than the economy-wide average over the past 12 months. At the same time, the supply of labor appears adequate…
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Construction job openings increase
According to a new survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of open positions in the construction sector increased in May 2026. The number of open jobs for the overall economy fell flat in May, remaining near 7.59 million. The May reading was also measurably higher compared to a year ago, at 7.31 million. The recent increase in job openings for the overall economy indicates that the labor market is holding steady. The construction job openings rate increased to 3.5% in May, up from the 2.6% rate estimated…
Read MoreExisting home sales rise to a 5-month high
According to the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Index, existing home sales rose 3.2% in May to a five-month high of 4.17 million. The spring selling season initially started slowly before gaining traction towards the end. Chicago continued to lead in existing home sales, followed by New York City and Cleveland. Meanwhile, pending home sales climbed 3.8% with a 4.8% year-over-year gain. Looking ahead, mortgage rates have hovered near 6.5% for six consecutive weeks, pushed higher by renewed inflation concerns and elevated energy prices. At the same time, listing prices…
Read MoreJobs-to-permits ratio highlights housing gap
A new analysis from the National Association of Home Builders analyzed the jobs-to-permits ratio. The analysis used net new jobs created in 2024 and measured against housing permits issued in 2023 to gauge the typical time required for permitted units to move through the construction pipeline and reach the market. Using this framework, the analysis revealed that the U.S. economy added approximately 1.8 million net new jobs in 2024 relative to 2023, while total housing permits issued in 2023 reached 1.51 million units. This results in an overall jobs-to-permits ratio…
Read More21st Century ROAD to Housing Act reaches executive branch
After the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act was overwhelmingly approved by the House of Representatives on June 23, 2026, the bill reached the executive branch’s desk. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) applauded the passage and now urges the legislation to be signed. This once-in-a-generation housing package includes more than 50 sections addressing housing supply, financing, disaster recovery and other priorities. NAHB provided input to Congress on many parts of the bill, but five provisions are especially important to members: land-use and zoning, aging housing stock, multifamily financing,…
Read MoreConstruction activity softens
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis’s spring Construction Survey, construction activity has softened in the first months of 2026. Higher material costs and ongoing economic uncertainty are the driving factors, with more than half of respondents, approximately 54%, reporting decreased activity in the industry overall. However, signs point to optimism for the remainder of 2026 within residential construction. Despite tough conditions for some, roughly four in 10 businesses reported hiring more construction workers and increasing hours for existing employees in advance of the busy season. In general, labor…
Read MoreABC’s construction backlog surges in May
On June 16, 2026, the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 9.1 months in May 2026. This is according to ABC’s member survey conducted from May 20 to June 3. The reading is up 0.3 months from April and 0.7 months from May 2025. “Backlog rose to a nearly three-year high in May,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “This increase largely reflects the massive data center investments taking place across the nation, as the 14% of ABC members under contract to work…
Read MoreConstruction employment increases by 17,000 jobs
According to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government data released on June 5, 2026, construction firms added 17,000 jobs in May. Construction employment totaled 8,337,000 in May, an increase of 17,000 since April. Over the year, the industry has added 68,000 jobs, an increase of 0.8%. Residential construction employment inched up by 900 positions in May and specialty trade contractors added 2,600 positions for the month. Additionally, overall construction pay rose by 5% over the past year. “The construction industry will continue to add…
Read MoreResidential construction labor market remains resilient
Despite rising inflation and ongoing economic uncertainty, the U.S. labor market remained resilient in May 2026. Residential construction employment now stands at 3.3 million in May, including 925,000 workers employed by builders and remodelers and nearly 2.4 million residential specialty trade contractors. Employment in the overall construction sector rose by 17,000 jobs in May, following a gain of 9,000 in April. Within the industry, residential construction added 900 jobs, while non-residential construction added 15,700 jobs. Wage growth moderated in May, with average hourly earnings rising 3.4% year-over-year. This pace is…
Read MoreU.S. Census Bureau April 2026 Residential Construction Report
On May 21, 2026, the U.S. Census Bureau released its Monthly New Residential Construction report for April 2026. Regarding building permits, single-family authorizations in April were at a rate of 872,000, 2.6% below the revised March figure of 895,000. Across the U.S., privately-owned housing starts in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,465,000, 2.8% (±11%)* below the revised March estimate of 1,507,000, but 4.6% (±13.9%)* above the April 2025 rate of 1,400,000. Single-family housing starts in April were at a rate of 930,000, which is 9% below…
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