The Construction Workforce Is Aging Faster Than the National Labor Force
The median age of construction workers varies by state, but nationally, construction workers are one year older, on average, than the typical U.S. worker in other labor sectors
June 5, 2023
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Analysis of the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) data by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reveals that the median age of construction workers is 42, one year older than the typical worker in the national labor force, NAHB's Eye on Housing reports. A slowing housing market has eased the pressure on a tight labor market, but attracting skilled labor remains a top priority for the construction industry.
While the average age of construction workers varies by region, workers in managerial positions, such as inspectors, construction supervisors, and construction managers, are the oldest workers in the industry.
States with the oldest median age of construction workers (47 years old) are Maine and Vermont, followed by New Hampshire and Rhode Island (46 years old) and Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire and New York, where the median age of construction workers is 44. Construction workers are younger on average in the central part of the nation. Half of all construction workers in South Dakota and Utah are under 38.
