Increasing the Number of Women in Construction Could Help Alleviate Labor Shortages
States such as Texas, California, and Florida are hiring more female construction workers
June 12, 2024
Image: Halfpoint / stock.adobe.com
Some states are hoping to ease construction labor shortages by adding more women to their construction workforce.
Boosting the number of women in the construction industry could help to alleviate the current labor shortage, and some states are experiencing a higher increase in female construction workers than others. According to the most recent data, in 2022, approximately 1.29 million women were employed in construction across the U.S., making up 10.97% of the workforce, according to the National Association of Homebuilders’ Eye On Housing blog. However, the construction industry still has a long way to go in making real headway against labor shortages, as many women in the industry are employed in office and administrative support roles. Just 2.8% of women in construction work in trade roles.
As of 2022, the state with the largest number of women working in construction was Texas (137,000), followed by California (135,000) and Florida (119,000). These three states accounted for 30% of all women employed in the industry. The larger populations and thriving construction industries in these three states provided more opportunities and higher participation rates for women in construction. In contrast, Vermont had the smallest number, approximately 1,800 women in construction, among all 50 states.
