Labor + Trade Relations

How Old Is the Typical Construction Worker?

Average ages depend on the state, but there are some general patterns when it comes to age of construction workers across the nation
June 8, 2017

Though it varies by occupation and by region of the country, the typical construction worker is roughly the same age as the overall work force.

NAHB’s analysis of the most recent 2015 American Community Survey (ACS) found that the median age of a construction worker is 41, the same as the median age of the overall labor force.

Average ages depend on the state, particularly in the Northeast. The median age of a construction worker is 47 in Vermont, 46 in Rhode Island, and 44 in Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, half of all construction workers in Rocky Mountain and Midwest states such as Nebraska, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming are under 38 years of age.

By job, construction and building inspectors are typically the oldest workers, at over 50. Construction managers, electricians, and cement masons also tend to be older than 40, while helpers, roofers, and insulation workers are usually on the younger side.

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