Analysis of the most recent 2017 American Community Survey data by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) finds the construction workforce is continuing to age. The median age of construction workers is 42, a year older than a typical worker in the national labor force. The aging construction workforce, coupled with the ongoing skilled labor shortage, provides a major challenge to those in the industry. The NAHB recently reported unfilled construction jobs reached a post-Great Recession high in March 2019.
States with the oldest median age of construction workers (45 years old) are Connecticut, Maine, and New Hampshire, followed by Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming, 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 Utah are under 38, while in Nebraska and Texas half are under 39.
The ACS data also allow analyzing median age by occupations. Construction occupations with younger workers include helpers, roofers, and fence erectors. Older workers are concentrated in managerial positions such as inspectors, construction supervisors and construction managers.
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