With construction employment and wages moving in step, Austria’s building sector is still reshaping the country in measurable ways. In 2023 alone, total construction output hit €52.3 billion and public works accounted for 35%, while at the same time the industry faced a labor shortage that affected 45% of firms. The result is a fascinating mix of big infrastructure delivery and tight capacity pressures, from 45 km of rail track expansions to 12,000 EV charging stations.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, civil engineering projects comprised 28% of construction output at €14.6 billion
- Road construction investments totaled €3.2 billion in 2023 under ASFINAG program
- Rail network expansions added 45 km of tracks in 2023 via ÖBB projects
- In 2023, the total construction output in Austria amounted to €52.3 billion, reflecting a 4.2% year-on-year growth driven by public infrastructure investments
- Austria's construction industry contributed 5.4% to the national GDP in 2022, up from 5.1% in 2021 due to post-pandemic recovery
- The average annual growth rate of Austria's construction sector from 2018 to 2023 was 3.8%, outperforming the EU average of 2.9%
- In 2023, non-residential construction output reached €19.8 billion, 38% of total sector
- Office building completions added 1.2 million m² in Austria in 2023
- Industrial and warehouse space constructed totaled 2.8 million m² in 2023, up 12%
- Total residential building completions in Austria reached 38,500 units in 2023, up 6.8% YoY
- Vienna's residential construction output was €6.2 billion in 2023, 22% of national total
- Average size of new residential dwellings completed was 112 m² in 2023
- In 2023, Austria employed 312,000 people in construction, a 2.8% increase from 2022 with 65% skilled tradespeople
- The average gross monthly wage in Austrian construction was €3,850 in 2023, 18% above the national average
- Women comprised 12.5% of the construction workforce in Austria in 2023, up from 10% in 2018
Austria’s construction output hit €52.3 billion in 2023, growing 4.2 percent on strong public infrastructure investment.
Related reading
01 · Category
Infrastructure Projects20 stats
01
In 2023, civil engineering projects comprised 28% of construction output at €14.6 billion
02
Road construction investments totaled €3.2 billion in 2023 under ASFINAG program
03
Rail network expansions added 45 km of tracks in 2023 via ÖBB projects
04
Bridge rehabilitations numbered 180 projects costing €850 million in 2023
05
Water supply and sewage infrastructure builds valued €1.1 billion in 2023
06
Airport expansions, including Vienna, invested €420 million in 2023
07
Tunnel constructions advanced 12 km in 2023, mainly Koralmbahn
08
Public transport hubs built 15 new ones in 2023 costing €280 million
09
Flood protection measures constructed 250 km of dikes in 2023 for €650 million
10
Broadband fiber rollout in rural areas covered 1,200 km in 2023
11
Renewable energy grid connections added capacity for 2.5 GW in 2023
12
Cycle path network expanded by 450 km in 2023
13
Waste management facilities upgraded in 28 sites for €190 million in 2023
14
Port of Vienna expansions handled €2.1 billion in goods via new terminals 2023
15
Digital traffic management systems installed on 1,500 km highways in 2023
16
School infrastructure modernizations totaled 420 buildings in 2023
17
EV charging stations built reached 12,000 in 2023
18
Gas pipeline networks extended 180 km in 2023 for security
19
Vorarlberg's infrastructure spend was €890 million in 2023
20
Smart city projects in Linz added sensor networks to 50 km roads in 2023
Interpretation
Infrastructure Projects Interpretation
Austria seems to be building a country that is noticeably more connected, protected, and greener than before, investing heavily in everything from the rails beneath your train to the fiber behind your Netflix.
02 · Category
Market Overview29 stats
01
In 2023, the total construction output in Austria amounted to €52.3 billion, reflecting a 4.2% year-on-year growth driven by public infrastructure investments
02
Austria's construction industry contributed 5.4% to the national GDP in 2022, up from 5.1% in 2021 due to post-pandemic recovery
03
The average annual growth rate of Austria's construction sector from 2018 to 2023 was 3.8%, outperforming the EU average of 2.9%
04
Construction investment as a percentage of GDP in Austria stood at 7.8% in 2023, with residential making up 45% of total investments
05
In Q4 2023, monthly construction production index in Austria rose by 2.1% compared to Q4 2022, adjusted for working days
06
The value of new construction orders in Austria increased by 5.6% in 2023 to €28.7 billion, primarily from civil engineering projects
07
Austria's construction turnover per employee averaged €285,000 in 2022, 12% higher than the EU27 average
08
Producer prices in the Austrian construction sector rose by 6.3% in 2023, the highest since 2012 due to material cost inflation
09
In 2023, public sector construction spending in Austria totaled €18.4 billion, accounting for 35% of total industry output
10
Private construction investments in Austria grew by 3.9% in 2023, reaching €33.9 billion, fueled by housing demand
11
The construction industry's share in Austria's total exports of services was 2.7% in 2022, valued at €1.2 billion
12
Austria's construction PMI averaged 52.4 in 2023, indicating expansion for the 15th consecutive year
13
Building permits issued in Austria increased by 7.2% in 2023 to 45,200 units, with Vienna leading at 12,500
14
The cost index for building construction in Austria climbed 8.1% in 2023, driven by steel and concrete price surges
15
Austria's construction sector added €4.2 billion in value added in 2023, growing 4.5% nominally
16
In 2022, Austria ranked 8th in the EU for construction value added per capita at €5,890
17
Construction equipment market in Austria was valued at €1.8 billion in 2023, up 5% YoY
18
The Austrian construction industry's productivity grew by 2.3% in 2023, reaching 112% of 2015 levels
19
Total floor space completed in new buildings in Austria was 12.5 million m² in 2023, a 6% increase
20
Austria's construction debt ratio stood at 28% of output in 2023, lower than Germany's 32%
21
In 2023, digital construction technologies adoption in Austria reached 42% of firms, boosting efficiency by 15%
22
Construction R&D spending in Austria was €450 million in 2022, 0.9% of sector turnover
23
The sector's energy consumption for construction activities was 8.2 TWh in 2023, down 3% from 2022
24
Austria's construction import dependency for materials was 65% in 2023, mainly steel and cement
25
Venture capital invested in Austrian construction startups totaled €120 million in 2023, up 25%
26
Construction bankruptcy rate in Austria was 1.2% in 2023, below the national average of 1.5%
27
The industry's carbon footprint from construction activities was 12.5 Mt CO2eq in 2023
28
Austria's construction sector insurance premiums reached €2.1 billion in 2023, growing 4%
29
Mobile construction workforce in Austria averaged 15% of total labor in 2023
Interpretation
Market Overview Interpretation
Austria's construction sector is building more than just infrastructure; it's cementing its role as a robust, if slightly overheated, pillar of the economy, where public investment pours the foundation and private demand raises the roof, all while trying to keep costs from going through it.
03 · Category
Non-Residential Sector21 stats
01
In 2023, non-residential construction output reached €19.8 billion, 38% of total sector
02
Office building completions added 1.2 million m² in Austria in 2023
03
Industrial and warehouse space constructed totaled 2.8 million m² in 2023, up 12%
04
Retail construction starts declined 4.5% to 450,000 m² in 2023 due to e-commerce
05
Hospital and healthcare building investments were €1.4 billion in 2023
06
Educational facilities construction value hit €2.1 billion in 2023, including schools and universities
07
Hotel and tourism non-residential builds added 180,000 m² in 2023
08
Data center construction in Austria expanded by 250,000 m² in 2023
09
Upper Austria led non-residential output with €4.5 billion in 2023
10
Green office certifications covered 65% of new completions in 2023
11
Logistics hubs under construction totaled 15 projects worth €900 million in 2023
12
Sports facility investments reached €450 million in 2023
13
Commercial property vacancy rate fell to 4.8% in 2023 amid new builds
14
Manufacturing plant expansions added 1.1 million m² in 2023
15
Cultural venue constructions valued at €320 million in 2023
16
Styria's non-residential floor space grew 7.2% to 1.9 million m² in 2023
17
Renewable energy plant buildings (non-res) totaled €1.2 billion in 2023
18
Average non-res cost per m² was €1,980 in 2023
19
Permits for non-res buildings issued for 8.2 million m² in 2023
20
Burgenland's industrial parks expanded by 120,000 m² in 2023
21
BIM usage in non-res projects reached 52% in 2023
Interpretation
Non-Residential Sector Interpretation
While Austria's construction sector clearly decided retail was out of fashion last year, it enthusiastically embraced a full-scale, green-tinged building spree for everything from data centers and warehouses to keep our digital lives humming, to hospitals and schools for our actual lives.
More related reading
04 · Category
Residential Sector23 stats
01
Total residential building completions in Austria reached 38,500 units in 2023, up 6.8% YoY
02
Vienna's residential construction output was €6.2 billion in 2023, 22% of national total
03
Average size of new residential dwellings completed was 112 m² in 2023
04
Multi-family housing accounted for 62% of residential completions in 2023
05
Residential building permits for apartments rose 9.1% to 32,100 in 2023
06
Energy-efficient residential retrofits numbered 145,000 in 2023 under Sanierungsoffensive
07
Average cost per m² for new residential builds was €2,450 in 2023, up 7.3%
08
Social housing starts in Austria totaled 12,300 units in 2023
09
Vacancy rate in new residential developments was 1.8% in 2023
10
Prefab residential construction share grew to 18% in 2023 from 14% in 2020
11
Tyrol region's residential output increased 8.5% to €2.1 billion in 2023
12
Sustainable residential certifications (Klimaaktiv) reached 4,200 projects in 2023
13
Home ownership rate influenced by new builds rose to 56% in 2023
14
Rental residential completions were 22,400 units in 2023, 58% of total
15
Price index for existing residential properties rose 5.2% in 2023 to 142.3 (2015=100)
16
Subsidized residential financing disbursed €1.9 billion in 2023 for 15,800 units
17
Urban residential density averaged 2.3 persons per dwelling in new builds 2023
18
Timber-framed residential houses comprised 12% of completions in 2023
19
Salzburg's residential permits surged 11% to 3,200 in 2023
20
Passive house standards met by 35% of new residential builds in 2023
21
Residential demolition and rebuild projects totaled 2,100 in 2023
22
Carinthia's residential floor space added 450,000 m² in 2023
23
Smart home tech integration in new residences hit 28% in 2023
Interpretation
Residential Sector Interpretation
Austria's construction scene is like a meticulous Viennese waltz: the steps are getting greener, tighter, and more expensive, yet somehow they keep building enough to ensure almost no one trips over a vacant new home.
05 · Category
Workforce24 stats
01
In 2023, Austria employed 312,000 people in construction, a 2.8% increase from 2022 with 65% skilled tradespeople
02
The average gross monthly wage in Austrian construction was €3,850 in 2023, 18% above the national average
03
Women comprised 12.5% of the construction workforce in Austria in 2023, up from 10% in 2018
04
Apprenticeships in construction numbered 28,400 in 2023, representing 9.1% of total workforce
05
Labor shortage in Austrian construction affected 45% of firms in 2023, needing 25,000 more workers
06
Average working hours in construction were 39.2 per week in 2023, highest among sectors
07
Foreign workers made up 22% of construction employment in 2023, mainly from Eastern Europe
08
Construction unemployment rate in Austria was 3.1% in 2023, below national 5.2%
09
Training expenditure per employee in construction averaged €1,200 in 2023, 25% above average
10
Part-time workers in construction rose to 8.3% in 2023 from 6.5% in 2020
11
Safety incident rate in construction was 4.2 per 1,000 workers in 2023, down 12% YoY
12
Union membership in construction stood at 38% in 2023, highest in manufacturing sectors
13
Age distribution: 25% of construction workers under 30 in 2023, addressing youth influx
14
Overtime hours averaged 4.1 per week in construction in 2023
15
Digital skills training covered 35% of workforce in 2023, up 20% from 2021
16
Migrant integration programs trained 5,200 construction workers in 2023
17
Employee turnover rate in construction was 11.5% in 2023, lower than hospitality's 18%
18
Sick leave days averaged 12.3 per worker in 2023, impacted by seasonal work
19
Remote work adoption in construction offices was 15% in 2023
20
Wage growth in construction was 5.7% in 2023, outpacing inflation by 1.2%
21
Firms with over 50 employees had 72% automation in admin roles in 2023
22
Youth unemployment in construction dropped to 8.4% in 2023 from 12% in 2021
23
Pensioner re-entry into construction workforce was 4,200 in 2023
24
Gender pay gap in construction narrowed to 14.2% in 2023
Interpretation
Workforce Interpretation
Austria's construction industry is impressively busy, with high wages and low unemployment, yet it's still struggling with a severe labor shortage and trying to build itself a more diverse, skilled, and digitally savvy future—one brick, apprentice, and female tradesperson at a time.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Austria Construction Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/austria-construction-industry-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Austria Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/austria-construction-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Austria Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/austria-construction-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
72 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level