From skyscrapers shaping urban skylines to the foundations of our daily lives, the construction industry is not just building our future—it's employing millions of people around the globe, a fact underscored by record-setting U.S. employment and the sector's significant workforce shares worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- In the United States, construction employment reached 8,017,000 in September 2024, marking a record high with a 4.2% year-over-year increase
- The European Union's construction sector employed 14.2 million people in 2023, representing 6.3% of total EU employment
- India's construction industry employed over 76 million workers in 2023, accounting for 14% of the national workforce
- In California, USA, construction employment was 927,000 in August 2024, the highest among states
- Texas construction jobs totaled 834,000 in August 2024, driven by infrastructure and housing booms
- Florida's construction sector employed 612,000 in August 2024, up 5.1% year-over-year
- Residential construction subsector in the US employed 4.1 million in September 2024, 51% of total construction jobs
- Nonresidential building construction in US had 1.15 million employees in September 2024
- Heavy and civil engineering construction employed 1.02 million in US September 2024
- In US construction, men comprised 88.9% of employees in 2023, with women at 11.1%
- US construction workers aged 25-54 made up 65.2% of the workforce in 2023
- Hispanic or Latino workers held 34.1% of US construction jobs in 2023, highest ethnicity share
- US construction employment grew 3.8% year-over-year to September 2024, adding 296,000 jobs
- EU construction employment increased 1.2% from 2022 to 2023, recovering post-COVID
- India construction jobs grew 8.5% annually from 2018-2023, projected to add 10 million by 2027
Construction employment is hitting record highs globally despite varied growth patterns.
Demographic Characteristics
- In US construction, men comprised 88.9% of employees in 2023, with women at 11.1%
- US construction workers aged 25-54 made up 65.2% of the workforce in 2023
- Hispanic or Latino workers held 34.1% of US construction jobs in 2023, highest ethnicity share
- White non-Hispanic construction employees were 50.3% in US 2023
- Average age of US construction workers was 42.7 years in 2023, older than all industries average of 41.9
- EU construction gender pay gap was 12.5% in 2022, with women earning less
- In India, 90% of construction workers were male in 2023, mostly migrants aged 25-45
- China's construction workforce was 95% male in 2022, average age 39 years
- Australia construction had 12.5% female participation in 2024, up from 10% in 2019
- UK construction ethnicity: 85% white, 8% Asian in 2024
- Canada construction workers: 14% women, 25% visible minorities in 2023
- Germany's construction average worker age was 45.2 years in 2023, facing shortages
- Japan construction had 15% workers over 60 years old in 2023
- Brazil construction informal workers 70% under 35, mostly male
- Mexico construction 92% male, 40% indigenous ethnicity in 2024
Demographic Characteristics Interpretation
While the global construction industry is trying to build a more diverse future, the current blueprint is still overwhelmingly drawn by men in their prime working years, often from specific ethnic backgrounds, proving that progress on-site is often poured one careful bucket at a time.
Regional Variations
- In California, USA, construction employment was 927,000 in August 2024, the highest among states
- Texas construction jobs totaled 834,000 in August 2024, driven by infrastructure and housing booms
- Florida's construction sector employed 612,000 in August 2024, up 5.1% year-over-year
- New York state had 410,000 construction workers in August 2024, focused on urban projects
- In the EU's Germany region, construction employment was 3.7 million in 2023, with Bavaria leading at 450,000
- UK's London area construction employment reached 250,000 in 2024, 11% of national total
- India's Maharashtra state had 8.5 million construction workers in 2023, largest in the country
- Brazil's São Paulo region employed 450,000 formal construction workers in 2024
- Australia's New South Wales construction jobs were 320,000 in 2024, up 3.2%
- Canada's Ontario province had 520,000 construction employees in 2024, 34% of national total
- China's Guangdong province construction employment was 7.2 million in 2022, leading the nation
- Mexico's Mexico City metro area had 250,000 construction jobs in 2024
- South Africa's Gauteng province employed 350,000 in construction in 2023, 40% of national
- France's Île-de-France region construction workers numbered 380,000 in 2023
- Italy's Lombardy region had 280,000 construction employees in 2023
Regional Variations Interpretation
California may hold the American hammer with 927,000 jobs, but the global blueprint reveals a scale of human ambition, from Guangdong's 7.2 million workers to Maharashtra's 8.5 million, where continents are literally built by the millions.
Sector-Specific Employment
- Residential construction subsector in the US employed 4.1 million in September 2024, 51% of total construction jobs
- Nonresidential building construction in US had 1.15 million employees in September 2024
- Heavy and civil engineering construction employed 1.02 million in US September 2024
- Specialty trade contractors in US construction totaled 1.73 million jobs in September 2024
- In EU, building construction employed 9.8 million in 2023, while civil engineering had 4.4 million
- India's residential construction subsector had 45 million workers in 2023, 59% of total
- China's infrastructure construction employed 25 million in 2022, half of sector total
- Australia's residential building construction jobs were 450,000 in 2024, 37% of total
- UK non-housing construction employed 1.2 million in 2024, 55% of sector
- Canada's heavy construction subsector had 280,000 jobs in 2024
- Germany's building completion employment was 2.1 million in 2023
- Japan's civil engineering construction workers numbered 2.3 million in 2023, 45% of total
- Brazil's infrastructure projects employed 1.2 million in 2024, 43% of formal construction
- Mexico's residential specialty trades had 500,000 workers in 2024
- France civil engineering construction employed 450,000 in 2023
- Italy's building construction subsector had 1.4 million jobs in 2023
- Spain specialty trade contractors employed 650,000 in 2024, 50% of construction total
Sector-Specific Employment Interpretation
The world is quite literally building its future, but in vastly different rooms: while the US and EU meticulously add extensions, India and China are pouring the foundation for entire new wings.
Total Employment
- In the United States, construction employment reached 8,017,000 in September 2024, marking a record high with a 4.2% year-over-year increase
- The European Union's construction sector employed 14.2 million people in 2023, representing 6.3% of total EU employment
- India's construction industry employed over 76 million workers in 2023, accounting for 14% of the national workforce
- China's construction sector had 52.5 million employed workers in 2022, down slightly from 53.1 million in 2021 due to economic shifts
- Australia's construction employment stood at 1.23 million in June 2024, comprising 9.1% of total employment
- Brazil's construction industry employed 2.8 million formally in Q2 2024, with informal estimates pushing it to 5.5 million total
- Canada's construction employment was 1.51 million in September 2024, up 2.8% from the previous year
- Germany's construction sector employed 3.7 million people in 2023, or 8.5% of the workforce
- Japan's construction employment totaled 5.1 million in 2023, representing 7.2% of total employment amid labor shortages
- Mexico's construction industry had 866,000 formal employees in Q3 2024, with total estimates at 3.2 million including informal
- South Korea's construction workers numbered 1.98 million in 2023, down 1.5% due to aging workforce issues
- United Kingdom construction employment was 2.2 million in mid-2024, accounting for 6.4% of total jobs
- France's construction sector employed 1.45 million in 2023, or 5.2% of the economy's workforce
- Italy had 2.1 million construction workers in 2023, facing a shortage of 200,000 skilled laborers
- Spain's construction employment recovered to 1.3 million in 2024, up 12% from 2020 lows
Total Employment Interpretation
From India's monumental workforce to the EU's towering block of employment, the global construction industry is a bustling scaffold of economic activity, though each nation seems to be either desperately hunting for more workers or nervously watching its ladder wobble.
Trend and Growth Data
- US construction employment grew 3.8% year-over-year to September 2024, adding 296,000 jobs
- EU construction employment increased 1.2% from 2022 to 2023, recovering post-COVID
- India construction jobs grew 8.5% annually from 2018-2023, projected to add 10 million by 2027
- China construction employment declined 1.2% in 2022 after peaking in 2021 at 53.1 million
- Australia construction employment rose 2.1% in 2024, driven by housing shortage
- Brazil formal construction jobs increased 4.7% in Q2 2024 vs Q2 2023
- Canada construction added 45,000 jobs year-over-year to September 2024, growth of 3.1%
- Germany construction employment stable at 3.7 million in 2023, but hours worked down 0.5%
- Japan construction jobs fell 2.3% from 2022 to 2023 amid demographic decline
- UK construction employment up 1.8% in 2024, adding 40,000 jobs despite inflation pressures
- US construction added 264,000 jobs over past 12 months to August 2024
- EU construction employment rose from 13.8 million in 2020 to 14.2 million in 2023, CAGR 1.0%
- India's construction workforce expanded from 71 million in 2020 to 76 million in 2023
- China construction peak employment 53.7 million in 2019, down to 52.5 million in 2022
- Australia construction jobs up 15,000 or 1.2% in Q2 2024 quarter-on-quarter
- Brazil construction employment growth slowed to 2.1% in 2023 from 5.3% in 2022
- Canada construction growth 4.2% year-to-date through September 2024
- Germany construction added 50,000 jobs in 2023 despite economic headwinds
- Japan construction employment down 150,000 from 2019 peak to 2023
- UK construction output up 1.9% but employment growth lagged at 0.8% in 2024
Trend and Growth Data Interpretation
While the U.S. builds, Europe slowly recovers, India's growth surges, and China's market shrinks, the global construction sector appears to be following the blueprints of each nation's unique economic climate and demographic destiny.
Sources & References
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