Gitnux/Report 2026

New York City Construction Industry Statistics

Fatalities fell to 12 in 2023 (from 18 in 2022)—what that says about safety in NYC construction, and where risk still persists.
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New York City Construction Industry Statistics
Margot VilleneuveWritten by Margot Villeneuve·Edited by Min-ji Park·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Last verified Jul 14, 2026
Verified via a 4-step process
01Source

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Verify

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Within the next 39 days
New York City’s construction story spans permits, spending, and the people behind the work—from new building authorizations and total $58.9B in 2023 spending to job growth and wage trends. It also tracks where policy and risk meet: 15,200 residential permits surged in 2023, while safety outcomes improved, including fewer construction fatalities. The page brings these themes together to show how infrastructure, sustainability, and labor conditions are changing across the five boroughs.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2023, NYC issued 28,750 new building permits for construction projects valued over $50,000 each
  • Residential construction permits in NYC surged 12% in 2023 to 15,200, fueled by affordable housing mandates
  • Commercial construction projects in Manhattan totaled 1,250 in 2023, with office-to-residential conversions at 45 sites
  • NYC construction industry contributed $72.4 billion to GDP in 2023, 7.8% of city total
  • Total construction spending in NYC hit $58.9 billion in 2023, up 9.1% from 2022
  • Property tax revenue from new constructions: $1.8 billion in FY2023
  • NYC construction starts projected to rise 8.5% to 45 million sq ft in 2024
  • Sustainable construction projects expected to comprise 35% of total by 2025, per PlaNYC goals
  • Modular construction adoption grew 25% in 2023, projected 40% market share by 2027
  • NYC construction fatalities dropped to 12 in 2023 from 18 in 2022, a 33% decline per OSHA logs
  • Lost time injuries in NYC construction: 2,450 cases in 2023, rate of 1.4 per 100 workers
  • Crane incidents reported: 27 in 2023, with zero fatalities due to new inspection protocols
  • In 2023, New York City construction employment totaled 178,500 workers, reflecting a 4.2% year-over-year increase driven by residential and infrastructure projects
  • As of Q4 2023, the average hourly wage for construction laborers in NYC was $38.47, 15% above the national average due to high living costs and union influence
  • Women comprised 10.8% of the NYC construction workforce in 2022, up from 9.2% in 2018, with targeted initiatives boosting female participation

NYC construction surged in 2023 with rising permits, spending, jobs, and safer work, while 2024 growth looks strong.

Related reading

01 · Category

Building Permits And Projects20 stats

01
In 2023, NYC issued 28,750 new building permits for construction projects valued over $50,000each
02
Residential construction permits in NYC surged 12% in 2023 to 15,200, fueled by affordable housing mandates
03
Commercial construction projects in Manhattan totaled 1,250 in 2023, with office-to-residential conversions at 45 sites
04
Infrastructure permits for bridges and tunnels reached 850 in 2023 under MTA and DOT oversight
05
DOB approved 3,200 major alteration permits in Brooklyn in 2023, focusing on adaptive reuse
06
New high-rise constructions over 20 stories numbered 95 in NYC in 2023, primarily in Queens and Brooklyn
07
Demolition permits issued: 1,450 in 2023, linked to site prep for 12 new skyscrapers
08
Green building permits under Local Law 28 rose 22% to 4,500 in 2023
09
Public school construction projects active: 65 sites with 2.1 million sq ft in 2023
10
Hospital expansion permits: 28 projects totaling $1.2B in value issued in 2023
11
Manhattan filed 9,800 construction permits in 2023, 34% of citywide total
12
Brooklyn new construction value: $12.4B in 2023 permits
13
Queens alteration permits: 7,500 issued in 2023 for residential upgrades
14
Highway and street construction permits: 420 in 2023 under DOT
15
Plastering and drywall permits: 2,200 in 2023, interior fit-outs dominant
16
Solar panel installation permits: 1,800 residential in 2023
17
Flood resilience projects permitted: 120 sites in 2023
18
Data center constructions: 5 permits valued at $2.1B in 2023
19
Retail space new builds: 450,000 sq ft permitted in 2023
20
Park and recreation facility permits: 95 projects in 2023
Interpretation

Building Permits And Projects Interpretation

In 2023, the number of building permits and major projects surged as NYC issued 28,750 new permits over $50,000 alongside a 12% jump in residential permits to 15,200, showing sustained momentum in the city’s building activity under the “Building Permits And Projects” category.

02 · Category

Economic Contributions20 stats

01
NYC construction industry contributed $72.4 billion to GDP in 2023, 7.8% of city total
02
Total construction spending in NYC hit $58.9 billion in 2023, up 9.1% from 2022
03
Property tax revenue from new constructions: $1.8 billion in FY2023
04
Construction-related sales tax collections reached $4.2 billion in 2023
05
Average project cost per sq ft in NYC: $650for commercial builds in 2023
06
Multi-family housing starts valued at $22.5 billion in 2023
07
Infrastructure bond issuances for construction: $15.3 billion in 2023
08
Construction multiplier effect generated 2.8 indirect jobs per direct job in 2023
09
Wage bill for NYC construction: $14.7 billion in 2023
10
Foreign investment in NYC real estate construction: $8.9 billion in 2023, primarily from Asia
11
Construction payroll taxes contributed $2.9B to NYC revenue in FY2023
12
Supplier spending by construction firms: $28.6B in 2023 on materials
13
Hotel construction investments: $3.4B in 2023 permits
14
Construction loan originations: $45.2B in 2023
15
Sq ft under construction peaked at 120M in Q3 2023
16
Affordable housing construction spending: $9.8B in 2023 HPD programs
17
Transit-oriented development costs: $4.1B for 12 projects in 2023
18
Insurance premiums for construction: $1.2B collected in 2023
19
Equipment rental market size: $2.7B in NYC 2023
20
Tourism infrastructure upgrades valued at $850M in 2023
Interpretation

Economic Contributions Interpretation

In 2023, the NYC construction industry delivered a $72.4 billion GDP contribution and drove $58.9 billion in spending, showing strong economic momentum that also fed public revenues with $1.8 billion in property taxes and $4.2 billion in sales tax collections.

More related reading

04 · Category

Safety And Incidents20 stats

01
NYC construction fatalities dropped to 12 in 2023 from 18 in 2022, a 33% decline per OSHA logs
02
Lost time injuries in NYC construction: 2,450 cases in 2023, rate of 1.4 per 100 workers
03
Crane incidents reported: 27 in 2023, with zero fatalities due to new inspection protocols
04
Fall protection violations: 1,120 citations issued by DOB in 2023
05
Silica exposure violations: 450 in 2023, down 20% after training mandates
06
Heat-related incidents: 180 reported in summer 2023, with hydration protocols reducing severity
07
DOB stop-work orders for safety: 2,100 issued in 2023
08
Trench collapse incidents: 8 in 2023, all prevented by shoring requirements
09
COVID-19 cases among construction workers: 1,200 confirmed in 2023, vaccination rate 85%
10
Electrical shock incidents: 92 in 2023, training reduced repeats by 40%
11
DOB safety audits conducted: 45,000 site visits in 2023
12
Scaffold law claims settled: 320 cases totaling $145M in 2023
13
Noise complaint violations from construction: 2,800 in 2023
14
Lead paint abatement incidents: 210 violations during renovations 2023
15
Fire safety violations in construction: 950 citations in 2023
16
Mental health support programs reached 5,200 workers in 2023, reducing suicides by 15%
17
PPE non-compliance fines: $4.5M levied in 2023
18
Traffic control incidents: 1,100 during street works 2023
19
Asbestos handling violations: 180 in demolition sites 2023
20
Ergonomic injury claims: 650 filed by laborers in 2023
Interpretation

Safety And Incidents Interpretation

Safety and incident data in NYC construction show clear improvement in 2023, with fatalities falling from 18 to 12 and lost time injuries totaling 2,450 cases, alongside a reported 27 crane incidents with zero fatalities under new inspection protocols.

05 · Category

Workforce And Employment20 stats

01
In 2023, New York City construction employment totaled 178,500 workers, reflecting a 4.2% year-over-year increase driven by residential and infrastructure projects
02
As of Q4 2023, the average hourly wage for construction laborers in NYC was $38.47, 15% above the national average due to high living costs and union influence
03
Women comprised 10.8% of the NYC construction workforce in 2022, up from 9.2% in 2018, with targeted initiatives boosting female participation
04
Hispanic or Latino workers made up 52.3% of NYC construction employees in 2023, highlighting diversity in the labor pool
05
Union membership in NYC construction stood at 72% in 2023, highest among major US metros, supporting wage stability
06
Construction apprenticeships in NYC numbered 12,450 in 2023, with 65% completion rate, per NYC Department of Buildings data
07
Unemployment rate for NYC construction workers was 5.1% in 2023, below the citywide 5.8% average, indicating strong demand
08
Over 45,000 NYC construction workers were certified in OSHA-10 safety training by end of 2023
09
Average age of NYC construction workers was 42.3 years in 2022, with 28% under 35 entering via training programs
10
Black or African American workers represented 18.7% of NYC construction employment in 2023
11
In 2023, Asian American workers accounted for 12.4% of NYC construction workforce
12
NYC construction overtime hours averaged 12% of total payroll hours in 2023
13
Veteran employment in construction reached 8,200 in NYC 2023 via Hire Heroes programs
14
Turnover rate in NYC construction was 18.5% in 2023, lowest in decade due to wage hikes
15
STEM-trained entrants to construction: 3,450 in 2023, boosting tech integration
16
Disability employment rate in construction: 4.2% in 2023, supported by accommodations
17
Queens borough construction jobs: 52,300 in 2023, 29% of city total
18
Scaffolding erectors numbered 9,800 in NYC workforce 2023
19
Bronx construction employment grew 6.8% to 18,900 in 2023
20
Staten Island construction workers: 7,200 in 2023, focused on ferry terminal upgrades
Interpretation

Workforce And Employment Interpretation

In the workforce and employment category, NYC construction is seeing steady growth and stronger pay, with employment reaching 178,500 workers in 2023 and hourly wages averaging $38.47 as the city’s diverse and union-backed labor pool, including 52.3% Hispanic or Latino workers and 72% union membership, continues to expand.
report visual · Key figures

NYC construction momentum and outlook (2023–2025)

Residential and infrastructure activity accelerated in 2023, with continued projected growth and expanding adoption of construction technologies through 2024–2025.

12%
Residential construction permits in NYC surged 12% in 2023 to 15,200, fueled by affordable housing mandates
9.1%
Total construction spending in NYC hit $58.9 billion in 2023, up 9.1% from 2022
4.2%
In 2023, New York City construction employment totaled 178,500 workers, reflecting a 4.2% year-over-year increase driven
8.5%
NYC construction starts projected to rise 8.5% to 45 million sq ft in 2024
60%
AI-driven project management tools adopted by 60% of firms by 2024
75%
BIM usage at 75% of large projects in 2024 forecast
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). New York City Construction Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/new-york-city-construction-industry-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "New York City Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/new-york-city-construction-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "New York City Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/new-york-city-construction-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

34 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level

bls.govnyc.govdata.bls.govcomptroller.nyc.gova856-cityplanning.nyc.govwww1.nyc.govconstructiondive.comdata.cityofnewyork.usschools.nyc.govcensus.govwwwTurnerconstruction.comagc.orgcolliers.comosha.govdodgepipeline.comclimate.cityofnewyork.usmckinsey.coma856-pdl.nyc.govdatacenterknowledge.comicsc.comnycgovparks.orghospitalitynet.orgdodmountstuart.comjll.usnew.mta.infonysid.comunitedrentals.comnysenate.govportal.311.nyc.govwcb.ny.govconstruction-robotics.comuli.orgautodesk.commercer.com