Jonathan Jones

Jonathan Jones

Jonathan Jones is a senior researcher and data journalist for Construction Coverage. He received his J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and has degrees in philosophy and political science from UCLA. When Jon is not researching real estate and public policy, he likes to fix up old cars and work on home improvement projects.
Construction worker

The Best-Paying Cities for Construction Workers

Despite rising material costs, a tight labor market, and stubborn inflation, construction workers’ wages are climbing faster than most industries—a 15% pay boost in just two years, more than double the increase across all occupations. These are the best-paying metros and states for construction workers in 2025.

Suburban home

The Best U.S. Cities to Find a Starter Home

While conditions are challenging for new home buyers everywhere, some parts of the U.S. are more favorable than others. These are the best U.S. metros and states to find a new starter home.

Union

The Most Unionized Cities in America

Union membership in the U.S. has declined sharply over the past several decades. However, union participation remains strong in certain parts of the country. These are the cities with the highest union membership rates.

Financial stress

U.S. Cities Most Impacted by High Interest Rates

The estimated monthly mortgage payment for a median-priced U.S. home is nearly 60% higher today than it was just three years ago. These are the states and metros who have been most impacted by high interest rates.

Suburban home

Homebuyers in These U.S. Cities Get the Best Mortgage Rates

As the cost of homeownership continues to grow out of reach for many Americans, mortgage interest rates have become a central concern for both homebuyers and policymakers. These are the U.S. locations where buyers are getting the best mortgage rates.

Bad road

U.S. States With the Worst Roads

Despite their critical role in the economy and ensuring access to jobs, schools, and health care, roadways across the U.S. are aging fast. These are the states with the most major roadways in poor condition, and the states that have seen improvements in their infrastructure.

Suburban home

Cities With the Highest Home Price-to-Income Ratios

Housing is the largest regular expenditure for most households, so the failure of wages to keep up with housing prices can make housing costs even more expensive in real dollars. To find the locations with the highest home price-to-income ratios, researchers ranked locations by the median home price divided by the median annual household income.

Suburban home

Cities Where It’s Cheaper to Buy Than Rent

Buying a home used to be the financially savvy move—but that’s no longer the case for many would-be buyers in America. With mortgage rates more than doubling since 2021 and home prices still sitting at historic highs, renting has become the more affordable choice in most markets.

Black man thinking

American Cities With the Largest Minority Homeownership Gap

The Black-White homeownership gap is wider in the U.S. today than it was in the 1960s, when it was legal to refuse to sell a home to someone because of their race. Overall, the gap between White homeownership and all minorities has exceeded 20 percentage points for more than two decades. This report examines where in the U.S. this gap continues to be most pronounced.

Cellular tower repair

The Fastest-Growing Jobs in Construction

Recent projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) suggest that construction employment will continue to grow at a rate exceeding the national average over the next decade. These are the fastest-growing jobs in construction.

Single-family home

The Most Stable U.S. Housing Markets

Analyzing home price trends since 2000, researchers ranked states and major metros based on the likelihood that a random homebuyer would have experienced a price drop greater than 5% following their purchase.

Suburban home

The Hottest Real Estate Markets in the U.S.

2025 is shaping up to be a year of renewed momentum in real estate: despite elevated mortgage rates and home prices, demand is rebounding—and some markets are emerging as standouts amid these new dynamics. These are the locations with the hottest real estate markets in 2025.

Female construction worker

Cities With the Most Women in Construction

Construction has long been a male-dominated field. And while there is still a long way to go to achieve proportional representation, the share of female employment in construction has been increasing in recent years. These are the states with the most female construction workers.