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.
Suburban home

Cities Where It’s Cheaper to Buy Than Rent

For many years, the typical monthly costs of buying a home were well below typical rents in the U.S. But as of November 2023, the typical monthly payment for a home in the U.S. was more than 22% higher than the typical monthly rent. Researchers compared the cost of buying a home now with renting one in over 300 U.S. cities and ranked locations accordingly.
Plumber

The Best-Paying Cities for Plumbers

Nationally, plumbers earn about 30% more than the typical worker—but more localized data shows a highly regional industry. We ranked U.S. states and metros according to the median annual wage for plumbers, adjusted for the cost of living.
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.
Electrician

These U.S. Cities Need More Electricians

The U.S. is increasingly moving towards electrification—replacing technologies that use fossil fuels with those that use electricity. Not only are private sector companies like Tesla pushing for the adoption of electric technologies to replace those that use greenhouse gas-emitting energy…

Solar panel installer

Best-Paying U.S. Cities for Solar Panel Installers in 2023

Due to the increased cost of non-renewable energy sources like oil, gas, and coal, heating bills have reached their highest level in 10 years. Energy sources continue to be limited by economic and political conditions, such as OPEC+ cutting oil…

Bad road

U.S. States With the Worst Roads [2023 Edition]

Roadways are a vital component of infrastructure in the United States. The vast majority of goods are transported by truck, highlighting the economy’s need for reliable roadways to connect supply chains and move goods and services efficiently across borders. Most…

Signature

U.S. Cities With the Largest Rise in Down Payments During COVID

After a record-setting surge in home prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, the cooling of the real estate market seems to have fully set in. Mortgage rates doubled over the course of 2022 as the U.S. Federal Reserve raised interest rates…

Handyman

American Cities With the Most Mechanically-Inclined Workers in 2023

As concerns over climate change continue to grow, there has been a sustained effort towards electrification, or the process of replacing technologies that use fossil fuels (including coal, oil, and natural gas) with technologies that use electricity for energy. States…

Single-family home

The Most Stable U.S. Housing Markets [2023 Edition]

The red-hot pandemic housing market has finally cooled in recent months. Due to actions by the Federal Reserve to combat inflation, mortgage rates have more than doubled from the historic lows seen in 2021. As a result, home sales have…

Home for sale

American Cities With the Largest Drop in Home Sales in 2022

The housing market is entering the traditionally quieter winter season, but recent indicators suggest that the market has already been slowing in the last few months. New listings, pending sales, and prices are all on the decline, signs of rapid…

Welder

The Best-Paying American Cities for Welders in 2022

In recent years, policymakers and economic experts have embraced efforts to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. From the “America First” trade deals in the Trump Administration to historic investments in domestic manufacturing under the Biden Administration, industrial…

Woodworker

Best-Paying U.S. States for Woodworkers in 2022

The last few years have brought rising demand for housing construction, home improvement projects, and durable goods. But amid supply chain challenges and an unusual labor market since the COVID-19 pandemic began, construction and related businesses have had a hard…