Category Research

Browse reports prepared by our research team on the construction industry. We use data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, among other sources, to provide readers with up-to-date data and statistics relevant to the construction industry.

Employment | Wages | Residential Construction | Homebuyers | Mortgages

Apartment buidling

U.S. Cities With the Biggest Change in Rent Prices

More than half of all U.S. states have seen rent grow by double-digit percentages. At the metro level, the pace of rent changes can be even more stark. These are the locations with the biggest increases in median rent from 2024 to 2025.
Suburban home

Cities With the Largest Increase in Home Prices Over the Last Decade

Over the past decade, which has included recoveries from both the Great Recession and the COVID-19 recession, U.S. home values grew by more than 95%. To find the locations with the largest increases, researchers analyzed Zillow data and compared median home prices in 2024 to 2014.
New construction

Cities Where You’re Most Likely to Find a Newly-Built Home

The median age of a home in the U.S. is now over 40 years old, underscoring the need for both renovation of existing properties and the construction of new ones to meet growing demand. These are the locations with the most newly-built homes.
Senior couple

Baby Boomer-Dominant Housing Markets

While baby boomers comprise just over 20% of the U.S. population, they account for more than 37% of homeowners nationwide. However, baby boomer homeownership rates vary across local and state markets. Researchers calculated the percentage of owner-occupied households that are headed by baby boomers, then ranked locations accordingly.
Mortgage refinance application

U.S. Cities With the Most Mortgage Refinances

Refinancing a mortgage can help reduce monthly payments or provide some much needed liquidity, but the proportion of households that refinance their mortgage varies considerably across the country. Our researchers ranked U.S. states and metros according to the number of mortgage refinances originated in 2023 per 1,000 households with a mortgage.
Senior homebuyers

American Cities With the Oldest Homebuyers

A growing number of Americans are opting to age in place or downsize—creating even more competition for younger buyers in an already challenging post-pandemic real estate market. While buyers over 55 years old account for 21.2% of all homebuyers nationally, the numbers vary widely by location.
For rent sign

U.S. Cities With the Highest Rent Prices

12 states now have median market rents exceeding $2,000 per month, an increase from nine states last year. These are the states and metros with the highest rent prices in the nation.
Suburban homes

American Cities With the Biggest Seasonal Changes in Home Prices

Though predictable overall—with home prices often rising in the spring and summer, and demand typically softening in the fall and winter—some housing markets see much greater seasonal changes in home prices than others. These are the locations with the largest seasonal changes in home prices.
Multi-family construction

U.S. Cities Building the Most Multi-Family Housing

Multi-family housing plays a crucial role in bolstering housing availability in states with substantial urban populations. Nationally, approximately 29% of the current housing stock falls under the multi-family category, although this figure exhibits significant regional disparities. Looking at new units authorized by building permits in 2023, researchers identified the states and metros building the most multi-family housing.
Young homeowners

Cities With the Most Homebuyers Under 25

Some U.S. locations prove more favorable to young adults seeking homeownership than others. We calculated the share of all home purchase loans taken out by applicants under 25 years old in 2023, then ranked metros and states accordingly.
Home improvement

U.S. Cities Investing the Most in Home Improvements

Investing in home improvements varies by location due to factors such as cost of living, local economic conditions, and the housing market. Our researchers ranked U.S. states and metros according to the number of home improvement loans taken out per 1,000 owner-occupied households.
Electrician

The Best-Paying U.S. Cities for Electricians

Demand for electricians will grow nearly 3X faster than the overall job growth rate in the coming years, as more of the nation's energy infrastructure transitions to renewable sources. These are the best-paying U.S. states and metros for electricians.
Manufactured housing

U.S. States Investing Most in Manufactured Housing

The average cost per square foot of a manufactured home is $87, roughly half the $166 cost per square foot of a site-built home. For lower- and middle-income families, this more affordable option has significant appeal. Our researchers identified the U.S. states investing the most manufactured housing.