Contractors had 246,000 open positions to fill at the end of June, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, analyzed by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). While that’s an increase of 14,000 openings from May, it’s still 39,000 fewer than at the same time last year.
While open positions are rising, the overall share of unfilled construction jobs remains low compared to recent years — and hiring continues to trend downward.
“Hiring during the first half of 2025 was the slowest start to a year we've seen since 2000,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “While layoffs remain historically low, the data suggests that demand for labor is softening, especially in the residential sector.”
Despite the slowdown, employment in nonresidential construction appears more stable. According to ABC’s latest Construction Confidence Index, fewer than 14% of surveyed contractors expect to reduce staffing in the second half of the year.
That optimism points to continued job growth in the commercial and industrial segments, even as residential construction faces headwinds. Contractors in those markets may still find opportunities to expand their teams in the latter half of 2025.
