Hispanics Comprise Nearly One-Third of the Construction Labor Force

Diversifying the construction labor force remains a key priority amid persistent skilled labor shortages. According to the 2023 American Community Survey, non-Hispanic White workers still account for the majority of the construction industry at 57%. Hispanic workers now represent nearly one-third of the labor force at 32%, followed by non-Hispanic Black workers at 5% and non-Hispanic Asian workers at 1.8%. 

The most notable trend in construction labor force has been the steady rise of Hispanic participation. Between 2010 and 2023, the number of Hispanic workers in construction increased from 2.5 million to almost 3.8 million. Over the same period, their share of the labor force climbed from 23.6% to 32%, meaning that nearly one in three construction workers today is Hispanic. 

Hispanics workers comprise a larger share in the construction than the broader economy, making up 31.9% of the construction labor force compared with 19.2 % across all industries. Non-Hispanic White workers account for 57.5% of the construction labor force, about the same as their share across all industries at 58.3%. Black and Asian workers, by contrast, remain underrepresented in construction.

The share of Hispanic workers varies widely across states. In Maine, only 1% of workers in construction are Hispanic, while in New Mexico, Texas, California, and Nevada, more than half the construction labor force is Hispanic. Overall, Hispanic construction workers are most concentrated in the South and West, where Hispanic populations are larger. Just three states—Texas with 803,000 workers, California with 772,000, and Florida with 374,000—together employ 52% of the nation’s Hispanic construction labor force. New Mexico leads in proportional terms, with 64% of its construction labor force identifying as Hispanic, followed by Texas at 61% and California at 59%. 

In the Northeast, the construction industry remains dominated by non-Hispanic White workers. In New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, they account for more than 90% of the labor force. Non-Hispanic Black workers make up only 5% of construction labor force nationwide, compared with nearly 12% across all industries, though their shares are much higher in Mississippi at 18%, Louisiana at 17%, and Maryland at 14%. Non-Hispanic Asian workers account for less than 2% of the construction labor force overall, though they are a significant presence in Hawaii, where they comprise 29% of construction labor force.