The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
Construction
and Housing
1946-47
Bulletin No. 941
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
L. B. Schwellenbach, Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Ewan Clague, Commissioner
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C.
Price 25 cents
Letter of Transmittal
U nited States D epartment op L abor,
B ureau op L abor Statistics,
Washington, D. June 4,1948.
The Secretary op L abor:
I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on construction activity
and employment for the years 1946 and 1947. This report, which was
prepared by the staff of the Branch of Construction Statistics, presents
through the analysis of data gathered by that Branch the story of the
postwar revival of the construction industry.
The planning and major part of the text preparation for the report was
done by Dorothy Newman, assisted by Adela Stucke. The statistical data
and analyses were prepared under the direction of Henry F. Haase and
Edward M. Gordon.
E wan Claque, Commissioner.
Hon. L. B. SCHWELLENBACH,
Secretary oj Labor.
n
Preface
This report provides detailed statistics describing the shifts and trends in con
struction activity after World War II, and a brief interpretation of the reasons be
hind them. It is the latest of a series of yearly bulletins on construction which the
Bureau of Labor Statistics has been publishing since 1921.
The figures in earlier years covered only building construction in the largest cities.
Considerable expansion in the Bureau’s construction statistics program has occurred
during the past decade, so that figures are now available for building construction in
the urban areas of the country as a whole and in about 2,500 cities. Estimates of ex
penditures for all of the major types of construction, nonbuilding as well as building,
are prepared in cooperation with the United States Department of Commerce. In
addition, special statistics are now provided on the volume of Federal construction,
on the characteristics and kinds of labor involved in construction work, on construction
employment, and on homebuilding.
In recent years, because of the critical housing problem and the importance of
homebuilding in the total construction picture, the Bureau has paid special attention
to developing and improving its statistics on the volume of nonfarm housing. Data
on housing in the present bulletin incorporate the latest refinements in statistical
method that have been devised by the Bureau’s Branch of Construction Statistics and
reflect the results of special housing surveys conducted after the war. The text deals
in some detail with the progress of postwar housing construction, relating the develop
ments in activity to economic and regulatory changes.
m
Contents
Postwar construction expenditures:
Pax«
Volume of new construction________________________________________________________
1
Monthly trend____________________________________________________________________
5
Construction employment:
National trends.-------- -------7
Leading States____________________________________________________________________
9
Geographic shifts__________________________________________________________________
10
Irregularity of construction employment.........................
12
Comparative labor requirements:
Different kinds of construction_____________________________________________________
13
Different skills and occupations_____________________________________________________
15
Housing______________________________________________________________________________
16
The urban estimate________________________________________________________________
18
Estimating rural nonfarm housing__________________________________________________
18
Government role in housing effort, 1946-47________________________
18
Reconversion housing program_____________________________________________________
19
Veterans' Emergency Housing Program_____________________________________________
19
Rental housing____________________________________________________________________
22
Housing completions_______________________________________________________________ 25
Shifts in location of new housing____________________________________________________ 25
Housing in local areas_____________________________________________________________
26
Building construction in cities:
31
Volume________________
Location__________________________________________________________________________ 34
Appendix—Supplementary tables:
Value of Federal construction contract awards (tables A -l and A- 2)____ ______________
43
Statistics relating to construction costs (tables A-3 to A-9)___________________________
44
Text Tables
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
—Expenditures for new construction put in place, by type of construction,1915-47-------—Expenditures for new construction put in place, in 1939 prices, by type of construction,
selected years___________________________________________________________________
—Federal expenditures for new construction put in place, by type of construction, 1915-47. .
—Expenditures for new construction put in place, by type of construction, monthly,1946-47.
—Employment by construction contractors, monthly, 1939-47----------------------------------—Employment by construction contractors, compared with nonagricultural employment,
1929-47________________________________________________________________ _______
—Employment by construction contractors, by region and State,1943-47--------------------—Employment by construction contractors, by region and State,quarterly, 1943-47-----—Percentage distribution of male construction workers, classified by regularity of employ
ment and type of employing contractor, 1943-----------------------------------------------—Number of workers required on and off site to put in place new construction, by type of
construction, 1939-47___
—Number of site workers required to put in place new construction, by skill and occupation,
selected years, 1941, 1942, 1946, and 1947--------------------------------------------------------- 16
—Number of new permanent nonfarm dwelling units started, by urban or rural location and
by source of funds, 1920-47________
—Number of new nonfarm dwelling units started, by source of funds and whether permanent
or temporary, 1935-47__________________________________________________________
—Total number of living accommodations provided during the Veterans' Emergency
Housing Program, 1946-47..------—Number and percentage distribution of new permanent nonfarm dwelling units started
in 1-family, 2-family, and multifamily structures, 1920-47-------------------------------------—New urban dwelling units authorized, by type and structure and by city-size class, 194647................................................................................... ......................................- ...............................
2
4
5
6
8
9
10
11
13
14
17
20
21
23
24
v
CONTENTS
VI
Text Tables—Continued
Page
17. —Number of new permanent nonfarm dwelling units started, completed, and under con
struction, monthly,1946-47--------------------------------------------------------------------------------18. —Percent of new permanent nonfarm dwelling units started inside and outside of metro
politan areas, 1946-47___________________________________________________________
19. —New urban dwelling units authorized, by type of structure and by geographic division,
1946-47________ _________ _____________________________________________ ______
20. —New urban dwelling units authorized in each State, by source of funds, 1946-47-------21. —Number of new privately financed nonfarm dwelling units started in some representative
industrial areas and urban counties, 1946 and first 9 months of 1947-----------------------22. —Indexes of the valuation of urban building authorized, by class of construction, 1929-47-23. —Urban building authorized, by source of funds, 1942-47------------------------------ ---------24. —New urban nonresidential building authorized, by general type of building and by region,
1946-47______________________________________________________________ - ..........—
25. —New urban nonresidential building authorized, by type of building and source of funds,
1946-47________ ____ ________________________________ _________________________
26. —Urban building authorized, by region and State and by source of funds, 1946-47-------27. —Urban building authorized, by city-size class and source of funds, 1946-47__________
28. —Cities leading in various types of building construction authorized, 1947__________—
29. —Building construction authorized in cities with 1940 population of 50,000 or more, 1946-47.
25
26
27
28
30
31
32
33
34
36
37
38
39
Appendix Tables
VALUE OF FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AWARDS
A -l.—Value of contracts awarded and force-account work started on federally financed new
construction, by type of construction, 1935-47___________________________________
A-2.—Value of contracts awarded and force-account work started on federally financed new
construction, by region and State, 1943-47______________________________________
43
43
STATISTICS RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION COSTS
A- 3.—Composite index of principal components of construction costs for new private building,
1934-47__________
A-4.—Average weekly hours and average weekly and hourly earnings on private building con
struction, and index numbers, 1934-47__________________________________________
A- 5.—Average weekly hours and average weekly and hourly earnings on private building con
struction, by type of employing contractor, monthly, 1946-47____________________
A- 6.—Average weekly hours and average weekly and hourly earnings on Federal construction,
by type of construction, 1946-47_______________________________________________
A-7.—Average construction cost for new privately financed 1-family dwelling units started,
1940-47_______________________________________________
A- 8.—Percentage distribution of nonfarm 1-family houses started in the second quarter of 1947,
by construction cost class, by type of area, and by region_______________________
A-9.—Percentage distribution of nonfarm 1-family houses started in each of 28 industrial
areas and 21 urban counties, by construction cost class, second quarter of 1947_____
44
44
45
46
47
47
47
Charts
1.—Expenditures for new construction____ ______________________________________________
2.—Employment by construction contractors____________________________________________
3.—Site workers required on new construction___________________________________________
4.—New permanent nonfarm housing, started by type of structure________________________
5.—New permanent nonfarm housing, started urban and rural nonfarm___________________
6. —New urban dwelling units authorized for 1946-47__________________________________
7.—Valuation of urban building authorized.,.___ ______________ ________________________
1
8
15
22
26
29
34
Construction and Housing, 1946-47
Postwar Construction Expenditures
Volume of New Construction
Construction activity launched into the fastest
upswing in its history during the first 2 years
following World War II. Spurred by reconversion
needs of industry and the unusually great demand
for living accommodations, expenditures for new
construction in 1946 were more than double the
amount in 1945. This unprecedented rise was
followed by still another advance in 1947, bringing
to an all-time high the dollar value of new work
put in place in any one year. Record levels were
achieved in the second postwar year not only for
new activity as a whole but for the entire privately
financed segment, and for nonfarm home build
ing, construction on farms, conservation and
development work, and public utilities con
struction (table 1).
Although the actual dollar outlay (almost 14
billion) for new construction in 1947 was the
highest on record, the physical volume (measured
in terms of 1939 dollars) had been exceeded several
times in preceding years (table 2). Since the
construction boom of the 1920’s the highest level
of activity, as measured in constant dollars,
occurred in 1941 and 1942 at the crest of the war
construction program. The total for those years
exceeds the 1947 total by 27 percent and 41
percent, respectively. However, the physical
volume in 1947 was substantially above that of
1940, when the defense program was well under
way, and it was more than 2% times as great as
the depression low in 1933.
Even when deflated to 1939 prices, private ex
penditures for residential building were greater in
1947 than at any time in the previous 18 years.
The volume of private nonresidential building, on
the other hand, was 25 percent under 1946.
Considered in terms of either actual dollar out
lay or physical volume, the construction record
after World War II was impressive in view of
existing conditions. During the war a tremendous
deficit in housing piled up, and billions of dollars
of maintenance work and capital improvements by
business were deferred. At the same time, the
liquid assets of business and individuals were
accumulating. The backlog of consumer needs
and the huge pool of savings at the war’s end
created a demand for new construction out of all
proportion to the supply that could be provided in
the immediate future. War-depleted construc
tion organizations and materials production facili
ties could not be brought into full swing over night.
CHART i
Expenditures for New Construction
1930
1939
1942
1945
1946
1947
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS_________
It took time to plan and organize building projects,
to hire construction workers, and to assemble such
materials as were available.
There was a severe shortage of building mate
rials throughout most of 1946 as the materials
industries struggled to expand to full production
after sinking to a relatively low output in the
later war years. The obstacles to increased
production were many—shortages of raw prod1
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-47
2
ucts, of equipment and repair parts, and of certain
skilled labor. Price increases, priority assistance,
formal regulations and informal agreements, and
premium payments were all used by the Govern
ment to increase output and relieve the more
critical shortages. As a result, the materials
situation began to ease late in 1946.
By that time, however, inflationary pressures
in the construction field were becoming acute.
There developed a reluctance to buy or build in a
rising market.
But the most rapid increase in prices was over
by April 1947. The check in prices, together
with growing awareness by midyear that no
sharp decline could be expected in the near future,
influenced a new spurt in construction activity.
Furthermore, the improvement in materials supply
led to more efficient building operations and
somewhat greater stability of construction costs.
Prospective builders became unwilling to wait
any longer to start much needed new construc
tion, particularly in the housing field.
The high volume of home building was sus
tained also by the availability of liberal Govern
ment financing under the FHA and VA programs.
By midsummer the dollar volume of new construc
tion activity was at record levels, and as 1947 drew
to a close it seemed likely that 1948 would be a
banner year for the industry.
T able 1 .— Expenditures for new construction put in place, by type of construction, 1915-47 1
Type of construction
Total new construction *...................
Private construction............
Residential building (nonfarm)___
Nonresidential building (nonfarm) 8_
Industrial......................................
Commercial_________________
Warehouses, office and loft
buildings............................
Stores, restaurants, and ga
rages....................................
Religious......................................
Educational..................................
Social and recreational...............
Hospital and institutional.........
H otel...........................................
Miscellaneous...............................
Farm construction.............................
Residential...................................
Nonresidential.............................
Public utilities..................................
Railroad........................................
Local transit.................................
Pipeline.........................................
Electric light and power............
Gas________________________
Telephone and telegraph...........
Public construction_______
Residential building. ........................
Nonresidential building *..................
Industrial 5__...............................
Commercial.................................
Public administration................
Educational..................................
Social and recreational...............
Hospital and institutional.........
Miscellaneous...............................
Military and naval facilities.............
Highway.............. ..............................
State..............................................
County..........................................
M unicipal.................................
Federal8........................................
Sewage disposal..................................
Water supply......................................
Miscellaneous public service enter
prises 9...............................................
Conservation and development___
Bureau of Reclamation..............
Army Engineers. ........................
Tennessee Valley Authority___
Other..........-........................
All other public10...............................
See footnotes at end of table.
Expenditures (in millions of dollars)
1947
1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941
13,977
10,893
5,260
3,131
1,702
835
216
619
118
164
92
107
43
70
450
253
197
2,052
318
56
100
611
457
510
3,084
182
505
25
(0 32
275
17
81
75
204
1,233
900
202
108
23
177
154
117
396
125
222
30
19
116
10,458
8,253
3,183
3,346
1,689
1,110
309
801
72
115
121
81
52
106
350
212
138
1,374
258
35
63
443
270
305
2,205
369
325
84
4
16
101
11
85
24
188
772
506
165
87
14
97
97
87
240
60
147
17
16
30
1940 1939 1938 1937
4,808 4,136 7,784 13,412 10,490 7,042
2,716 1,823 1,744 8,007 5,426 4,890
684 535 650 1,315
2,355
1,014 350 232 635 2,765
1,486 1,028
642 208 156 346 801 442
199
55
32 150 400 342
52
16
13
57 114
85
147
39
93 286 257
19
26
11
29
5
59
56
28
10
6
23
55
47
24
16
6
28
68
63
34
25
27
11
44
31
4
11
14
2
27
23
21
50
14
18
32
24
191 213 292 271 303 236
116 136 185 144 174 127
75
77 107 127
109
827 725 570 786 129
872
264 247 211 197 187 771
167
18
15
14
12
30
50
42
71
77
80
60
30
245 163 144 255 305
311
141 146
63
87 111
91
117
83
61 155 179 122
2,092 2,313 6,040 10,405 5,064 2,652
71 190 700 545 430 200
652 638 1,805 3,653 1,584
470 507 1,668 3,437 1,280 556
164
4
4
4
6
21
34
15
14
11
47
89 133
59
41
62 116 135 132
9
7
8
5
15
18
85
58
43
32
34
50
10
10
6
10
10
25
690 837 2,550 5,016 1,620
386 346 420 616 800 385
226 232 311 435 552 882
561
89
62
59
95 117 137
63
45
43
69 105 154
8
7
7
17
26
30
37
26
32
39
48
67
60
53
70 100 120 127
55
46
43
36
63
90
130 163 285 350 354 310
39
36
42
60
79
74
63
73 160 150 159 158
18
45
76 131
83
38
10
9
7
9
33
40
11
14 135
50
45
35
6,307
3,808
2,114
785
254
287
76
211
46
37
94
29
17
21
226
120
106
683
137
54
35
303
61
93
2,498
65
859
23
32
204
418
47
114
21
125
867
505
142
185
35
82
80
91
310
72
157
32
49
20
5,186
8,076
1,511
764
232
279
89
190
48
38
92
33
19
23
196
104
92
605
119
41
21
267
65
92
2,110
35
568
12
18
139
266
37
83
13
62
858
562
144
115
37
89
90
94
299
67
157
31
44
15
5,487
3,390
1,372
1,088
492
378
128
250
42
40
69
30
22
15
225
118
107
705
199
39
67
218
80
102
2,097
93
470
2
22
121
221
34
62
8
37
902
607
142
111
42
95
79
101
310
60
176
30
44
10
1936
1935
1934 1933 1932
4,836 3,230 2,805 2,376 3,290
2, 550 1,676 1,235 1,012 1,467
1,131 665 361 278 462
712 472 455 404 499
266 158 191 176
74
283 206 169 127 216
104
70
62
41 110
179 136 107
86 106
32
26
20
43
20
37
16
13
14
50
32
51
32g
329
57
16
10
32
15
11
8
15
8
12
13
14
12
18
189 176
93
39
69
104
96
54
43
26
85
80
39
13
26
518 363 326 261 467
149 116 128
94 139
45
40
30
29
21
41
20
12
37
7
139
87
66
59 109
77
48
43
66
35
67
52
47
87
45
2,286 1, 554 1,570 1,364 1,823
61
9
1
0
604 278 286 2050 392
4
2
2
11
14
7
13
4 8
137
79
74 101 173
323 130 110
43 123
50
19
27
15
6
63
31
41
43
78
13
10
3
6
10
29
37
47
34
36
927 709 826 809 961
634 429 564 522 561
109 103
87 105 168
131 113 114 138 211
53
64
44
21
61
115
68
54
34
69
93
69
62
47
87
111
59
41
61 135
339 317 245 168 139
56
47
35
26
26
192 177 142 102
81
32
28
5
0
17
59
65
51
35
32
7
8
8
4
6
POSTWAR CONSTRUCTION EXPENDITURES
3
T able 1.— Expenditures for new construction put in placet by type of construction, 1915-47 1—Continued
Type of construction
Total new construction12__
Private construction___
Residential building (nonfarm)........................ ..........
Nonresidential building
(nonfarm)3*.........................
Industrial........................
Commercial....................
Warehouses, office
and loft buildings........ ............. Stores, restaurants,
and garages..........
Religious.........................
Educational....................
Social and recreationalHospital and institutional............................
Hotel................................
Miscellaneous.................
Farm construction................
Residential—..................
Nonresidential................
Public utilities......................
Railroad..........................
Local transit...................
Pipeline...........................
Electric light and power.
Gas...................................
Telephone and tele
graph............................
Public construction.......
Residential building.............
Nonresidential buildingC..
Industrial*.....................
Commercial....................
Public administration..
Educational-------------Social and recreationalHospital and institu
tional—.......................
Miscellaneous.................
Military and naval facilities.
Highway.............-.................
State...............................
County..... ......................
Municipal-......................
Federal8..........................
Sewage disposal.....................
Water supply........................
Miscellaneous public serv
ice enterprises9..................
Conservation and develop
ment....................................
Bureau of Reclamation.
Army Engineers...........
Tennessee Valley Au
thority.........................
Other...............................
All other public10.................
Expenditures (in millions of dollars)
1931
1930 1929 1928 1927
5,967
8,375
1,228
1,104
221
437
8,042
5,265
1,446
2,099
532
856
9,873
7,476
2,797
2,822
949
1,097
1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921
10,780
8,813
3,869
2,797
802
1,121
11,067
8,783
4,175
2,825
696
1,145
11,119
9,040
4,496
2,878
727
1,107
10,512
8,439
4,505
2,373
513
940
259 559 581 00
178 297 516 00
82 128 139 168
94 112 113 107
116 140 164 224
98 100
67 103
46 164 199, 224
63
64
51
41
97 193 279 275
59 107 147 145
86 132 130
38
946 1,527 1,578 1,372
292 521 510 433
82
85
90
69
97
53
77
30
225 377 350 338
117 181 185 212
166 333 354 246
2,582 2, 777 2,397 2,467
0
0
0
0
578 623 622 638
(«)
CO CO CO
CO
173 («)121 (6)103 (6)85
269 344 367 378
36
26
50
18
104 111
95 108
21
21
14
17
19
40
15
29
1,351 1,505 1,254 1,275
731 713 557 538
248 297 257 282
350 478 429 444
22
11
11
17
114 142 127 183
156 201 126 117
209 157 150 157
72
86
135 111
11
8
20
7
59
46
75
81
0
0
0
0
34
19
25
19
13
10
9
9
00
00
179
106
252
106
291
50
283
149
134
1,450
462
77
80
362
257
212
2,334
0
596
CO
CO84
367
48
80
17
12
1,156
404
289
453
10
174
138
192
63
6
40
0
17
3
00 00 00
00177 00165 00130
108 108
91
255 199 131
83
63
79
365 313 222
56
56
60
251 259 257
132 136 135
119 123 122
1,415 1,302 1,356
491 393 365
51
52
56
36
55
70
362 421 463
248 171 206
227 210 196
2,079 2,078 1,843
0
0
0
603 573 494
CO 0)
CO
CO CO 0)39
70
56
399 400 353
22
47
37
68
60
61
19
19
20
9
11
8
1,005 1,021 932
356 389 382
266 265 256
373 357 285
10
9
10
145 133 108
140 145 155
112 119
65
61
73
79
6
8
7
41
55
51
0
0
0
14
15
16
2
1
1
1 Revised as of April 1948. Construction expenditures represent the mon
etary value of the volume of work accomplished during the given period of
time. These figures should be differentiated from valuation data reported
in the section on city building, pages 31 to 42, and from data on value of
Federal contract awards, appendix tables A-l and A-2.
Estimates of expenditures for 1915 through 1938 were made by the Office
of Domestic Commerce, U. S. Department of Commerce, except for the
nonfarm residential building segment, which was estimated by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics. For 1839 and subsequent years, the estimates were pre
pared jointly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Office of Domestic
Commerce.
2 Includes major additions and alterations.
3 Excludes nonresidential building by privately owned public utilities.
* Excludes nonresidential building for military and naval facilities.
792111—48------2
9,548
7,705
4,195
1,897
460
740
8,567
6,997
3,640
1,896
549
716
7,017
5,377
2,734
1,638
467
613
5,531
3,991
1,661
1,543
574
570
1920 1919 1918 1917
6,117
4,779
1,545
2,082
1,099
625
1916 1915
5,736 4,714 4,138 3,453 2,932
3,770 2,482 2,865 2,750 2,217
1,536 691 902 1,066
950
513
1,147 771 860 771
621 449 364 262
197
00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00
00117 00103 0071 0055 00
00
22 00
32
83
61
128 132 119 104 00
44
30 00
57
53
199 181 109 118 00
24
29
47
28
414
270 218 183 381 00
142 115
96 201 218
87 180 196
128 103
1,191 787 604 771 673
361 176 184 184 266
82
63
74
85
59
41
41
30
56
53
412 229 163 262 156
56
66
78
133 139
76
158 117 102 124
1, 570 1,640 1, 540 1,338 1,966
14
0
0
0
0
481 481 387 283 246
00
(0
(0
0)
(0
0)44 CO55 (051 CO38 00
00
346 342 274 190 00
12 00
14
15
20
55
40
60
33 00
16
10 00
9
8
49 161 1,089
16
25
755 834 830 644 418
280 287 299 240 125
242 330 337 192 131
226 213 191 208 159
4
3
4
3
7
53
90
67
88
78
86
71
113 113 100
41
35
43
48
49
65
52
39
55
48
5
9
5
9
7
41
43
36
29
30
0
0
0
0
0
5
13
9
9
9
2
2
1
1
1
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00323
170
153
697
365
107
24
102
26
73
2,232
28
199
00:
8
00
00
00
00
1,555
289
72
108
108
1
38
56
37
29
6
20
0
3
1
oo
00
00
00
00
00
00
00315
166
149
788
361
154
20
123
45
85
1,273
0
192
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
608
313
62
112
139
0045
46
41
27
6
18
0
3
1
00
8
00
00
00
00
00255
134
121
658
281
109
20
117
70
61
703
0
207
00
00
00
00
00
00
0021
308
50
118
140
0046
49
43
28
6
20
0
2
1
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00205
108
97
549
241
112
20
92
41
43
715
0
217
00
00
00
00
00
00
00 17
298
56
109
133
00
52
54
40
36
7
27
0
2
1
5 Excludes expenditures to construct facilities used in atomic energy projects.
6 Public industrial and commercial building not segregable from private
for 1920 through 1932, but the amount involved is negligible.
t Less than $500,000.
8 Includes primarily roads in National parks and forests. Federal con
tributions to State and local programs are included in those categories, which
are shown above according to governmental ownership. For total amount
of Federal expenditures and contributions for highway construction, see
table 3, p. 5.
• Covers primarily publicly owned electric light and power systems, and
local transit facilities.
10 Covers miscellaneous construction items such as monuments, memorials,
etc.
n Unavailable separately; included in total.
CONSTRUCTION AND BOUSING, 1946-47
4
T able 2.— Expenditures for new construction put in place, in 1939 prices, type o/ construction, selected years 1
iype oi construction
Total new construction *..................................
Private construction.........................................
Residential building (nonfarm)................
Nonresidential building (nonfarm) *........
Industrial.................................................
Commercial............................................
Warehouses, office and loft build
ings...................................... .........
Stores, restaurants, and garages...
Other nonresidential building:............
Farm construction......................................
Residential...........................................
Nonresidential.....................................
Public utilities............................................
Railroads.............................................
Telephone and telegraph....................
Other public utilities..........................
Public construction...........................................
Residential building..................................
Nonresidential building4..........................
Industrial ®...........................................
Educational..........................................
Hospital and institutional.................
Other nonresidential...........................
Military and naval facilities.....................
Highway........ ............................................
Sewage disposal and water supply.........
Miscellaneous public service enter
prises 7.......................................................
Conservation and development...............
All other public8........................................
Expenditures (in millions of 1939 dollars)
1947
7,344
5,690
2,698
1,500
818
406
120
286
276
180
96
84
1,312
183
304
825
1,654
97
234
13
126
38
57
102
632
198
86
236
69
1946
1945
6,553
5,167
1,977
2,006
960
708
204
504
338
180
106
74
1,004
163
204
637
1,386
225
197
48
62
53
34
115
454
134
73
166
22
3,500
1,983
472
725
449
149
42
107
127
110
65
45
676
183
87
406
1,517
50
475
340
44
63
28
501
251
76
53
102
9
1942
10,390
2,508
1,117
504
260
127
49
78
117
207
108
99
680
154
130
396
7,882
459
2,718
2,537
97
27
57
3,796
405
122
34
305
43
1941
9,339
4,857
2,469
1,314
681
371
108
263
262
265
150
115
809
169
161
479
4,482
384
1,353
1,073
125
31
124
1,456
702
156
60
329
42
1940
6,858
4,246
2,268
990
413
338
85
253
239
232
123
109
756
163
118
475
2,612
195
533
150
130
50
203
372
892
191
90
304
35
1939
6,307
3,808
2,114
785
254
287
76
211
244
226
120
106
683
137
93
453
2,499
65
859
23
418
114
304
125
867
162
91
310
20
1933
2,728
1,267
358
531
229
167
52
115
135
82
51
31
296
101
49
146
1,461
0
260
3
57
57
143
47
766
101
73
209
5
1930
7,857
5,269
1,453
2,146
587
846
548
298
713
171
94
77
1,499
470
286
743
2,588
0
625
(•) 345
111
169
30
1,275
356
178
115
9
i Estimates of the Office of Domestic Commerce, U. S. Department of * Excludes nonresidential building by privately owned public utilities.
4 Excludes nonresidential building for military and naval facilities.
Commerce, revised as of April 1948. Construction expenditures represent
* Excludes expenditures to construct facilities used in atomic energy projects.
the monetary value of the volume of work accomplished during the given
* Public industrial building not segregable from private for 1920 through
period of time. Measurement of construction activity in 1939 prices was
accomplished by deflating each class of construction by an appropriate con
1932, but the amount involved is negligible.
struction cost index. For more detailed explanation of the method, see the
7 Covers primarily publicly owned electric light and power systems and
local transit facilities.
Statistical Supplement to Construction Materials, monthly report of the
8 Covers miscellaneous construction items, such as monuments, memorials,
Department of Commerce, for May 1948, pp. 29-40.
etc.
* Includes major additions and alterations.
Nearly four-fifths of all new construction put
in place in 1947 was privately financed, as against
slightly more than one-fifth during the war years
1942 and 1943. Yet public outlays for construc
tion programs in 1947 were the highest recorded
in any peacetime year. Of the public activity,
less than two-fifths was financed by the Federal
Government, compared with almost a half in
1946 and more than nine-tenths in 1942 when
Federal expenditures were at an all-time high
(table 3).
Construction expenditures 1are a measure of the
dollar value of construction work actually done.
In addition to actual structures they include the
installed value of equipment considered an inte
gral part of a structure, but they exclude the value
of land, machinery, and movable equipment. The
value of major additions and alterations is con
sidered a part of new construction.
1 Estimates of construction expenditures are prepared jointly by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Office of Domestic Commerce, U. S.
Department of Commerce.
Estimates of expenditures for private residential
buildings are based on the valuation figures re
corded on reports of building permits issued,
which are submitted to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics by local building officials. These data
are adjusted to account for residential building
activity in non-permit-issuing places, for permits
issued but not used, and for the understatement of
construction costs inherent in building permit
valuations.
Separate estimates are made for each of several
types of private nonresidential building, based
upon records of contracts awarded as reported
monthly by the F. W. Dodge Corp. Estimates for
the other types of construction, Federal and nonFederal, are for the most part derived from reports
obtained from other government agencies and
private industry, as well as published sources such
as the weekly periodical Engineering NewsRecord, the annual Budget of the United States
Government, and the annual Financial Statistics
of Cities.
POSTWAR CONSTRUCTION EXPENDITURES
T able 3.— Federal expenditures for new construction put
in place, by type of construction, 1915-47 1
Federal expenditures (in millions)
Year
1915....................
1916....................
1917....................
1918....................
1919....................
1920....................
1921....................
1922....................
1923....................
1924....................
1925....................
1926....................
1927....................
1928....................
1929....................
1930....................
1931....................
1932....................
1933....................
1934....................
1935....................
1936....................
1937....................
1938....................
1939....................
1940....................
1941....................
1942...................
1943....................
1944....................
1945...................
1946...................
1947....................
Con
Total Resi Non Mili
serva
new dential resi tary
High
tion
and
con
dential naval w ay4 and
de
build facu
struc build
velop
ing
ing*
tion*
lties
ment
$54
50
641
1,624
1,211
316
200
178
185
202
192
177
181
207
237
338
451
510
552
720
828
1,262
1,154
989
1,257
1,397
3,853
9,544
5,614
1,912
1,558
1,074
1,175
0 (9)
0 (•)
0 («)
$28 (•)
14 (•)
0 («)
$17
0
21
0
0
18
13
0
0
8
0
8
10
0
14
0
0
26
43
0
65
0
0
133
94
0
80
0
9
107
345
61
276
93
245
32
401
4
362
4
215 1,409
363 3,546
655 1,737
182
576
552
71
304
127
119
111
$17
21
608
1,555
1,089
161
49
25
16
9
8
11
12
15
19
29
40
34
36
47
37
29
37
62
125
385
1,620
5,016
2,550
837
690
188
204
0
0
$5
11
68
99
81
82
84
100
102
95
93
96
93
146
202
198
250
326
326
392
361
286.
269
248
206
187
186
119
83
181
333
$36
2$
27
29
39
55
52
48
65
79
73
61
63
72
86
111
135
139
168
245
317
339
310
299
310
310
354
350
285
163
130
240
396
All
other
Fed
eral *
$1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
3
10
13
9
9
6
4
22
32
96
77
65
148
88
49
82
201
35
32
34
12
i Construction expenditures represent the monetary value of the volume
of work accomplished during the given period of time. These figures should
be differentiated from valuation data reported in the section on city building
and from data on contract awards in appendix tables A-l and A-2. Data
on expenditures under Federal-aid programs cover only the portion contrib
uted by the Federal Government.
* Includes major additions and alterations.
* Excludes expenditures to construct facilities used in atomic energy pro
jects and nonresidential building for military and naval facilities.
* Covers expenditures for federally owned highways, and contributions
to State and local programs. (See also footnote 7, table 1, p. 3.)
»Includes projects such as airports, sewage disposal and water supply
facilities, national cemeteries, monuments, and memorials.
* Unavailable.
Monthly Trend
The first half of 1946 was marked by gains in
all types of construction, reflecting not only the
seasonal trend but also a continuation of the spurt
in activity which got under way with the removal
of wartime construction controls in October 1945.
At midyear private commercial building leveled
off, and in August started to decline steadily
(table 4). At the same time industrial and other
types of private nonresidential building, together
with home construction, continued to increase.
Thus, there became evident the first clear effects
on expenditures of the restrictions on nonhousing
5
construction, initiated March 26. The limitation
order (VHP-1) was. issued to prevent the diver
sion of a disproportionate amount of materials and
labor to unessential building. All structures
actually started before the issuance of the order
were free to go ahead, but those begun afterward
required approval from the Civilian Production
Administration for nonresidential projects and
from the Federal Housing Administration for
homes.
Commercial building was affected first by
VHP-1 because less construction time was re
quired to complete the backlog of work in this
category started prior to March 26. Not only
can commercial structures such as stores, restau
rants, service stations, etc., be built in a shorter
period than most industrial factories and ware
houses, but the dollar volume of essential con
struction authorized by the Civilian Production
Administration was less in commercial than in
industrial building.
The monthly volume of private activity con
tinued to speed ahead of public in 1946, intensify
ing the marked shift in importance between the
two types which had begun in the middle of 1945.
It had been expected that as construction of war
plants and military installations dwindled to
almost nothing, the usual peacetime programs of
Federal, State, and local governments would swell
the outlays for public construction. However,
the rapidly developing materials shortages soon
made it apparent that this would not be the case.
On August 6, 1946, the Reconversion Director
placed a moratorium on all Federal construction
contracts until the end of the month, requiring
that Federal agencies submit their construction
programs for review by the Civilian Production
Administration and the Housing Expediter*. A
number of agencies were ordered by the President
to reduce specific contemplated expenditures,
and others, to limit their programs as much as
possible.
Increasing costs were another factor tending
to lower the volume of public activity. More
often than not, agencies received bids which far
exceeded original estimates. In many instances
this resulted in indefinite postponement of projects.
New construction as a whole did not start to
decline until November, having been sustained
in the early fall by a relatively high level of ex
penditures for building construction and for
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-47
6
T able 4.— Expenditures for new construction put in place, by type of construction, monthly, 1946-47 1
Type of construction
Expenditures (in millions)
De No Octo Sep Au
Total cember
vember ber tember gust
July
June
May
Janu
April March Febru
ary ary
1947
Total new construction12.*................................... $13,977 $1,320 $1,432 $1,497 $1,423 $1,364 $1,264 $1,162 $1,032
Private construction...........................................
Residential building (nonfarm).................
Nonresidential building (nonfarm)8..........
Industrial................................................
Commercial............................................
Warehouses, office and loft buildings----------------------------------Stores, restaurants, and garages..
Other nonresidential building____...
Religious........................................ .
Educational............. ........ .............
Hospital and institutional............
Remaining types4..........................
Farm construction........................................
Public utilities.............................................
Railroad.................................................
Telephone and telegraph.....................
Other public utilities............................
Public construction.............................................
Residential building....................................
Nonresidential building8............................
Industrial •_............................................
Educational............ ...............................
Hospital and institutional....................
All other nonresidential......................
Military and naval facilities.......................
Highways.....................................................
Sewer and water........................................ .
Miscellaneous public service enterprises7.
Conservation and development.................
All other public8..........................................
10*893 1,097 1,141 1,129 1,086 1,042
610
630
5,260
590
540
500
284
3,131
287
275
260
267
134
136
1,702
138
139
137
93
835
91
69
82
75
19
22
14
14
216
15
74
69
54
619
68
61
594
58
59
54
52
56
13
13
13
11
118
12
164
17
16
16
17
17
9
9
8
9
9
107
20
19
205
18
16
17
15
25
65
75
450
50
188
199
214
214
2,052
207
28
30
33
33
318
32
55
53
54
59
46
510
1,224
105
116
123
127
128
3,084
223
291
322
368
337
182
8
8
9
8
7
505
52
50
49
45
53
25
0
1
1
0
1
32
29
25
275
27
26
8
81
8
9
8
7
13
14
124
12
12
16
204
19
23
22
22
17
65
119
178
159
149
1,233
331
28
35
32
32
32
10
12
8
12
117
11
41
44
45
36
42
396
9
14
12
12
12
116
966
455
254
139
67
15
52
48
10
14
9
15
60
197
31
44
122
298
9
42
2
23
7
10
19
137
31
11
39
10
$928
$859
$823
$873
885
405
250
140
65
16
49
45
8
12
9
16
50
180
27
40
113
277
8
43
2
24
7
10
15
125
30
11
35
10
790
355
242
141
58
17
41
43
8
11
9
15
40
153
23
31
99
242
9
42
3
23
6
10
15
100
28
10
29
9
713
310
238
142
53
17
36
43
7
11
9
16
30
135
22
25
88
215
16
40
4
22
6
8
15
76
26
9
25
8
679
285
241
145
52
17
35
44
7
11
9
17
20
133
20
38
75
180
25
34
3
19
5
7
12
50
22
9
21
7
662
280
258
152
61
23
38
45
8
11
9
17
10
114
18
33
63
161
37
27
3
13
5
6
12
36
17
7
19
6
703
300
275
159
69
27
42
47
8
11
9
19
10
118
21
32
65
170
38
28
5
12
5
6
13
.39
18
7
20
7
925
745
284
303
138
116
25
91
49
6
10
7
26
40
118
21
24
73
180
25
26
6
8
8
4
14
69
16
9
18
3
814
662
240
282
128
110
22
88
44
5
9
6
24
30
110
21
25
64
152
21
23
6
7
8
2
14
55
12
7
17
3
701
575
198
257
119
98
20
78
40
5
8
5
22
20
100
21
24
55
126
12
22
6
6
7
3
15
43
10
6
15
3
597
492
161
230
113
81
16
65
36
4
7
5
20
14
87
19
21
47
105
9
23
7
6
7
3
13
31
9
5
12
3
511
430
138
212
108
71
14
57
33
4
6
4
19
8
72
17
17
38
81
4
21
7
5
6
3
13
21
7
3
11
1
495
403
133
189
100
59
11
48
30
4
5
4
17
8
73
18
17
38
92
2
25
9
6
7
3
18
22
9
4
10
2
1946
Total new construction8....................................
Private construction...........................................
Residential building (nonfarm).................
Nonresidential building (nonfarm)8..........
Industrial...............................................
Commercial______________________
Warehouses, office and loft build
ings.............................. ................
Stores, restaurants, and garages..
Other nonresidential building.............
Religious..........................................
Educational....................................
Hospital and institutional............
Remaining types4..........................
Farm construction.......................................
Public utilities..............................................
Railroad.................................................
Telephone and telegraph.....................
Other public utilities............................
Public construction............................................
Residential building....................................
Nonresidential building8............................
Industrial •_...........................................
Educational.................... ......................
Hospital and institutional....................
All other nonresidential........................
Military and naval facilities.....................
Highways.......................................................
Sewer and water........................................
Miscellaneous public service enterprises7.
Conservation and development..................
All other public8..........................................
10,458
8,253
3,183
3,346
1,689
1,110
309
801
547
72
115
81
279
350
1,374
258
305
811
2,205
369
325
84
101
85
55
188
772
194
87
240
30
952 1,053 1,132 1,126 1,112 1,040
864
819
863
751
849
800
324
320
335
356
347
347
320
317
296
308
316
316
159
149
166
171
171
167
80
106
116
86
91
96
33
30
32
36
35
35
73
86
48
51
55
61
52
54
53
55
50
51
8
6
8
8
7
7
11
12
12
11
12
12
9
8
8
7
9
9
28
21
25
29
22
26
10
60
50
20
40
50
125
141
128
146
137
137
24
24
22
22
26
23
29
34
26
30
28
30
72
81
80
88
88
87
263
253
283
248
221
201
52
43
32
73
37
59
25
33
32
30
29
36
5
9
9
7
6
7
11
9
12
10
10
11
5
6
8
8
8
7
6
6
6
6
6
7
14
16
18
17
20
16
97
87
61
80
106
100
24
23
20
18
26
20
11
10
6
9
10
7
25
21
25
29
27
30
3
3
3
2
2
2
1 Revised as of April 1948. Construction expenditures represent the mone
tary value of the volume of work accomplished during the given period of
time. These figures should be differentiated from valuation data reported in
the section on city building, pp. 31 to 42, and from data on value of Federal
contract awards, appendix tables A-l and A-2. These estimates were made
jointly by the Office of Domestic Commerce, U. S. Department of Commerce,
and by tne Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor.
2 Includes major additions and alterations.
* Excludes nonresidential building by privately owned public utilities.
4 Includes social and recreational buildings, hotels, and miscellaneous
buildings not elsewhere classified.
8Excludes nonresidential building for military and naval facilities.
• Excludes expenditures to construct facilities used in atomic energy
projects.
7 Covers primarily publicly owned electric light and power systems and
local transit facilities.
8 Covers miscellaneous construction items, such as monuments, memorials,
etc.
CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT
utilities projects such as telephone, telegraph,
and railroad facilities. In the closing months of
the year, all types of construction followed the
normal seasonal pattern, with the exception of
privately financed religious, educational, and
hospital and institutional building. Applications
for priority ratings needed to complete construc
tion or expand facilities in the two latter cate
gories had been given particular consideration by
the Civilian Production Administration.
In 1947 the monthly trend of dollars spent for
new construction continued steadily upward until
the last quarter of the year, when the onset of
severe winter weather caused a slight decline.
Peak expenditures of almost 1% billion dollars
in October had been equaled only once before—
July 1942.
Divergent trends within the major types of con
struction activity were most noticeable in 1947.
Homebuilding continued far ahead of other kinds
of construction, and as the year advanced the
gap between residential and industrial building
widened. As a result of unprecedented demand,
easing of credit for home construction, and greater
availability of materials and labor, private build
ers put 65 percent more into nonfarm housing in
1947 than in the preceding year. Industrial con
struction, on the other hand, gradually leveled off
during 1947 and expenditures for the 12 months
were only slightly above the 1946 total. Manage
ment had become more sensitive to rising costs
7
and other unfavorable factors, since the edge had
been taken off the backlog of urgent industrial
needs by the great amount of new privately
financed industrial building started immediately
after the war and by the large volume of war plants
sold or leased to industry by the Government.
After a spring slump, commercial building ad
vanced rapidly in the summer and autumn
months, reflecting the lifting of restrictions on all
nonresidential construction (except amusement
and recreation projects) with the passage of the
Housing and Kent Act of 1947 in June. In spite
of the contraseasonal rise in the final months of
the year, 1947 expenditures for commercial con
struction failed by 25 percent to equal the large
dollar volume for 1946.
Public expenditures for new construction gained
more proportionally than private expenditures in
1947. In the fourth quarter, the public segment
was 73 percent higher than in the first quarter, as
against a rise of 65 percent for the private segment.
Although rising costs still had a restraining effect
on increased construction outlays by Government
bodies, it was impossible to ignore any longer the
growing needs in many areas arising from deferred
projects and increasing population. Highway and
road construction alone accounted for over half
the increase in public expenditures during the year.
Major gains were made also in new public school
building, conservation and development work, and
construction of sewer and water facilities.
Construction Employment
National Trends
Construction contractors employed an average
of nearly 2,000,000 workers in 1947—the largest
number since 1942 when construction was at war
peak. Except for the usual seasonal declines, con
struction employment rose almost steadily after
VJ-day, as contractors pressed to meet the huge
accumulation of civilian building needs that re
sulted during the war. In 1946, between the
seasonal low in January and the peak in Septem
ber, contractors took on about 700,000 employees,
and construction employment reached an average
of about 1,920,000. Nearly 190,000 more workers
had been employed by the September peak in
1947, when employment stood at a little over
2,100,000. While this employment figure ex
ceeded the immediate prewar experience in 193941, it failed to match the levels reached during the
height of the war construction period in 1942. In
contrast, the total of all civilian jobs in 1947 at
tained the highest level on record.
8
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-47
The reason for this is that postwar difficulties
retarded construction longer than most other
major industries. Materials shortages in 1946
lengthened construction time and often made effi
cient operations at the site impossible. These
conditions added to construction costs, which were
already near a new all-time record. Cost uncer
tainties particularly were dampening to construc
tion activity, so that even though materials supply
had vastly improved, 1947 got off to a compara
tively poor start.
during 1942, when 5% percent of all workers in
nonagricultural establishments were employed by
construction contractors. This was a wartime
phenomenon, reflecting the feverish haste with
which industrial plant and military facilities ex
pansion was taking place during the early war
period. Construction has not claimed this pro
portion of all nonagricultural employment at any
other time during the years for which reports are
available—1929 to date.
T able 5.— Employment by construction contractors, monthly,
1989-47 1
jviomn
Monthly aver
age..................
January.............
February...........
March................
April..................
May...................
June...................
July....................
August...............
September.........
October..............
November.........
December..........
Employment (in thousands)
1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939
1,921
1,690
1,668
1,709
1,798
1,866
1,967
2,043
2,096
2,107
2,099
2,046
1,978
1,661
1,220
1,261
1,375
1,528
1,617
1,701
1,802
1,887
1,923
1,910
1,887
1,826
1,132
960
959
1,002
1,053
1,093
1,147
1,187
1,232
1,232
1,252
1,266
1,215
1,094
1,114
1,068
1,061
1,075
1,109
1,147
1,153
1,157
1,125
1,092
1,057
969
1,567
1,835
1,780
1,764
1,741
1,694
1,669
1,580
1,524
1,451
1,343
1,272
1,147
2,170
1,675
1,649
1,834
2,040
2,222
2,403
2,565
2,577
2,530
2,370
2,212
1,957
1,790
1,606
1,567
1,532
1,644
1,738
1,803
1,956
2,014
2,035
1,969
1,879
1,734
1,294
904
930
1,015
1,146
1,260
1,300
1,342
1,371
1,469
1,550
1,607
1,629
1,150
927
916
1,035
1,132
1,234
1,272
1,285
1,312
1,285
1,234
1,161
1,010
1 The data cover all site and off-site wage and salaried employees of private
firms whose major activity is construction, but exclude self-employed con
struction Workers, working proprietors, and force-account employees of non
construction firms and public agencies engaged in construction activities.
(Force-account work is done, not through a contractor, but directly by a
business or government agency using a separate work force to perform non
maintenance construction on the agency’s own properties.)!
The estimates are based primarily on reports by construction firms to
unemployment compensation agencies and to the Bureau of Old-Age and
Survivors Insurance, adjusted currently in accordance with monthly reports
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics or to cooperating State agencies from a
sample of firms in each State. They are prepared as a segment of the Bureau
of Labor Statistics nonagricultural employment series.
By the summer of 1947, however, there was good
assurance that materials supply would continue
adequate and the price structure would not collapse
in the foreseeable future. A full-fledged construc
tion boom got under way then, led by housebuild
ing. By the end of 1947 prospects were bright
for an important construction year in 1948 that
would bring construction employment to the rec
ord levels reached by industry generally during
1947.
It is unlikely, however, that in a peacetime year
construction employment will attain the impor
tance in the whole employment picture that it held
In 1929 at the end of the construction boom of
the twenties and again in 1941, the preparedness
period, construction contractors provided nearly
5 percent of all nonagricultural jobs—still an ex
traordinary proportion. The effectiveness of Gov
ernment regulations prohibiting nonessential con
struction during World War II is clear from the
fact that the number of jobs in construction es
tablishments shrank to only a little over 2% per
cent of all nonagricultural jobs in 1944, when the
war building program was coming to an end. Not
even in the depression years 1933-34 did construc
tion claim so small a part of total nonfarm em
ployment. In 1947 the percentage was almost
percent, construction having moved up to a some
what more important place in the employment
picture than it held before the war,
CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT
Employment estimates cover all full- and parttime wage and salaried employees. In the case
of construction employment, they cover all site
and off-site wage and salaried employees of private
firms whose major activity is construction. They
exclude self-employed construction workers, work
ing proprietors, and force-account employees2
T able 6.— Employment by construction contractors, com
pared with nonagricultural employment 1929-47 1
Average monthly employment
(in thousands)
Year
Contract construc
tion e m p l o y
ment as percent
of employment
in all nonagri
All nonagricultural Contract construc cultural
estab
establishments
tion
lishments
1929.................
1930.................
1931.................
1932.................
1933.................
1934.................
1936.................
1936.................
1937.................
1938-...............
1939.................
1940.................
1941.................
1942.................
1943.................
1944.................
1945.................
1946.................
1947.................
31,041
29,143
26,383
23,377
23,466
25,699
26,792
28,802
30,718
28,902
30,287
32,031
36,164
39,697
42,042
41,480
40,069
41,494
43,970
1,497
1,372
1,214
970
809
862
912
1,145
1,112
1,055
1,150
1,294
1,790
2,170
1,567
1,094
1,132
1,661
1,921
4.8
4.7
4.6
4.1
3.4
3.4
3.4
4.0
3.6
3.7
3.8
4.0
4.9
£.5
3.7
2.6
2.8
4.0
4.4
»The estimates cover all full-and part-time wage and salaried employees.
They are based primarily on employers* reports to unemployment compehsation agencies and to the Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, ad
justed currently in accordance with monthly reports to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics or to cooperating State agencies from a sample Of firms in e&ch
State.
The data on construction cover all site and off-site wage and salaried em
ployees of private firms whose major activity is construction, but exclude
self-employed construction workers, working proprietors, and force-account
employees of nonconstruction firms and public agencies engaged in construc
tion activities. (Force-account work is done, not through a contractor, but
directly by a business or government agency using a separate work force to
perform nonmaintenance construction on the agency's own properties.)
of nonconstruction firms and public agencies that
engage in construction.
All the employment estimates are based cur
rently on monthly reports to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics or to State agencies from a representa
tive group of firms in each State. The base figures
to which these monthly reports are applied are
summaries from employed reports to unemploy
ment compensation agencies and the Bureau of
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance. Adjustments
are made regularly for small firms not liable to
3 Force-account employees are workers hired not through a contractor,
but directly by a business or government agency, and utilized as a separate
work force to perform nonmaintenance construction work on the agency's
own properties.
9
the unemployment compensation provisions of
State laws and for new firms established subse
quent to base periods.3
Leading States
In 1947, 6 States claimed about 45 percent of
all the workers employed by construction con
tractors.4 These States, in order of the average
number of construction workers employed, were
California,5* New York (185,600), Pennsylvania
(122,200), Texas (112,600), Illinois (104,500), and
Ohio (95,100). They were well above the others
in construction employment, and, in fact, had
been in the lead in this respect for several years,
but with varying relative standings.
Data by States are available from 1943. From
1943 to 1947 California was first in construction
employment, followed by New York. It is no sur
prise that California placed first during the war in
view of her leading position in war facilities expan
sion, largely of aircraft and shipyard plant. In
addition, California was far ahead in the amount of
emergency housing built for war workers. This
was in response to the need for accommodating
the largest crew of in-migrant labor to arrive in
any State. California has continued in the lead
during the postwar period, reflecting sustained
economic prosperity there even with drastic
curtailment in war work.
While Texas was in fourth or fifth place during
1945-47, this Southwestern State placed third
after California and New York in 1943 and 1944.
This reflects the fact that Texas ranked next only
to California in the proportion claimed of total
dollar commitments for war facilities expansion
during the defense and war period. Nearly twofifths of the war construction in Texas was for
chemicals or petroleum products facilities, and a
* For a more detailed explanation of the method by which nonagricultural
and contract construction employment estimates are derived, see Bull, 916,
Handbook of Labor Statistics of the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1947 edition, pp. 2-4.
* Average construction employment by States is available only for the first
half of 1947. (Sea tables 7 and 8.) Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics
obtained monthly reports from sample firms in all other States from July to
December 1947 for use in compiling the United States total, it did not have
the facilities after June 1947 to prepare individual State estimates. If data
for the rest of this year were included in the averages, the figures would in
general be somewhat higher.
* It is estimated roughly that construction contractors employed an average
of somewhat more than 187,000 workers during the first half of 1947 in Cali
fornia. Construction employment estimates comparable to those for other
States are not available for California and New Mexico.
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-47
10
T able 7.— Employment
by construction contractors, by region and State, 1948-4? 1
Average monthly employment (in thousands)
Average monthly employment (in thousands)
Region and State
Total United States.
New England.............
Connecticut.........
Maine....................
Massachusetts__
New Hampshire..
Rhode Island.......
Vermont...............
Middle Atlantic...
New Jersey__
New York.......
Pennsylvania..
East North Central..
Illinois.................
Indiana................
Michigan.............
Ohio.....................
Wisconsin...........
West North Central..
Iowa......................
Minnesota____
Missouri.......... .
Nebraska..........
North Dakota..
South Dakota..
South Atlantic...............
Delaware...................
District of Columbia.
Florida.........................
1947
(first 6 1946
months)*
1945
1944
1943
Region and State
1947
(first 6 1946
months)2
1,781.0 1,660.6 1,132.3 1,093.8 1,566.6 South Atlantic—Continued.
34.3
Maryland.........................
111.4 108.4
69.7
62.9
84.5
4l! 7
25.9
15.2
14.1
North Carolina................ 39.5
27.4
17.6
9.0
5.0
South
Carolina.................
19.9
5.0
10.1
9.7
54.7
Virginia............................. 40.2
36.6
36.3
55.6
31.7
6.4
3.1
West Virginia................... 15.6
6.1
2.4
3.0
8.8
8.3
8.8
16.2
8.6
3.6
1.5
3.8
1.1
1.3 East South Central................ 84.8
Alabama........................... 20.9
Kentucky.......................... 18.1
267.1
368.9 350.7 223.2 209.0
13.8
60.2
38.9
38.5
Mississippi.......................
61.1
47.5
Tennessee......................... 32.0
185.6 171.7 107.8 100.7
123.8
122.2 118.8
76.5
69.8
95.8
West South Central............... 172.4
Arkansas........................... 13.2
335.0 313.0 210.5 189.8
256.9
88.1
63.3
59.5
104.5
81.2
Louisiana......................... 25.0
39.4
30.0
44.1
24.4
Oklahoma......................... 21.6
36.6
58.1
36.4
55.7
32.5
Texas................. ............... 112.6
47.4
92.4
95.1
55.0
52.2
70.3
35.0
35.6
21.2
25.8
21.4 Mountain________________
Arizona.............................. 10.5
134.6 130.2
14.8
84.0
113.9
Colorado...........................
70.0
25.5
6.2
24.0
13.8
13.7
Idaho.................................
12.0
19.9
18.1
6.0
13.0
12.1
Montana_____________
34.8
27.7
29.4
Nevada..............................
5.0
19.0
15.7
18.1
New Mexico * ______ _
40.8
39.8
26.8
19.6
28.4
11.6
12.2
8.2
Utah..................................
7.7
7.5
14.7
3.9
3.6
1.7
4.8
1.5
1.4
Wyoming..........................
4.6
3.7
2.0
1.6
2.8
California *__________
259.9 229.8 "143.4 143.8
264.8
6.1
3.4
6.2
3.2
5.5
Oregon............................... 21.4
17.7
16.7
12.6
12.3
17.1
Washington...................... 35.9
44.9
26.2
43.0
23.9
42.5
1945
1944
28 4
36! 2
34.2
16.5
35.4
13.2
80.2
19.7
17.4
12.7
30.4
149.1
13.2
25.6
18.0
92.3
16.6
24! 0
17.0
8.8
25.5
9.3
79.3
13.9
11.6
8.6
45.2
110.9
19.0
18.7
10.1
63.1
17.6
24! 6
17.0
9.6
27.7
7.9
87.8
12.0
11.4
9.0
55.4
116.9
7.0
27.4
10.6
71.9
34.0
44.0
35.8
16.5
54.7
14.7
112.6
25.4
19.0
15.7
52.5
221.3
18.9
49.4
30.4
122.6
8.9
12.8
5.4
5.8
5.5
7.7
4.1
6.0
8.7
3.4
3.7
3.4
5.4
2.4
5.3
6.9
3.8
3.1
2.6
9.2
3.4
i4.0
10.8
6.0
3.3
7.5
22.2
3.9
20.4
35.0
13.0
26.7
14.4
55.2
17.9
45.0
1943
*The data cover all site and off-site wage and salaried employees of private
firms Whose major activity is construction, but exclude self-employed con
struction workers, working proprietors, and force-account employees of non
construction firms and public agencies engaged in construction activities.
(Force-account work is done, not through a contractor, but directly by a
business or government agency using a separate work force to perform non
maintenance construction on the agency's own properties.)
The estimates are based primarily on reports by construction firms to un
employment compensation agencies and to the Bureau of Old-Age and Sur
vivors Insurance, adjusted currently in accordance with monthly reports to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics or to cooperating State agencies from a sample
of firms in each State.
* Data for the remainder of 1947 are not available except for the following
12 States: Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana,
New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin.
These States are those in which cooperative arrangements have been developed
with State agencies to compile current benchmarks, solicit reports from
sample firms, and prepare monthly estimates. Although the Bureau of
Labor Statistics obtained monthly reports from sample firms in all other
States from July to December 1947, for use in compiling the United States
total, it did not have the facilities after June 1947 to prepare individual State
estimates.
3 No estimates were prepared for this State.
large part of the remainder was for barracks,
cantonments, or other military or naval installa
tions, for explosives and ammunition loading plants,
and for war housing to accommodate the labor
to man these facilities.
Ohio stepped down from among the “big six”
in construction employment during 1944 in favor
of Tennessee and Washington, which were prac
tically tied for sixth place that year when con
struction of the Oak Ridge and Hanford atomic
energy plants was in full swing.
gain in the North was greatest in the New England
and Middle Atlantic States, which are primarily
industrial and provided a considerable quantity
of existing plant for war production. The obso
lescence of these plants as well as reconversion
needs gave added impetus to the postwar con
struction spurt in these regions. On the other
hand, wartime construction in the South had
usually meant erecting entirely new facilities.
These, when convertible, were available for peace
time civilian needs. Also, because of its climate
and available acreage in large tracts the South
became the location of many military installa
tions and cantonments. Their construction re
quired a large labor force which had to be diverted
later to other types of projects. Losses in con
struction employment in the South—war to post
war—were especially sharp in Virginia and Ten
nessee in the more easterly regions, and in Louisi
ana, Oklahoma, and Texas in the more westerly.
Geographic Shifts
In general, the North and far West gained while
the South lost in construction employment be
tween 1943 and the postwar years 1946-47. If
data for the period 1939 through 1942 were avail
able, they probably would reveal that this shift
was a readjustment to prewar relationships. The
T able 8.— Employment
by construction contractors, by region and State, 1 quarterly 1948-47
792111—48----- 8
Average quarterly employment (in thousands)
1945
1944
1946
1947
1943
Second First Fourth Third Second First Fourth Third Second First Fourth Third Second First Fourth Third Second First
quarter8 quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter quarter
Total, United States............. 1,873.2 1,688.9 1,874.1 1,870.7 1,615.5 1,282.1 1,244.3 1,217.1 1,097.6 970.4 1,039.7 1,144.9 1,110.2 1,080.6 1,253.7 1,518.5 1,701.3 1,792.7
64.5
56.6
63.3
80.9
74.7
83.0
66.4
61.7
60.1
70.0
86.9
90.1
New England............................. 120.9 102.6 122.7 124 7 105.6
91.5
29.5
28.8
25.7
11.9
14.3
19.6
18.9
13.7
13.1
16.1
14.9
14.0
15.3
25.5
19.1
18.2
Connecticut...........-............ 29.2
17.6
10.4
10.7
8.8
5.8
4.3
3.7
6.2
6.3
4.6
11.2
4.9
5.6
4.8
8.3
6.8
11.7
11.0
11.1
Maine--...............................
30.2
63.7
52.3
41.5
30.6
32.5
34.1
61.5
42.9
38.7
34.3
33.3
30.9
37.4
37.1
51.9
Massachusetts..................... 59.9
36.8
6.3
7.5
3.4
2.1
2.0
7.6
4.2
4.2
2.8
5.5
3.3
6.8
2.7
2.6
2.2
2.9
3.1
New H am pshire--...........
2.7
9.5
7.4
9.6
9.1
8.5
9.1
8.2
9.1
8.0
15.5
7.1
7.7
8.7
8.8
9.3
18.0
9.6
22.1
Rhode Island......................
4.2
3.4
3.4
4.4
2.3
1.2
.9
1.5
4.2
2.2
1.6
1.3
1.1
1.2
1.0
1.6
Vermont...............................
1.1
1.2
241.8 271.0 279.2
Middle Atlantic......................... 391.1 346.6 410.6 394.7 338.1 259.0 254.7 237.4 211.9 188.6 210.9 217.8 209.2 198.5
276.3
40.3
67.5
41.5
65.3
32.4
49.9
59.0
61.0
46.8
40.6
34.9
34.5
37.7
47.7
46.0
49.5
New Jersey_____________ 63.1
49.7
91.8 111.6 124.6 127.7
92.8 105.0 107.2
99.0
New York— ...................... 195.9 175.2 208.2 193.8 161.2 123.5 119.7 115.5 103.2
131.4
66.4
63.4
71.4
72.9
68.7
Pennsylvania...................... 132.1 112.4 134.9 135.6 115.9
84.2 101.5 102.0
88.7
87.3
81.3
73.8
95.2
East North Central................... 355.2 319.3 354.0 350.9 305.9 240.9 241.6 231.9 201.2 167.3 189.3 206.1 187.9 175.8 219.3 263.7 271.1
273.4
55.8
86.5
64.5
59.6
82.3
Illinois................................... 115.4 101.1 100.4
50.9
58.2
67.9
95.6
69.7
60.0
84.4
72.6
69.5
90.1
20.7
27.3
24.1
24.1
25.5
Indiana................................. 47.0
44.9
37.7
27.5
37.8
41.1
43.6
31.6
30.5
33.6
31.8
40.8
40.2
31.4
M ichigan...........................
32.1
31.5
47.3
55.3
55.2
66.4
26.0
33.0
34.2
64.7
58.3
42.3
41.0
43.1
45.4
49.8
51.7
51.1
41.1
53.1
Ohio...................................... 101.2
88.9 103.6 105.5
51.4
48.3
76.2
90.0
70.3
60.9
56.2
64.0
73.4
66.6
67.5
Wisconsin............................
16.8
36.3
33.4
24.3
23.9
19.6
20.1
33.0
40.4
39.8
25.9
25.2
18.9
26.2
26.5
25.6
22.7
23.9
58.1
West North Central.................. 148.5 128.6 147.6 150.7 127.1
63.9
70.7
80.0
78.0 103.0 133.8
90.7
78.9
78.0
95.8
95.7
140.9
9.3
11.4
27.3
13.3
14.3
22.4
11.8
Iowa......................................
23.7
29.2
28.4
14.8
12.7
10.7
14.0
16.7
16.2
12.1
16.9
12.0
11.5
17.5
Kansas.................................. 21.5
13.4
12.1
11.5
16.2
24.0
18.2
13.4
13.6
20.1
20.2
14.5
44.0
13.2
55.2
11.9
17.3
19.3
13.6
18.7
Minnesota............................ 34.7
28.8
17.9
15.8
17.4
32.1
34.2
30.0
21.4
19.6
17.8
21.3
20.3
16.5
17.3
Missouri............................... 40.6
27.1
24.4
22.2
23.1
21.5
22.4
40.9
45.3
38.2
29.9
30.0
44.8
31.0
30.7
33.9
6.3
7.1
8.4
13.2
Nebraska............................ 14.6
11.9
6.1
7.8
8.9
21.2
9.8
12.1
8.5
7.1
13.9
8.5
16.1
9.0
.9
1.5
North Dakota.....................
1.4
1.3
2.2
1.4
4.4
3.5
1.0
2.1
4.6
3.2
1.7
4.7
1.9
2.2
2.0
.8
1.2
South Dakota.....................
3.5
1.5
2.1
1.3
1.6
3.1
5.2
4.0
4.6
4.5
3.4
2.3
2.0
2.4
1.8
2.5
2.5
South Atlantic............................ 274.2 245.3 262.5 257.9 220.2 179.7 166.8 152.8 136.4 118.0 130.7 148.6 146.0 150.2 186.5 243.7 294.2
335.1
3.3
6.4
3.3
Delaware..............................
6.5
3.3
4.3
5.6
6.9
6.2
6.6
3.0
2.6
3.0
5.3
7.1
4.4
3.6
4.5
12.0
15.6
District of Columbia.......... 19.0
12.1
14.2
19.0
16.4
10.9
12.8
12.1
17.7
16.9
13.1
12.7
19.7
18.2
13.9
13.6
26.2
23.1
Florida.................................. 45.1
32.9
43.7
19.7
22.3
24.2
45.7
44.6
47.9
40.6
28.3
45.6
23.5
47.8
37.7
33.5
18.2
31.1
18.7
Georgia................................. 35.9
23.7
12.7
18.5
35.2
15.2
32.7
33.7
26.0
18.7
46.0
33.1
21.1
15.3
19.6
26.9
26.5
Maryland............................. 46.0
40.4
24.5
31.7
52.4
37.4
40.4
19.9
51.4
40.4
20.7
36.0
23.2
25.8
28.2
27.2
18.8
18.2
24.3
30.6
North Carolina...................
14.4
16.7
38.4
38.2
13.3
50.0
40.6
40.0
33.1
18.1
15.2
38.6
25.4
21.5
10.0
12.1
South Carolina...................
9.5
15.5
8.5
10.2
15.7
16.6
21.1
18.6
19.6
21.4
19.3
7.6
11.8
9.6
8.0
10.2
28.7
Virginia................................
37.5
27.3
35.4
47.6
42.9
62.5
40.1
33.3
25.9
28.8
40.7
26.3
22.7
73.6
27.6
26.8
26.1
6.1
7.5
West Virginia...................... 17.1
9.4
7.9
12.6
14.1
18.4
16.2
14.9
8.6
19.9
12.2
8.6
9.5
9.2
9.6
9.9
89.8
91.5 107.4 120.2
East South Central.-..............
90.3
92.5
90.7
79.0
89.9
78.7
131.4
81.9
91.7
77.1
81.6
84.9
62.2
68.7
12.4
Alabama............................... 22.3
21.5
12.0
16.6
28.5
21.8
19.6
23.1
11.0
12.7
34.9
19.6
13.0
13.1
14.4
15.2
14.2
9.9
Kentucky............................. 19.5
12.8
21.2
20.4
11.2
21.9
16.7
13.1
20.1
11.5
20.1
16.2
9.8
12.9
12.8
10.1
13.5
8.2
8.5
Mississippi........................... 14.8
8.9
14.0
23.1
17.2
12.8
9.2
9.7
16.1
10.8
7.8
15.0
9.4
9.2
9.1
8.0
59.3
50 7
60.4
Tennessee............................. 34.1
53.6
52 6
29.9
53.3
31.6
47.0
54.8
33.5
30.5
51.3
51.6
25.9
45.0
33.0
West South Central.................. 185.2 169.7 163.8 170.3 144.5 118.1 108.6 119.3 112.9 102.5
94.9 109.7 120.6 141.9 167.5 212.8 247.1
256.7
7.4
11.4
Arkansas..............................
5.8
16.6
13.4
12.9
14.3
21.9
6.6
25.7
8.1
15.9
12.8
20.7
23.2
9.7
22.0
10.0
34.6
39.4
51.3
30.1
Louisiana............................. 30.6
29.5
52.0
19.9
24.8
54.8
27.1
31.2
23.9
18.2
17.9
20.4
19.5
19.0
13.4
16.9
28.0
Oklahoma..............-............ 21.9
21.3
10.1
10.0
33.8
43.1
21.2
8.8
8.3
21.7
8.9
11.2
16.5
12.7
12.0
86.5
Texas.................................... 119.3 106.0 101.2 101.5
74.7
99.8 116.9 140.2
68.2
133.5
58.1
91.3
55.6
75.3
66.6
62.6
67.6
Mountain___ _____________
5.5
5.4
9.4
12.1
5.3
12.7
Arizona................................. 11.0
9.8
5.0
16. i
17.0
8.4
5.3
9.9
7.5
6.0
6.1
6.6
6.4
6.2
10.9
7.7
Colorado............................... 15.4
7.4
7.7
10.7
14.2
15.4
14.7
12.4
6.8
11.7
9.4
9.3
8.6
10.0
4.1
5.1
6.3
3.7
3.6
Idaho....................................
7.2
6.8
7.8
5.0
5.2
3.7
4.8
6.7
3.5
3.0
3.4
3.3
3.9
2.7
3.4
3.0
Montana..............................
5.1
3.3
3.6
3.3
6.9
3.6
6.3
3.0
7.3
2.8
5.9
4.2
3.5
3.8
4.4
New Mexico3___________
3.1
2.8
4.3
4.6
Nevada—.................... _.......
8.9
5.1
1.9
2.6
12.3
4.8
5.8
6.4
5.8
4.3
2.1
3.5
3.9
3.8
12.5
20.3
9.4
Utah............ ........................
18.7
6.9
8.0
22.0
27.8
7.1
5.3
9.2
8.8
5.5
9.2
7.6
5.0
5.1
5.7
Wyoming.............................
3.0
4.2
5.0
3.8
3.6
3.9
2.9
2.8
1.8
5.8
3.7
5.5
5.0
3.8
2.4
2.8
2.0
2.7
Pacific____________________
California3.........................
14.1
17.0
Oregon..................................
14.7
14.8
14.9
13.9
11.1
19.9
20.0
22.6
20.2
12.2
22.7
23.9
20.0
14.2
15.2
14.5
Washington.........................
60.0
47.1
61.1
53.2
46.9
46.4
45.9
29.1
39.4
25.1
39.8
32.3
37.3
41.1
35.0
26.5
27.6
25.0
1 The data cover all site and off-site wage and salaried employees of private firms whose major activity is. construction, but exclude self-employed construction workers, working proprietors, and force
account employees of nonconstruction firms and public agencies engaged in construction activities. (Force-account work is done, not through a contractor, but directly by a business or Government
agency using a separate work force to perform nonmaintenance construction on the agency’s own properties.)
.
The estimates are based primarily on reports by construction firms to unemployment compensation agencies and to the Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, adjusted currently in accordance
with monthly reports to the Bureau of Labor Statistics or to cooperating State agencies from a sample of firms in each State.
2 Data for the remainder of 1947 are not available except for the following 12 States: Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, Texas, and Wisconsin. These States are those in which cooperative arrangements have been developed with State agencies to compile current benchmarks, solicit reports from sample firms, and
prepare monthly estimates. Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics obtained monthly reports from sample firms in all other States from July to December 1947, for use in compiling the United States
total, it did not have the facilities after June 1947 to prepare individual State estimates. ' 3 No estimates were prepared for this State.
Region and State
CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT
12
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-47
California contractors, unlike those in most
other States where construction activity was
especially high during the war, employed more
construction workers in 1946-47 than in 1943—
in fact, well over 40,000 more. This is because
California experienced unexpectedly great post
war prosperity which led to considerable invest
ment in new construction and to easy absorption
of its swollen wartime labor supply, in spite of the
drastic curtailment of shipyard and aircraft
activities right after VJ-day. In the Pacific
Northwest on the other hand, construction con
tractors employed somewhat more labor in 194647 than in 1943 in Oregon but considerably less
in Washington. Thus, the picture in the far
West is mixed, although in all parts of the region,
construction employment rose after 1945 when
the war ended. This, in fact, has been true in
every State except Tennessee and Arkansas,
reflecting the comparative strength of the econ
omy generally after speedy reconversion.
While construction employment increased na
tionally between 1943 and 1946, it held in 1946
only a slightly better position in the entire non
farm picture than in 1943, accounting for about
4 percent of all nonagricultural jobs. Different
States and parts of the country behaved differently
in this respect, however. For example, in the
North and West areas the gains in construction
were large enough to increase their share of all
nonfarm jobs between 1943 and 1946. On the
other hand, the losses in the South kept construc
tion in this area from maintaining as important a
place in the employment picture as attained
during the war. In general, by 1946 the Southern
and Western States were still above the national
average in the proportion of all nonagricultural
employment claimed by construction, as they
were in 1943, while the Northern States were
somewhat below the national average.
Construction employment rose after the war in
practically all parts of the country. Contractors
employed more construction labor the first half of
1947 than in 1946 in all but 8 States, and in every
one of the 8 the difference in employment between
the two periods was slight, if indeed any change
had occurred at all. The number of construction
workers rose most in 1947 in Texas where an
average of 20,000 recruits were taken on. Con
struction contractors added an average of 16,000
workers in California and 14,000 in New York be
tween 1946 and the first half of 1947. The rise in
construction employment nationally during this
period averaged 120,000 workers, almost 80 per
cent of whom were added in only four geographic
divisions—the South Atlantic, West South Cen
tral, East North Central, and Middle Atlantic, in
order of the average number of additional construc
tion workers taken on.
Irregularity of Construction Employment
Even in the most active construction periods,
construction workers are seldom regularly em
ployed throughout the year. The nature of the
work is such that only those working for contrac
tors who can afford to maintain a steady crew and
move it from site to site may avoid the usual
lay-off between jobs. And even under the best
of circumstances, the vagaries of the weather may
upset work schedules and necessitate time off.
A glance at table 5 will show that it is not
uncommon for as many as half a million construc
tion workers to be taken on and let go within a
single year. To get a rough idea of how many
workers could possibly be employed throughout
the year on construction, we might take the ratio
of the month of lowest average employment, as
shown in table 5, to that of highest average em
ployment each year. The result indicates that
the number of workers who could have been
employed all of the year amounted to somewhat
more than half the number in the month of
highest average employment in 1940, threefourths in 1941, and as much as four-fifths in 1944,
but declined to around three-fifths in 1946. The
ratio climbed to nearly four-fifths in 1947.
Actually the degree of regularity in construction
employment is less than total employment figures
can reveal, since the latter do not take into account
the turn-over of individual workers. Case history
material for 1943 has been summarized by the
Bureau in some special tabulations compiled from
old-age and survivors insurance reports. These
reports were made to the Social Security Adminis
tration by employers concerning individual work
ers. Table 9 presents some of the results. More
recent studies have not been possible, but 1943 is
a fairly good period for analysis since it was a year
of relatively high though gradually declining
employment.
The data show that among a 3-percent sample
COMPARATIVE LABOR REQUIREMENTS
of construction workers, well over half supple
mented their earnings during the year by employ
ment in other industries. Of the workers employ
ed in the construction industry alone, only about
a fourth worked in all four quarters of the year.
It is possible, of course, that the others may have
been employed the rest of the time in occupations
not covered by the old-age and survivors insurance
program. Some may have been self-employed.
13
Even so, the evidence is clear that the construction
industry itself afforded substantially less than full
employment to a large proportion of its labor
in 1943. Yet in 1943, construction contractors
employed an average of more than 1,500,000
workers monthly, well over the number employed
in the prewar years 1939 and 1940, when con
struction was making a rapid peacetime recovery.
T able 9.— Percentage distribution of male construction workers classified by regularity of employment and type of employing
contractor, 1943
Workers employed only in construction
Type of employing contractor
All covered
construction
workers1
All contractors..............................................
General building contractors *....................
General contractors, other than building. _
Special building trades contractors............
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Workers employed in construction and in other
covered industries
Percent working—
Percent working—
Percent of all
Percent of all
covered
covered
less than 4
less than 4
workers In all 4 quarters Inquarters
workers In all 4 quarters Inquarters
of
of
of the year
of the year
the year
the year
43.6
41.5
45.9
43.7
i A 3-percent sample of male workers covered by old-age and survivors
insurance and classified as construction workers. Principal exclusions from
coverage by the Social Security Act are agricultural labor; domestic service
in private homes; employment covered by the Railroad Retirement Act;
employment by Federal, State, and local governments and by certain of their
instrumentalities; service in nonprofit organizations; and casual labor in
activities outside the ordinary course of an employer's business. Workers
have been classified as construction workers if employed by a construction
26.3
21.6
19.9
39.0
73.7
78.4
80.1
61.0
56.4
58.5
54.1
56.3
59.4
58.2
54.2
66.1
40.6
41.8
45.8
33.9
contractor during their last “covered" employment in the year. Workers
may have been self-employed, unemployed, or employed in “uncovered"
work in any or all of the quarters in which they were engaged in “covered"
work, and, of course, in the quarters when not engaged in “covered "work.
The basic data were furnished to the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Social
Security Administration from its records.
* Includes speculative builders, subdividers, and developers.
Comparative Labor Requirements
Different Kinds of Construction
Because of the complexities of the construction
industry, arising largely from lack of a fixed locality
and steady operations, all aspects of construction
employment cannot be measured in the same way.
In the previous section national and State em
ployment data have been presented, based on
reports from individual construction firms to
government agencies. It has been impossible to
obtain from such reports the detail necessary to
separate employment according to the kind of
construction work performed and the skill or occu
pation of the workers. The moving of labor from
site to site, the staggering of accessions and lay
offs among construction crews according to a proj
ect's nearness to completion, and many other fea
tures necessarily characteristic of labor practices
in construction establishments would make the
regular reporting of any but gross employment
figures a prohibitive task for private contracting.
Yet there is important need for information about
the extent of the labor force claimed by the
various kinds of construction—highway work,
residential and nonresidential building construc
tion, etc.—and the skills and occupations of the
workers doing the job.
Since reports from contracting establishments,
the most precise source, cannot be secured to yield
this information, another estimating method has
been developed. This involves converting figures
on the dollars spent for the various kinds of new
construction each month (see tables 1 to 4) into
estimated man-months of work, using a factor
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-47
14
representing the value of work put in place per
man per hour.® For distribution by skill and
occupation, data from actual field observations
made on construction projects of various kinds
and sizes are applied to the results.
The figures derived by this method are not
employment figures, in the same way as those
developed from employment reports. They are,
instead, an approximate measurement, in terms of
number of workers, of the labor required to put in
place the dollar volume of new construction
reported for any period.
Since the basic data (dollar volume) cover the
entire value of the work put in place, all the labor
charged to the construction must be included—
working proprietors and the self-employed, as well
• Seo tables 10 and 11, footnote 1, for details on the conversion method.
T able
as wage and salaried employees. Only the latter
are counted in the employment reports. In
addition, since all new construction is covered by
the figures derived from dollar volume, new
projects undertaken under force account are
included.7 Such projects are excluded from the
employment figures, which represent employment
only by construction contractors. Also contractors’ employees may work on all kinds of
construction work, repair and maintenance proj
ects as well as new construction, but the figures on
labor requirements by kind of work and occupa
tion have been developed only for new projects.8*
* See footnote 2, p. 9.
8 It should be cautioned that, because sufficient information is lacking for
measuring the changes, the labor requirements data assume that overhead
and profit are a constant proportion of the dollar value figures, and that
productivity per man-hour remains the same from month to month.
10.— Number of workers required on and off site to put in place new construction, by type of construction, 1989-47 1
Average monthly number of workers (in thousands)
Type of construction
1946
1947
Fourth Third Sec
Fourth Third Sec
First
First 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939
ond quar
ond quar
Year quar quar quar
Year quar quar quar
ter ter ter ter
ter ter ter ter
Total new construction2............................ 1,865 2,135 2,100 1,710
265 240 205
Off site........................................................... 230
On site........................................................... 1,635 1,870 1,860 1,505
Private construction............................ 1,290 1,495 1,455 1,165
Residential building (nonfarm). _ 565
740 630 475
Nonresidential building (non
375 360 350
farm) 3.......................................... 370
60 135 80
Farm construction......................... 75
320 330 260
Public utilities............................... 280
375 405 340
Public construction..................................... 345
20 20 25
Residential building. ...................... 30
95 75 65
Nonresidential building4.................... 70
45 50 35
Conservation and development......... 40
135 170 130
Highways............................................... 125
80 90 85
All other public ®.................................. 80
1,515
195
1,320
1,055
415
395
30
215
265
55
45
35
70
60
* Previously published as employment estimates. Available monthly
from January 1939 to March 1947 and quarterly from the second quarter of
1947.
These estimates are designed to measure the number of workers required
to put in place the dollar volume of new construction activity reported in
tables 1 to 4. They cover the workers engaged at the site of new constru ction
and also employees in yards, shops, and offices whose time is chargeable to
new construction operations. Consequently the estimates include not only
construction employees of establishments primarily engaged in new con
struction, but also self-employed persons, working proprietors, and employ
ees of nonconstruction establishments who are engaged in new construction
work. They do not cover persons engaged in repairs and maintenance.
In the case of non-Federal construction, these estimates are derived by
converting, into man-months of work, dollars spent during each month of
the quarter on construction projects under way. The conversion is made by
using a factor representing the value of work put in place per man per hour
1,690 1,930 2,080 1,625
245 260 200
215
1,475 1,685 1,830 1,425
l, 195 1,305 1,460 1,195
510 550 405
430
495 540 500
480
60
50 110 65
225
250 260 225
380 370 230
280
55
105 80 30
50
50 55 45
30
40 35 30
90
120 130 75
55
65 70 50
1,115
145
970
815
250
380
20
165
155
10
55
25
35
30
825
95
730
435
95
145
40
155
295
10
155
20
45
65
795
90
705
320
80
55
40
145
385
25
220
20
40
80
1,360
150
1,210
330
100
40
70
120
880
105
465
40
60
210
2,360
270
2,090
590
230
120
80
160
1,500
85
875
55
100
385
2,230
265
1,965
1,160
550
315
105
190
805
85
315
60
160
185
1,810 1,720
210 200
1,600 1,520
1,040 945
525 500
245 195
95
90
175 160
560 575
45
15
165 245
60
60
185 180
105
75
based on data from the 1939 Census of Construction and from periodic studies
of a large number of individual projects of various types by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics. The factor is adjusted for each quarter in accordance
with changes in prices of building materials, average hourly earnings of con
struction workers, and average hours worked per week. For Federal con
struction, estimates are made directly from reports on employment collected
from contractors and then checked against estimates based on Federal ex
penditures.
For an estimate of total workers employed by firms primarily engaged in
new construction, additions, alterations, repairs, and maintenance work,
see tables 5 to 7.
2 Includes major additions and alterations.
8 Includes nonresidential building by privately owned public utilities.
4 Includes workers employed on facilities used in atomic energy projects.
«Includes airports, water supply and sewage disposal systems, electrifica
tion projects, and miscellaneous public-service enterprises.
COMPARATIVE LABOR REQUIREMENTS
Private nonfarm housing claimed over a third
of all site labor required on new construction
projects in 1947—a larger proportion than in any
previous year from 1939, the earliest date for
which figures are available. The boom in homebuilding during the latter half of the year raised
the proportion of site labor on private housing
projects to two-fifths of the total by the last
quarter, or three-fourths of a million workers.
Some of the new labor needed for housing in 1947
was taken from the force usually employed on
nonresidential building, since construction labor
for factories declined substantially from 1946
after reaching banner proportions.
The site labor needed to man privately financed
public utility construction projects and construc
tion by Federal, State, and local governments
rose appreciably between 1946 and 1947 along
with residential labor requirements. But the
public utilities claimed much more labor than
before the war, whereas public projects claimed
far less. Among the nonbuilding labor, the
demand for highway workers increased most in
1947, although requirements for this kind of
work were well below what they were in 1939 and
1940.
Private projects took 80 percent of the con
struction labor in 1946 and 1947, in contrast
with only 28 percent during the war peak in
1942, and somewhat more than 60 percent in
the preparedness period 1939-41.
15
arise from changes in the composition of the
construction program and some variations in the
materials used and in building methods.
The extraordinary part played by housing in
1947 chiefly explains the larger number of plas
terers and lathers required in that year compared
with 1942. The somewhat greater importance of
homebuilding and the much smaller proportion of
temporary construction in 1947 brought plasterers,
Different Skills and Occupations
In recent years about half the site workers on
new construction have been skilled. Carpenters
are the most numerous among the skilled trades,
comprising about a fourth of the labor at the
site—370,000 men in 1947. More skilled labor
is required for residential building than for other
kinds of work, so that over two-thirds of the site
crew on new housing is usually composed of
skilled workers, and carpenters make up about
half of these.
Except for plasterers and lathers, skilled con
struction workers were less in demand in 1947
than in 1942, when construction employment was
at a record level. Also, although total employ
ment in 1941 exceeded the level in 1947, more
plasterers, lathers, and bricklayers were needed
in the later year. The differences in the needs
lathers, and bricklayers into more demand than in
1941. These influences are reflected in the figures
on apprenticeship, which show that in 1947 not
only were there more registered apprenticeship
programs in the trowel trades than in any other
group, but the number of these programs in the
trowel trades had jumped by 60 percent during
the year, compared with a 43-percent rise in the
case of all trades combined.
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING , 1946-47
16
T able
11 .— Number of site workers required to put in place new construction, by skill and occupation, selected years i
Average monthly number of workers at the site (in thousands)
Skill and occupation
Total................................................................
Superintendents............................................
Clerks..............................................................
Skilled workers..............................................
Bricklayers...............................................
Carpenters .........................................
Construction machine operators_____
Electricians.............................................
Lathers.....................................................
Painters and glaziers..............................
Plasterers..................................................
Plumbers and steamfitters....................
All other...................................................
Semiskilled workers.......................................
Unskilled workers........................ .................
1941
1942
1946
1947
On new residen
On new residen
On new residen
On all tial building
On all
On all tial building
On all tial building
new
new
new
new
construc
construc Labor
construc Labor
construc Labor
tion require Percent tion require Percent tion require Percent tion
ments. of total
ments of total
ments of total
1,635
28
13
854
95
370
47
33
15
72
42
54*
126
215
525
595
11
1
410
53
203
5
13
8
45
24
26
33
70
103
36
39
8
48
56
55
11
39
53
63
57
48
26
33
20
1,475
24
11
777
88
335
42
31
15
67
38
49
112
184
479
1 These estimates are designed to measure the number of workers required to
put in place the dollar volume of new construction activity reported in tables
1 to 4. They cover the workers engaged at the site of new construction and
also employees in yards, shops, and offices whose time is chargeable to new
construction operations. Consequently the estimates include not only con
struction employees of establishments primarily engaged in new construction,
but also self-employed persons, workmg proprietors, and employees of non
construction establishments who are engaged in new construction work.
They do not cover persons engaged in repairs and maintenance.
In the case of all non-Federal construction, these estimates are derived by
converting, into man-months of work, dollars spent during each month of the
quarter on construction projects under way. The conversion is made by
485
8
1
336
43
166
5
10
7
37
19
21
28
56
84
33
33
9
43
49
50
12
32
47
55
50
43
25
30
18
2,090
32
29
1,014
121
432
67
47
11
76
32
71
157
226
789
315
2
1
194
12
103
3
9
2
26
9
16
14
14
104
15
6
3
19
10
24
5
19
18
34
28
23
9
6
13
1,965
27
20
985
89
447
58
45
12
89
39
70
136
205
728
On new residen
tial building
Labor
require Percent
ments of total
635
4
1
391
25
207
5
18
4
52
18
32
30
28
211
32
15
5
40
28
46
9
40
33
58
46
46
22
14
29
using a factor representing the value of work put in place per man per hour
based on data from the 1939 Census of Construction and from periodic studies
of a large number of individual projects of various types by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics. The factor is adjusted for each quarter in accordance with
changes in prices of building materials, average hourly earnings of construc
tion workers, and average hours worked per week. For Federal construction,
estimates are made directly from reports on employment collected from con
tractors and then checked against estimates based on Federal expenditures.
For an estimate of total workers employed by firms primarily engaged in
new construction, additions, alterations, repairs, and maintenance work, see
tables 5 to 7.
Housing
The year 1947 marked a 21-year peak in housing
activity. The number of new permanent dwell
ing units started in 1947 (849,000) was greater
than in any one year since 1926, when this record
was equaled, and was surpassed only in 1923-25,
when the country’s greatest housing boom was at
its height.® This 1947 record, while expected in
view of an easier supply situation than the
previous year and huge effective demand, was
achieved under still serious postwar difficulties.
Most important of these was high and continu
ously rising costs. If it had not been for cost
uncertainties, 1947 homebuilding might have
approached still nearer the all-time high of
* The dwelling units discussed here are new housekeeping units in perma
nent structures not located on farms. Excluded, therefore, are all units in
temporary structures or trailers; farm houses; dwellings provided by con
verting existing structures to residential use or adding units to already exist
ing houses; and accommodations in dormitories, hotels, and tourist cabins.
937,000 units started in 1925. It exceeded the
housing started in 1946 by 27 percent.
The rebound in housing activity after World
War II was more rapid than after the First
World War, and has been sustained. The number
of housing units started did not quite triple
between 1918 and 1919 (rising from 120,000 to
330,000), but more than tripled between 1945
and 1946 (see table 12). In 1920, sharply spiraling
prices and the brief but steep recession which
followed caused a 25-percent decline in homebuilding, but in 1947, the corresponding year
after World War II, residential building was still
expanding.
The estimates of new nonfarm housing are
based on reports of building permits issued and
on surveys of dwelling units started in some
representative areas over the country that do
not issue building permits.
HOUSING
T able
17
12 .— Number of new permanent nonfarm dwelling unite started, by urban or rural location and by source of funds,
m o -4 7 1
Number of new permanent units
1920............................................................
1921................................................................
1922................................................................
1923................................................................
1924................................................................
1925................................................................
1926................................................................
1927................................................................
1928................................................................
1929................................................................
1930................................................................
1931................................................................
1932................................................................
1933................................................................
1934................................................................
1935............................. ..................................
1936................................................................
1937................................................................
1938................................................................
1939................................................................
1940................................................................
1941................................................................
1942................................................................
1943................................................................
1944................................................................
1945................................................................
1946................................................................
January..................................................
February...............................................
March...................................................
April.......................................................
May......................................................
June........................................................
July........................................................
August...................................................
September.............................................
October..................................................
November.............................................
December.............................................
1947................................................................
January..................................................
February..............................................
March.....................................................
April.......................................................
May........................................................
June........................................................
July..............................................*.io*.......
August................ ..................................
September.............................................
October..................................................
November.............................................
December..............................................
Private
Total
Period
Total
urban, as
percent
of all
non
Rural farm
Urban 2 non
farm 2
Public
All
non
farm
Urban2
Rural
non
farm2
Total
Urban2
Rural
non
farm 2
Total
247,000
449,000
716,000
871,000
893,000
937,000
849,000
810,000
753,000
509,000
330,000
254,000
134,000
93,000
126,000
221,000
319,000
336,000
406,000
515,000
602,600
706,100
356,000
191,000
141,800
209,300
670,500
37,500
42,400
62,000
67,000
67,100
64,100
62,600
65,400
57,600
57,800
47,700
39,300
849,000
39,300
42.800
56,000
67,100
72.900
77,200
81,100
86,300
93,800
94,000
79,700
58,800
196,000
359,000
574,000
698,000
716,000
752,000
681,000
643,000
594,000
400,000
236,000
174,000
64,000
45,000
49,000
117,000
211,000
218,000
262,000
359,000
396,600
434,300
227,400
124,400
96,200
133,900
403,700
22,400
25,000
38,000
41,000
41,000
39,000
37,300
39,500
33,600
34,600
28,600
23,700
479,800
24,200
25,000
31,800
37,600
39,300
42,200
44,500
47,400
50,300
53,200
48,000
36,300
51.000
90,000
142,000
173,000
177,000
185,000
168,000
167,000
159,000
109,000
94,000
80,000
70,000
48,000
77,000
104,000
108,000
118,000
144,000
156,000
206,000
271,800
128,600
66,600
45,600
75,400
266,800
15,100
17,400
24,000
26,000
26,100
25,100
25,300
25,900
24,000
23,200
19,100
15,600
369,200
15,100
17,800
24,200
29,500
33,600
35,000
36,600
38,900
43,500
40,800
31,700
22,500
247,000
449,000
716,000
871,000
893,000
937,000
849,000
810,000
753,000
509,000
330,000
254,000
134,000
93,000
126,000
215,705
304,225
332,406
399,294
458,458
529,571
619,511
301,191
183,703
138,692
208,059
662,473
36,892
42,400
62,000
67,000
67,100
62,762
61,290
61,915
57,600
56,514
47,700
39,300
845,560
38,216
42,800
56,000
67,100
72,900
77.000
81,100
86,108
93,525
93,540
78,835
58,436
196,000
359,000
574,000
698,000
716,000
752,000
681,000
643,000
594,000
400,000
236,000
174,000
64,000
45,000
49,000
112,591
197,648
214,406
255,294
303,547
333,151
369,499
184,914
119,714
93,216
132,659
395,673
21,792
25,000
38,000
41,000
41,000
37,662
35,990
36,015
33,600
31,314
2 ,600
23,700
476,360
23,116
25,000
31,800
37,600
39,300
42,000
44,500
47.208
50,025
52,710
47,135
35,936
51,000
90,000
142,000
173,000
177,000
185,000
168,000
167,000
159,000
109,000
94,000
80,000
70,000
48,000
77,000
103,114
106,577
118,000
144,000
154,911
196,417
250,012
116,277
63,989
45,476
75,400
266,800
15,100
17,400
24,000
26,000
26,100
25,100
25,300
25,900
24,000
23,200
19,100
15,600
369,200
15,100
17,800
24,200
29,500
33,600
35,000
36,600
38,900
43,500
40,800
31,700
22,500
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5,295
14,775
3,594
6,706
56,542
73,029
86,589
54,809
7,297
3,108
1,241
8,027
608
0
0
0
0
1,338
1,310
3,485
0
1,286
0
0
3,440
1,084
0
0
0
0
200
0
192
275
460
865
364
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4,409
13,352
3,594
6,706
55,453
63,446
64,801
42,486
4,686
2,984
1,241
8,027
608
0
0
0
0
1,338
1,310
3,485
0
1,286
0
0
3,440
1,084
0
0
0
0
200
0
192
275
460
865
364
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
886
1,423
0
0
1,089
9,583
21,788
12,323
2,611
124
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
79.4
80.0
80.2
80.1
80.2
80.3
80.2
79.4
78.9
78.6
71.5
68.5
47.8
48.4
38.9
52.9
66.1
64.9
64.5
69.7
65.8
61.5
63.9
65.1
67.8
64.0
60.2
i>9.7
59.0
61.3
61.2
61.1
60.8
59.6
60.4
58.3
59.9
60.0
60.3
56.5
61.6
58.4
56.8
56.0
53.9
54.7
54.9
54.9
o3. 6
56.6
60.2
61.7
Total
private,
as per
cent of
all non
farm
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
97.6
95.4
98.9
98.3
89.0
87.9
87.7
84.6
96.2
97.8
99.4
98.8
98.4
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
97.9
97.9
94.7
100.0
97.8
100.0
100.0
99.6
97.2
100.0
100 0
100.0
100.0
99.7
100.0
99.8
99.7
99.5
98.9
99.4
* Data for 1920-29 are from National Bureau of Economic Research; data
for 1930-47 are from Bureau of Labor Statistics. Based on building permits
issued and Federal construction contracts awarded, which, from 1946, have
been supplemented by data from field surveys in non-permit-issuing places.
Beginning in 1945 data from building permits have been adjusted for lapsed
permits and lag between permit issuance and the start of construction.
These influences were negligible prior to 1945.
Excludes units provided by the Federal Temporary Re-use Housing
Program, and all other temporary units.
2 Urban and rural nonfarm classifications for years 1920-29 are based on 1930
census; for years 1930-47, on 1940 census.
An estimate is prepared every month in three
segments:10 The first segment covers housing in
urban areas,11 most of which are permit-issuing;
io The following estimating method relates only to privately financed
units. Data on publicly financed units are enumerations rather than esti
mates. They are incorporated with the estimates of private dwellings to
yield the final total of all nonfarm housing. The Bureau receives monthly
reports from Federal, State, and local agencies giving the number and location
of mjblic units started and the contract values,
« The urban designation follows the Census definition and applies to all
incorporated places of 2,500 population or more in 1940 and, by special rule,
to a small number of unincorporated civil divisions essentially urban in
character. Rural nonfarm units are defined as those in incorporated places
with less than 2,500 population and all units in unincorporated areas that
are not farm homes. Thus, urban housing is related to definite geographic
areas, while rural nonfarm housing is defined according to the intended
use of the dwelling units.
18
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING , 1946-47
the second is for rural nonfarm housing for which
building permit data are available; and the third,
for rural nonfarm units started in areas not
covered by building-permit systems, thus neces
sitating field survey.
The Urban Estimate
The majority of urban places have building
codes requiring a permit to build. The Bureau
receives reports from all cities of 50,000 or more
population (199) and from about 1,800 smaller
cities, representing altogether around 80 percent
of the total cities that issue permits but containing
over 85 percent of the urban population. To
the units recorded on building permits and
reported to the Bureau from urban places, is
added an estimate of units in building-permit
issuing urban places not reporting to the Bureau
and of units in the few urban places not covered
by permit systems. Since the resulting figure
is based primarily on a record of intentions to
build as recorded on permits, it is an estimate
of the dwellings authorized each month, not of
the number actually started. To derive a measure
of the number of units started, the estimate of
housing authorized in urban areas is adjusted
to reflect the extent to which building permits are
issued but not used, and the delay in starting
construction usually experienced by builders after
they obtain permits. This adjustment is based
on the results of periodic checks with builders on
a large and representative group of building
projects.
Estimating Rural Nonfarm Housing
The volume of rural nonfarm housing started
in places that issue building permits is derived by
inflating the number of reported units 12 to an
estimated total and adjusting the results for
unused permits and lag between permit issuance
and the start of construction, applying the same
methods as for the urban estimate.
To estimate housing activity in the non-permitissuing segment of the rural nonfarm area, field
agents of the Bureau canvass 96 representative
counties and record the new homebuilding as it is
12The Bureau receives building permit reports from about 1,100 rural
nonfarm incorporated places and about 250 unincorporated areas. This
reporting segment is being rapidly expanded.
started. The sample results are weighted and
expanded to provide a country-wide total for
this part of the housing estimate. The 3 parts—
urban, rural nonfarm permit-issuing, and rural
nonfarm non-permit-issuing—are added together
to give the complete figure on the number of new
permanent dwelling units started nationally by
private builders. Enumerations of the publicly
financed units started each month are added to
the private total to give the complete figure for
the month.13
Government Role in Housing Effort, 1946-47
The most serious reconversion problem after the
war was not unemployment, as many economists
had predicted, but the housing shortage. The
deficit of homes induced by the low building rate
during the depression and by building restrictions
in the war years, was aggravated by such addi
tional influences as the increased wartime mar
riage rate, rapid demobilization, the migration of
war workers, and the high level of savings and of
economic activity prevalent in the immediate post
war period. By the end of 1945, the housing
shortage had assumed the nature of a major do
mestic crisis.
Wartime controls were not popular in many
quarters, and there had been urgent requests for
relaxation of controls on building as soon as pos
sible, the argument being that peacetime demands
could be met more quickly without restrictions.
Thus, in September 1945, the priorities system
for securing building materials was abolished by
the War Production Board and on October 15
wartime controls on construction were withdrawn
through revocation of order L-41.14 Building ma
terials were thereby released to all purchasers
alike and the sales price ceilings on housing were
removed. Industrial construction had already
been freed from control right after VJ-day.
At the time building restrictions were removed,
the Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion
announced a 6-point program to assist in expand
ing construction activity and production of con
13 See footnote 10, p. 17.
Conservation Order L-41 was issued on April 9,1942, placing all construc
tion under rigid control. The order made it necessary for builders to obtain
authorization from the War Production Board to begin residential construc
tion costing $500 or more; agricultural construction costing $1,000 or more;
or commercial and other construction costing $5,000 or more during any con
tinuous 12-month period,
BOUSING
struction materials, and to help prevent inflation
ary pricing of new housing. Nevertheless, many
houses in the higher price brackets were started;
industrial, commercial, and amusement enter
prises rushed to get construction under way; and
scarce materials began to disappear.
Reconversion Housing Program
It soon became evident that new measures
would be necessary on the part of the Government
not only to encourage provision of moderate-cost
housing, but also to make it available to return
ing veterans and their families. In December,
the Civilian Production Administration, successor
to the War Production Board, announced that
under its Reconversion Housing Program, to take
effect January 15, 1946, priorities for materials in
short supply would be restored to aid home
builders. The priorities (issued under Priorities
Regulation 33) were awarded either to individual
veterans building for themselves or to others who
would build one or more dwellings to which veter
ans of World War II would be given preference in
sale or rental. Each unit for which a priority for
materials was secured was to sell for not more than
$10,000, including land and improvements, or
rent for not more than $80 per month. Power to
award priorities assistance was delegated to the
Federal Housing Administration.
In addition, the CPA directed surplus Govern
ment stocks of certain building materials to the
housing program, and the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation began a series of sales of excess stocks
of building materials and construction equipment
at various army and navy depots throughout the
country.1®
These measures to channel scarce building ma
terials into housing assisted greatly the contraseasonal rise in homebuilding that occurred in
January and February 1946. Then, in March,
there was an unprecedented monthly gain in
housing—a 46-percent increase from February in
the number of new permanent units started.
Over and above seasonal influences and the in
creased effectiveness of the priorities assistance
program, builders had rushed to get elaborate and ex
pensive homes under way before newly announced
restrictions were to go into effect. The ex-*
i* These activities were undertaken under authority and rules of Direction
7 to Priorities Regulation 13.
792111—48------4
19
pected regulation (Veterans’ Housing Program
Order 1) was issued on March 26. It limited
residential building practically in entirety (except
for units to cost $400 or less) to housing for which
priorities would be given under the program de
scribed above. In addition, controls on nonresidential building were instituted similar to the
wartime restrictions of Conservation Order L-41.
Homebuilding continued to rise in April and
May, but materials shortages, aggravated by
competition for materials from the huge volume
of large-scale nonresidential building that got
under way before March 26, placed a damper on
further expansion.
Veterans’ Emergency Housing Program
Meanwhile, early in the year and about the
time the priorities assistance program went into
effect, all housing functions were coordinated under
an administrator who was instructed to search out
and break bottlenecks, to make the machinery of
housing production run as smoothly and as speedily
as possible. On February 7, 1946, the adminis
trator, or Housing Expediter, made a formal report
to the President on a Veterans’ Emergency Hous
ing Program. The President approved the report
on the following day and urged Congress to enact
legislation recommended in the report.
Most of the Housing Expediter’s recommenda
tions were embodied in the Veterans’ Emergency
Housing Act of 1946, approved on May 22. This
act, commonly called the Patman Act, established
the Office of the Housing Expediter on a statutory
basis. It reaffirmed, until December 31, 1947,
the wartime authority previously granted to the
Housing Expediter to exercise first claim on scarce
building materials for construction of low and
medium cost houses. Price ceilings were put on
new homes, and veterans received preference in
buying or renting housing. The measure also
provided $400,000,000 for subsidies to building
materials makers to spur production of materials
in short supply. It also increased by a billion
dollars the Government’s authority to insure home
loans through private capital, protecting lenders
against risks incurred by selling homes on small
down payments.
Originally the Veterans’ Emergency Housing
Program was contemplated as a 2-year program.
It called for 1.2 million homes to be started in
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING , 1946-47
20
1946, and another 1.5 million in 1947. According
to the blueprint, the 1946 phase of the program
was to provide 700,000 new conventional-type
homes, 250,000 permanent prefabricated houses,
and 250,000 temporary units. Envisaged for
1947 were 900,000 conventional houses and
600.000 permanent prefabricated houses. All of
the houses called for in the program were
to be permanent, with the exception of 250,000
units in 1946. These were to be divided into
50.000 trailers and 200,000 units to be secured
from re-erecting dismantled war housing or con
verting war structures into housing.
By the end of 1946, slightly more than a million
units of all types had been started. Of that
number, two-thirds (670,500) were new permanent
units. The remaining third consisted of converted
units, temporary housing units, and housing
trailers. Only a few (37,600) of the new perma
nent units were factory-built.
T able 13.— Number of new nonfarm dwelling units started,
by source of funds and whether permanent or temporary,
1985-47 1
Number of new dwelling units
Year
1935...............................
1938...............................
1937...............................
1938...............................
1939...............................
1940..............................
1941..............................
1942...............................
1943..............................
1944..............................
1945..............................
1946...............................
1947...............................
Total Private
nonfarm
221,000
319,000
336,000
406,000
515,000
602,600
715,200
496,600
350,100
169,400
225,700
776,200
853,500
215,705
304,225
332,406
399,294
458,458
529,571
619,460
301,193
183,660
138,779
208,118
662,526
845,615
Public
Total
5,295
14,775
3,594
6,706
56,542
73,029
95,740
195,407
166,440
30,621
17,582
113,674
7,885
Perma Tempo
rary
nent
5,295
0
14,775
0
3,594
0
6,706
0
56,542
0
73,029
0
86,589 3 9,151
54,809 3140,598
7,297 3 159,143
3,108 3 27,513
1,241 316,341
8,027 3105,647
3,440 <4,445
* Based on building permits issued and Federal construction contracts
awarded, which, from 1948, have been supplemented by data from field sur
veys in non-permit-issuing places.
Beginning in 1945, data from building permits have been adjusted for lapsed
permits and lag between permit issuance and the start of construction.
These influences were negligible prior to 1945.
2 Principally defense and war housing authorized under the Lanham Act.
3 Covers those conventional-type units in the Federal Temporary Re-Use
Housing Program provided by dismantling temporary war structures and
re-erecting them at new sites. Excludes conversions, dormitory accommoda
tions, trailers, and military barracks.
4 Covers Federal temporary units on military reservations and at the site
of reclamation projects; also, units built by various local governments.
The hoped-for expansion in industrialized hous
ing had still not materialized by the end of 1947,
and indications from available though incomplete
records are that 1947 production of factory-built
units about equaled the 1946 total. While 1947
housing under the VEHP was to bo entirely per
manent, some temporary units were provided
in that year in addition to the 849,000 new per
manent units started (see p. 16 and table 12).
Since the housing functions of the program were
brought to an end June 30, 1947, it is not possible
to compare achievements during the year with
the original blueprint.
An especially important part in the Veterans'
Emergency Housing Program was played by the
temporary re-use program,16 because it provided
stopgap housing rapidly in areas of especially
critical need. It mobilized the surplus housing
resources under control of the Federal Govern
ment (such as army barracks, Quonset huts,
temporary dwellings erected for servicemen's fami
lies, and military structures potentially convertible
into housing) for meeting veterans' housing needs
on a temporary basis. Just over 200,000 re-use
units were started and almost 187,000 completed
from January 1946 through June 1947, when the
program was almost at its close. About two-thirds
of the accommodations were conventional-type
dwellings. The remainder were converted units,
dormitories, and trailers. Practically all the units
were in use into 1948. Though by no means to be
considered a part of the country's permanent in
ventory of housing, and subject to early retire
ment, these dwellings have served a real need at a
critical time.
During the life of the VEHP several modifica
tions were made in existing regulations to stimu
late housing progress, and some new regulations
were introduced. For example, a number of steps
were taken, in addition to measures already men
tioned, to ease the materials situation. Some of
them were as follows. The Civilian Production
Administration granted priority ratings (CC, under
Priorities Regulation 28) to producers of critical
products for purchase of equipment and operating
supplies needed to expand output. From time to
time the number of items which dealers and manu
facturers were required to set aside for priority
holders was increased. Federal building projects
that might interfere with the housing program
were subjected to the same tests of immediate
necessity as private building. The Office of Price
Administration granted over 100 price increases
on building materials to stimulate production.
The Wage Stabilization Board approved many
16 The program was authorized under Title V of the Lanham Act in June
1945 and was begun late in that year.
HOUSING
T able
21
14.— Total number of living accommodations provided during the Veteransf Emergency Housing Program, 1946-47 1
Number of accommodations
Started
Period
All
types
Completed
New permanent dwelling
units2
Converted
Federal dwelling
All
temporary units,
re-use dormitories, types
and
units3
Total Private Public
trailers *
1946......................................... 1,001,800 670,500 662,500
January. ........................
51,000 37,500 36,900
February........................
55,500 42,400 42,400
March.............................
88,200 62,000 62,000
A pril.............................
98,600 67,000 67,000
May................................ 105,700 67,100 67,100
June.................................
94,300 64,100 62,800
Ju ly ............................... 106,500 62,600 61,300
August............................ 108,500 65,400 61,900
September...................... 102,800 57,600 57,600
October...........................
78,600 57,800 56,500
November......................
61,800 47,700 47,700
December....................
50,300 39,300 39,300
1947.........................................
849,000 845,600
09
January-........................
52,000 39,300 38,200
February........................
51,700 42,800 42,800
March.............................
65,100 56,000 56,000
April...............................
78,600 67,100 67,100
May................................
81,600 72,900 72,900
June________________
77,200 77,000
July___________ ____
81,100 81,100
August...........................
86,300 86,100
September__________
93,800 93,500
October_____________
94,000 93,500
November__________
79,700 78,900
December___________
58,800 58,500
8,000
600
0
0
0
0
1,300
1,300
3,500
0
1,300
0
0
3,400
1,100
0
0
0
0
200
0
200
300
500
800
300
191,000
6,800
5,800
16,300
18,500
25,500
20,300
30,000
29,200
27,800
7,400
1,500
1,900
094,400
2,000
1,600
1,700
300
400
140,300
6,700
7,300
9,900
13,100
13,100
9,900
13,900
13,900
17,400
13,400
12,600
9,100
(6)
8,300
6,900
7,500
9,800
8,400
642,300
22,100
25,000
27,300
30,200
34,700
42,300
50,000
60,600
81,100
86,300
87,800
94,900
09
97,400
91,700
87,200
82,300
78,200
New permanent dwelling
units3
Converted
Federal dwelling
temporary units,
re-use dormitories,
and
Total Private Public units3 trailers
*
437,800
15,900
17,300
18,700
21,000
25,100
30,600
36,700
43,400
49,700
55,500
61,200
62,700
831,700
62,600
60,300
57,600
59,200
59,400
62,300
64,800
69,600
76,700
82,700
86,500
90,000
437,800
15,900
17,300
18,700
21,000
25,100
30,600
36,700
43,400
49,700
55,500
61,200
62,700
829,900
62,600
60,300
57,600
59,100
59,400
62,100
64,500
69,500
76,500
82,600
86,300
89,400
09 0
09
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1,800
0
0
0
100
0
200
300
100
200
100
200
600
101,900
900
2,700
2,800
3,400
3,200
4,200
6,300
8,900
19,100
17,600
14,200
18,600
09
23,200
19,900
18,200
11,400
8,000
4,100
102,600
5,300
5,000
5,800
5,800
6,400
7,500
7,000
8,300
12,300
13,200
12,400
13,600
0911,600
11,500
11,400
11,700
10,800
1 Data are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, except that estimates for
conversions and dormitory units are from the Office of the Housing Expediter,
and estimates for trailers are from the Bureau of the Census.
2 Covers both conventional and prefabricated units.
3 Covers conventional-type units provided by dismantling temporary war
structures and re-erecting them at new sites, conversions, dormitory accom
modations, and trailers. The figures on dormitory accommodations are pre
sented in terms of equivalent living accommodations, that is, 2 dormitory
accommodations are counted as 1 dwelling unit.
4 Outside the Federal Temporary Re-Use Housing Program.
3 Less than 50 units.
• Information for all of 1947 not shown, since housing functions of VEHP
were ended June 30, 1947.
necessary wage adjustments where low pay had
caused manpower shortages affecting production
of materials. Some 60 items of housing materials
were put under tight control. Housing program
funds were made available to the Forest Service
for access-road construction to formerly inacces
sible timber. In October 1946, free importation of
timber, lumber, and lumber products was pro
vided by Presidential proclamation.
This comprehensive campaign became increas
ingly more effective. By the end of 1946, produc
tion of most materials ranged from 50 to 100
percent higher than during the early months of
the year. The great improvement in materials
production led to relaxation of housing controls,
which, according to Presidential announcement,
was in line with the Government’s broad policy
of lifting all wartime controls as rapidly as possible.
Thus, on December 24, new homebuilding was
opened to anyone, veteran or nonveteran, who
wished to build a year-round house of certain
restricted floor area (1,500 square feet) for his
own occupancy. The existing priority system was
replaced by a simple permit system. Sales-price
ceilings on homes built under permit were dis
continued, but rental price ceilings were retained
though modified (permitting an $80 monthly
average rental for entire projects rather than $80
per unit). The reserve set-asides on building
materials were dropped and priority assistance to
producers was considerably narrowed. Controls
had already been removed, in the preceding month,
from building materials prices and construction
workers’ wages, when wage controls and practic
ally all price controls in the economy generally
were abolished. In January 1947 the rate of
approvals for nonresidential construction, still
under control, was increased and more exemptions
were allowed.
But homebuilding did not attain the levels early
in 1947 that had been anticipated. Whereas
supplies were easier to get, costs were soaring and
22
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING , 1 9 4 M ?
builders were afraid the price structure would for mortgage insurance of home loans under Title
VI of the National Housing Act, with liberalized
crack.
More housing restrictions were removed. Be mortgage loan regulations.
ginning June 1, Federal permits were no longer
required as a preliminary to home construction,
a one-bathroom-per-house restriction was dropped,
and the limitation of 1,500 square feet on floor
area for homes was raised to 2,500 square feet.
On June 30, the Housing and Rent Act of 1947
virtually abolished the Veterans’ Emergency
Housing Program. Almost all the important
functions of the Housing Expediter, with the
exception of rent control, were removed, and
permit requirements for industrial and commercial
construction were discontinued, except in the case
of amusement and recreation projects. A few
activities remained to be carried on under the act
during the latter half of 1947, having to do with
administration of previously committed premium
payment plans to building materials producers,
market guarantees to housing manufacturers, re
striction on amusement and recreation building,
and enforcing compliance of regulations for hous
ing built under the VEHP in 1946 and early 1947.
The exaggerated seasonal upswing in housing
activity in late summer and fall received impetus
from the growing certainty that prices would not
collapse very soon and was supported by a good
supply situation, a 60-million job economy, and
the continuing critical housing shortage.
Rental Housing
Surveys made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
and the Bureau of the Census in 1946 revealed
that half the veterans in the housing market
wanted to rent rather than buy housing. Yet in
1946 and 1947 only about 12 percent of all units
started were of the rental type.17
In spite of the widespread demand for rental ac
commodations, the long term nature of invest
ment in apartment construction was not as at
tractive as the quick turn-over to be made from
single-family homes built for sale. To encourage
private activity in the rental housing field various
forms of Government assistance were made avail
able. These included provision of additional sums
17 Although separate estimates of housing built for rent and for sale are not
available, a rough approximation of the magnitude of the rental segment may
be obtained from the number of units in two-or-more-faraily structures, most
of which are built for rent.
One of the most effective encouragements to
rental housing was the revision early in 1947 of
Section 608 to provide for reduced monthly carry
ing charges and a 5-year extension in mortgage
maturities in financing multiple-unit housing
projects. The Federal Housing Administration
was especially active in 1947 in acquainting
builders and investors with mortgage insurance
provisions and encouraging them to start rental
projects. These measures, in addition to some
relaxation in rent controls at the end of June,
resulted in the steady upward trend in construc
tion of rental-type units that began in the middle
of 1947. By the last quarter of the year the pro
portion of such units to all dwellings started had
increased to 15 percent. The 15 percent of rental
units at the end of 1947, however, is in contrast
with the average of 39 percent per year started in
the decade 1921-30, and 21 percent in the thirties.
BOUSING
T able
23
15.— Number and percentage distribution of new permanent nonfarm dwelling units started in 1-familyt 2-family, and
multifamily structures. 1920-17 1
Percentage distribution of new
permanent units in—
Number of new permanent units in—
Period
1946: Total..............................................................................
January............................................................................
February..........................................................................
March..............................................................................
April.................................................................................
May..................................................................................
June..................................................................................
July...................................................................................
August.............................................................................
September.......................................................................
October............................................................................
November...............................-....................................
December........................................................................
1947: Total..............................................................................
January............................................................................
February..........................................................................
March..............................................................................
April.................................................................................
May..................................................................................
June..................................................................................
July............ —...................... —.................—...................
August______________________________________
September........................................................................
October___________ _________________________
November------ ---------------------------------------------December........................................................................
1-family
All structures structures
247,000
449,000
716,000
871,000
893,000
937,000
849,000
810,000
763,000
609,000
330,000
264,000
134,000
93,000
126,000
221,000
319,000
336,000
406,000
516,000
602,600
706,100
366,000
191,000
141,800
209,300
670,500
37,600
42,400
62,000
67,000
67,100
64,100
62,600
65,400
57,600
57,800
47,700
39,300
849,000
39,300
42,800
56,000
67,100
72,900
77,200
81,100
86,300
93,800
94,000
79,700
68,800
2-family Multifamily 1-family
structures8 structures8 structures
202,000
316,000
437,000
513,000
634,000
572,000
491,000
464,000
436,000
316,000
227,000
187,000
118,000
76,000
109,000
183,000
244,000
267,000
317,000
399,000
485,700
603,600
292,800
143,600
117,700
184,600
590,000
32,400
37,500
64,200
59,900
68,800
55,300
55,600
55,100
51,900
50,700
43,600
35,000
740,200
35,000
39,100
49,900
60,500
65,800
67,300
70,500
74,100
80,700
80,100
67,300
49,900
24,000
70,000
146,000
175,000
173,000
157,000
117,000
99,000
78,000
51,000
29,000
22,000
7,000
5,000
5,000
8,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
29,000
37,300
34,300
20,100
17,800
10,600
8,800
24,300
1,300
1,600
2,400
2,400
3,000
2,500
2,200
2,000
2,000
1,900
1,700
1,300
33,900
1,500
1,600
2,200
2,800
3,100
3,400
3,200
3,300
3,300
3,300
3,400
2,800
21,000
63,000
133,000
183,000
186,000
208,000
241,000
257,000
239,000
142,000
74,000
45,000
9,000
12,000
12,000
30,000
61,000
53,000
71,000
87,000
79,600
68,300
43,100
29,600
13,500
15,900
56,200
3,800
3,300
5,400
4,700
5,300
6,300
4,800
8,300
3,700
5,200
2,400
3,000
74,900
2,800
2,100
3,900
3,800
4,000
6,500
7,400
8,900
9,800
10,600
9,000
6,100
81.8
70.4
61.0
58.9
59.8
61.0
57.8
56. i
57.9
62.1
68.8
73.6
88.1
81.7
86.5
82.8
76.5
79.4
78.1
77.5
80.6
85.5
82.3
75.2
83.0
88.2
88.0
86.4
88.4
87.4
89.4
87.6
86.3
88.8
84.2
90.1
87.7
91.4
89.1
87.2
89.1
91.4
89.1
90.2
90.3
87.2
86.9
85.9
86.0
85.2
84.4
84.9
2-family Multifamily
structures8 structures8
9.7
15.6
20.4
20.1
19.4
16.8
13.8
12.2
10.4
10.0
8.8
8.7
5.2
5.4
4.0
3.6
4.4
4.8
4.4
5.6
6.2
4.8
5.6
9.3
7.5
4.2
3.6
3.5
3.8
3.9
3.6
4.5
3.9
3.5
3.1
3.5
3.3
3.6
3.3
4.0
3.8
3.7
3.9
4.2
4.2
4.4
4.0
3.8
3.5
3.5
4.3
4.7
8.5
14.0
18.6
21.0
20.8
22.2
28.4
31.7
31.7
27.9
22.4
17.7
6.7
12.9
9.5
13.6
19.1
15.8
17.5
16.9
13.2
9.7
12.1
15.5
9.5
7.6
8.4
10.1
7.8
8.7
7.0
7.9
9.8
7.7
12.7
6.4
9.0
5.0
7.6
8.8
7.1
4.9
7.0
5.6
5.5
8.4
9.1
10.3
10.5
11.3
11.3
10.4
i Data for 1920-29 are from National Bureau of Economic Research; data
for 1930-47 are from Bureau of Labor Statistics. Based on building permits
issued and Federal construction contracts awarded, which, from 1946, have
been supplemented by data from field surveys in non-permit-issuing places.
Beginning in 1946 data from building permits have been adjusted for lapsed
permits and lag between permit issuance and the start of construction.
These influences were negligible prior to 1946.
Excludes units provided by the Federal Temporary Re-Use Housing Pro
gram, and all other temporary units.
8 Includes units in 1- and 2-family structures with stores.
8 Includes units in multifamily structures with stores.
Rental housing is largely urban and it is most
common in the largest cities. Only a very small
proportion of the dwelling units usually built for
rent (in 2-family and multifamily structures) were
scheduled for construction outside cities in 194647, in spite of some increase in large-scale multipleunit projects in suburban areas. In the biggest
cities, those of 500,000 population or more, nearly
two-fifths of all the privately financed units
authorized 18 for start were of the rental type in
1946 and 1947. With each successively smaller
city-size group (see table 16), the proportion of
rental units to the total declined. Less than 10
percent of the dwellings authorized in cities of
2,500 to 5,000 population were in 2-family or
multifamily structures.
18 Dwelling units for which building permits ware issued.
T able
to
16 .— New urban dwelling units authorized, by type of structure and by city-size class, 1946-47
Private
Total
City-size class
Number of new
dwelling units
1947
1946
Percentage distribution
Valuation (in
thousands)3
1947
Number
Valuation
1946
1947 1946 1947
1946
Number of new
dwelling units
1947
1946
Valuation (in
thousands)3
1947
1946
Percentage distribution
Number
1947
Valuation
1946 1947
1946
All types of structures
506,453
78,991
104,030
48,760
54,506
90,507
74,581
55,078
528,505 $2,916,103 $2,448,277 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 501,353 430,195 $2,880,926 $2,114,833
421,992
522.890
105,121
551,819 15.6 19.9 18.9 22.5 75,340 75,072
549,574
556,041
404,326
104,285
466,433 20.5 19.7 19.2 19.1 103,064 82,684
561,196
186,339
278,203
215,281 9.6 9.0 9.6 8.8 48,529 38,366
47,799
279,558
230,631
307,098
259,212 10.8 10.6 10.5 10.6 54,446 46,826
307,553
55,746
371,823
505,267
93,379
506,722
417,476 17.9 17.7 17.4 17.1 90,321 77,884
297,214
418,703
321,653 14.7 13.4 14.4 13.1 74,581 62,946
70,996
418,703
292,722
202,508
51,179
216,403 10.9 9.7 10.0 8.8 55,072 46,417
292,796
100.0 100.0 ion. o 100.0
15.0 17.5 I t . 2 20.0
20.5 19.2 19.3 19.1
9.7 8.9 9.7
8.8
10.9 10.9 10.7 10.9
18.0 18.1 17.5 17.6
14.9 14.6 14.5 14.0
11.0 10.8 10.1
9.6
1-family structures
All urban places..................................................................
500,000 and over...................................................................
100,000 to 500,000..................................................................
50,000 to 100,000...................................................................
25,000 to 50,000......................................................................
10,000 to 25,000.................................................................. .
5,000 to 10,000........................................................................
2,500 to 5,000.........................................................................
394,788
47,587
73,849
36,711
43,797
76,691
65,619
50,534
448,434 2,369,476 2,106,421
373,554
369,610
67,567
414,995
90,342
427,712
42,007
193,718
221,410
232,391
49,183
257,260
86,082
440,959
388,020
299,159
64,856
375,339
273,242
208,528
48,397
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
12.1 15.0 15.8 17.6
18.7 20.1 18.1 19.7
9.3 9.4 9.3 9.2
11.1 11.0 10.9 11.0
19.4 19.2 18.6 18.4
16.6 14.5 15.8 14.2
12.8 10.8 11.5 9.9
393,550
47,283
73,079
36,680
43,797
76,564
65,619
50,528
358,151 2,361,509 1,830,260
45,545
371,102
297.066
68,741
423,586
352,888
164,776
32,574
221,255
40,263
203,810
257,260
342,367
70,587
439,799
56,806
375,339
274,720
43,635
273,169
194,633
100.0 100.0 100.0
12.0 12.7 15.7
18.6 19.2 17.9
9.3 9.1 9.4
11.1 11.2 10.9
19.5 19.7 18.6
16.7 15.9 15.9
12.8 12.2 11.6
100.0
ieTij
19.3
9.0
11.1
18.7
15.0
10.7
2-family structures8
All urban places.................................................................. 34,233 24,326
500,000 and over................................................................... 8,104 8,746
100,000 to 500,000.................................................................. 10,672 4,878
50,000 to 100,000.................................................................. 2,586 1,718
25,000 to 50,000...................................................................... 2,811 2,050
10,000 to 25,000...................................................................... 4,368 2,890
5,000 to 10,000....................................................................... 3,273 2,742
2,500 to 5,000......................................................................... 2,419 1,302
156,618
45,194
44,234
11,483
12,816
19,245
14,288
9,358
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 34,159 24,326
23.6 35.9 28.9 42.0 8,048 8,746
31.2 20.0 28.2 18.7 10,654 4,878
7.6 7.1 7.3 6.7 2,586 1,718
8.2 8.4 8.2 7.7 2,811 2,050
12.7 11.9 12.3 10.4 4,368 2,890
9.6 11.3 9.1 10.8 3,273 2,742
7.1 5.4 6.0 3.7 2,419 1,302
103,042
43,212
19,274
6,900
7,904
10,758
11,149
3,845
156,408
45,074
44,144
11,483
12,816
19,245
14,288
9,358
103,042 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
43,212 23.5 36.0 28.8 42.0
19,274 31.2 20.0 28.3 18.7
6,900 7.6 7.1 7.3
6.7
7,904 8.2 8.4 8.2
7.7
10,758 12.8 11.9 12.3 10.4
11,149 9.6 11.3 9.1 10.8
3,845 7.1 5.3 6.0
3.7
Multifamily structures4
55,745 :-= ■ 390,008
All urban places.................................................................. 77,432
—— =======
tt-T—:---:
130,825
500,000 and over................................................................... 23,300 28,808
89,250
100,000 to 500,000.................................................................. 19,509 9,065
46,666
50,000 to 100,000.................................................................... 9,463 4,074
37,477
25,000 to 50,000...................................................................... 7,898 4,513
46,518
10,000 to 25,000...................................................................... 9,448 4,407
29,077
5,000 to 10,000....................................................................... 5,689 3,398
10,195
2,500 to 5,000......................................................... -.............. 2,125 1,480
'T.— .
238,814
138,997
32,164
14,663
18,917
18,698
11,345
4,030
—
i Dwelling units for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts awarded in all urban
places, including an estimate of new homebuilding undertaken in some small urban places that do not
issue buildiner permits. These data on city dwelling units, unlike the data on nonfarm housing in
tables 12-15,17, and 18, cover homebuilding only in u rb a n places, excluding the areas surrounding the
city proper. In addition, the urban dwelling unit information does not represent the volume of new
homebuilding actually started during the month, as in the case of nonfarm housing, since the building
100.0 100.0 100.0 =:.,—,
100.0i== =73,644
= = = ■ ="■ -=363,009
= = = = =47,718
, ■ -...30.1 51.6 33.5 58.2 20,009 20,781
106,715
25.2 16.3 22.9 13.5 19,331 9,065
88,311
12.2 7.3 12.0 6.1 9,263 4,074
45,466
10.2 8.1 9.6 7.9 7,838 4,513
37,022
12.2 7.9 11.9 7.8 9,389 4,407
46,223
7.3 6.1 7.5 4.8 5,689 3,398
29,077
2.8 2.7 2.6 1.7 2,125 1,480
10,195
—
■■
181,531
81,714
32,164
14,663
18.917
18,698
11,345
4,030
100.0
- ^100.0
■
—100.0
27.2 43.6 29.4
26.2 19.0 24.4
12.6 8.5 12.5
10.6 9.5 10.2
12.8 9.2 12.7
7.7 7.1 8.0
2.9 3.1 2.8
100.0
45.0
17.7
8.1
10.4
10.3
6.3
2.2
permit data have not been adjusted for lapsed permits nor for lag between permit issuance and the
start of construction. Urban classification and city size are based on the 1940 census.
3 Components do not always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
8 Includes units in 1- and 2-family structures with stores.
* Includes units in multifamily structures with stores.
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-47
All urban places..................................................................
500,000 and over...................................................................
100,000 to 500,000..................................................................
50,000 to 100,000....................................................................
25,000 to 50,000......................................................................
10,000 to 25,000......................................................................
5,000 to 10,000.......................................................................
2,500 to 5,000.........................................................................
HOUSING
Housing Completions
Estimates of dwelling units completed were not
made prior to 1946* Preparation of such estimates
would have been impracticable, because the need
for completions data was not sufficiently urgent
to warrant the extensive field work necessary to
derive them. Before the war, when it took an
average of only Z}{ to 4 months to build a house,
estimates of new units started offered a fairly
adequate annual measure also of units completed.
In 1946, however, the rapidly rising number of
starts outstripped the supply of materials, and the
completions rate lagged farther and farther behind.
An imperative need developed for data on comple
tions progress.
To supply this need the Bureau in 1946 included
in its field program a series of studies to determine
the length of the construction period for homebuilding in a group of representative areas through
out the country. Information from these areas
was used to derive national monthly estimates of
the completions rate.
There was a steady rise in dwelling unit comple
tions in 1946 as materials and labor supply gradu
ally improved, causing a moderate decline in the
construction period. By the end of the year, it
took an average of about 6 months to finish a
house. This was well above the prewar rate, but
much better than the 8 or 9 months characteristic
of operations earlier in the year. The number of
dwellings completed in December 1946 (62,700)
was nearly three times the number completed in
January (15,900).
Supply conditions were so greatly improved by
the beginning of 1947 that the completions rate
depended largely on the rapidity with which new
dwellings had been started. The units started
early in 1947 and the huge backlog of over 370,000
unfinished units begun in 1946 caused the com
pletions rate during the first half of 1947 to be
maintained at around 60,000 per month. As the
housing boom expected earlier in the year finally
developed in the summer and fall, and materials
production reached unprecedented levels, comple
tions soared, reaching 90,000 in December. Con
struction time was reduced to about 4V2 months
by the end of the year, and in 1947 831,700 new
permanent dwelling units were completed, nearly
twice tM 437,800 made ready for occupancy in
1946.
25
Even with completions at a very high rate,
however, the near-record level of housing started
during the last half of the year was great enough
to leave a total of nearly 390,000 dwelling units
still under construction at the end of 1947, almost
20,000 more than at the end of 1946.
17.— Number of new permanent nonfarm dwelling
units started, completedf and under construction, monthly,
1946-47 1
T able
New dwelling units
Period
1946, total.
January...
February..
March___
April.........
May..........
June..........
July...........
August__
September
October....
November
December1947, total.
January...
February..
March......
April.........
May..........
June......... .
July...........
August__
September
October...
November.
December.
Started
Com Under
pleted construc
tion
670,600 437,800
37,600 15,900
42,400 17,300
62,000 18,700
67,000 21,000
67,100 25,100
64,100 30,600
62,600 36,700
65,400 43,400
57,600 49,700
57,800 55,500
47,700 61,200
39,300 62,700
849,000 831,700
39,300 62,600
42,800 60,300
56.000 57,600
67,100 59,200
72,900 59,400
77,200 62,300
81,100 64,800
86,300 69,600
93,800 76,700
94,000 82,700
79,700 86,500
58,800 90,000
159,100
184,200
227,500
273,500
315,500
349,000
374,900
396,900
404,800
407,100
393,600
370,200
346,900
329,400
327,800
335,700
349,200
364,100
380,400
397,100
414,200
425,500
418,700
387,500
1 Based on building permits issued, on field surveys in non-permit-issuing
laces, and on reports of Federal construction contracts awarded. Data from
Euilding
permits have been adjusted for lapsed permits and lag between
permit issuance and the start of construction. Excludes units provided by
the Federal Temporary Ke-Use Housing Program and all other temporary
units.
Shifts in Location of New Housing
The tendency for most housing to be located
within city limits has decreased markedly since
the 1920’s, when 80 percent of all the new dwellings
started in nonfarm areas were urban. While
most nonfarm homes were still built in cities in
1947, the proportion had declined to 57 percent.
It will be recalled, of course, that during the de
pression years 1932-35 less than half the homes
started were urban, but this condition resulted
from the particularly drastic economic collapse in
the industrial areas at that time, and not from a
boom in rural nonfarm housing.
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING , J 0 4 M ?
26
The trend toward more building outside of
urban areas was conspicuous between 1946 and
1947, when the number of new permanent dwel
lings started rose proportionately twice as much
in the rural nonfarm as in the urban areas. This
movement has a number of influences, many
having to do with cutting costs. Suburban and
rural land is cheaper than city lots, taxes are usual
ly lower, and often building codes are less strict
or lacking entirely. Also, building in large proj
ects, more pronounced recently than in most
previous periods, has necessitated using larger
tracts of land than would ordinarily be available
within city limits.
In the latter part of 1947, there was a significant
trend back toward the cities, when the propor
tion of nonfarm homes started outside of urban
areas declined from the high point of 46 percent
in September to 38 percent in December. The
reason for this shift was the spurt during the
latter part of the year in construction of apartment
dwellings for rent. Most apartment structures
are built in cities, since they require less land
per unit than other housing; and the high land,
tax, and construction costs are usually offset by
proportionately greater revenue and advantages of
convenient location.
18.—Percent of new permanent nonfarm dwelling
unite started inside and outside of metropolitan areas9
1946-47 1
T able
New Permanent Nonfarm Housing
Started
Urban
l—
800
1925
Rural- Nonfarm
Percent of dwelling units
started
Period
Thousands of Dwelling Units
600_______400
200
0
200
400
1930
1935
1940
1945
1946
1947
UN ITEO STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR S TATISTICS
The corollary of more housing in isolated rural
locations, however, has by no means resulted.
The tendency instead has been for more and more
dwellings to be built in metropolitan areas, that
is, if not within city limits, at least within com
muting distance. This movement has been grow
ing for several decades. It was clear dining the
postwar housing program when the proportion of
all nonfarm dwellings started in metropolitan
areas rose from around 61 percent in 1946 to
nearly 68 percent by the end of 1947. Even
counting only the nonfarm dwellings built in
rural areas, over half were in metropolitan dis
tricts in 1946 and 1947, and in the last quarter
of 1947 the proportion was well above 60 percent.
1946: First quarter.................................................
Second quarter.............................................
Third quarter...............................................
Fourth quarter.............................................
1947: First quarter................................................
Second quarter.............................................
Third quarter...............................................
Fourth Quarter............................................
Inside
Outside
metropolitan metropolitan
areas
areas
64.0
59.2
60.8
62.9
63.5
65.7
67.7
67.8
36.0
40.8
39.2
37.1
36.5
34.3
32.3
32.2
i Based on building permits issued, on field surveys in non-permit-issuing
places, and^on reports of Federal construction contracts awarded^Data
permit issuance^and the start of construction. Excludes units provided by
the Federal Temporary Re-Use Housing Program and all other temporary
units.
Housing in Local Areas
The only statistics available on housing volume
after the war covered either broad national and
regional trends, or homebuilding activity within
cities. It is clear from the preceding discussion
that such figures would be inadequate for gaging
the effectiveness of the emergency housing pro
gram after the war, since the housing need was
felt locally and city statistics could measure only
incompletely the local housing provided. For
this reason amongj others,19 the Bureau of Labor
Statistics undertook a special series of surveys
to measure the amount of privately financed
housing started in a representative group of indus
trial areas and urban- and rural-type counties
See discussion of method for deriving national estimates of housing ac
tivity, p. 18, for other uses to which the area data on housing were directed.
T able
19.— New urban dwelling units authorized, by type of structure and by geographic division , 1946-47
Total
Region
Number of new
dwelling units
1947
1946
Valuation (in
thousands)2
1947
1946
1
Private
Percentage distribution
Number
1947
Valuation
1946 1947
1946
Number of new
dweiling units
1947
1946
Valuation (in
thousands)2
1947
1946
Percentage distribution
Number
1947
Valuation
1946 1947 1946
nousnra
All types of structures
All urban places......... _...................................................... 506,453 528,505 $2,916,103 $2,448,277 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 501,353 430,195 $2,880,926 $2,114,833 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
New England _____________
4.3
23,871 22,601
152,132
111,027 4.7 4.3 5.2 4.5 23,871 16,485
152,132
91,580 4.8 3.8 5.3
Middle Atlantic.................................................................. 67,822 82,918
449,449
454,979 13.4 15.7 15.4 18.6 63,806 56,879
318,464 12.7 13.2 14.6 15.1
420,012
East North Central............................................................ 92,001 95,431
634,573
509,302 18.2 18.0 21.7 20.8 91,541 77,697
22.0 21.5
453,727
18.3
18.1
633,092
West North Central...........................................................
7.4
188,872
156,543 6.9 7.6 6.5
43,196
187,360 6.8 8.2 6.5 7.6 34,414 32,808
188,627
South Atlantic.................................................................... 34,442
73,959
390,364
275,697 14.6 12.2 13.4 11.3 73,843 57,637
389,277
257,753 14.7 13.4 13.5 12.2
East South Central............................................................ 27,699 64,267
3.3
103,702
82,024 5.5 5.1 3.6 3.3 27,683 22,114
5.2 3.6
26,710
103,573
5.5
70,330
West South Central...........................................................
294,358
9.6
68,279
226,610 14.1 12.9 10.1 9.3 71,300 58,568
293,496
203,686 14.2 13.6 10.2
Mountain........................... ................................................ 71,512
3.6
18,210 25,039
86,731
93,256 3.6 4.7 3.0 3.8 18,122 18,639
86,097
77,060 3.6 4.3 3.0
Pacific.................................................. .............................. 96,937 100,064
615,922
485,690 19.3 20.8 21.3 23.0
508,022 19.1 18.9 21.1 20.8 96,773 89,368
614,620
1-family structures
All urban places....... ......................................................... 394,788 448,434 2,369,476 2,106,421 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 393,550 358,151 2,361,509 1,830,260 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
New England...................... ........... .................................. 20,146 20,491
4.5
102,483 5.1 4.6 5.5 4.9 20,146 14,375
130,190
130,190
83,036 5.1 4.0 5.5
Middle Atlantic..................................................................
290,379
307,506 9.8 12.0 12.3 14.6 38,102 35,528
286,931
228,274 9.7 9.9 12.2 12.5
53,540
East North Central........................................................... 38,661
568,223
80,862 87,261
468,932 20.4 19.5 24.0 22.3 80,807 69,527
567,962
413,357 20.5 19.4 24.1 22.6
West North Central........................................................... 30,755 40,082
172,621
7.9
175,376 7.8 8.9 7.3 8.3 30,727 29,694
144,559 7.8 8.3 7.3
172,376
South Atlantic-.................................................................. 50,360 53,073
280,599
233,559 12.8 11.8 11.8 11.1 50,244 46,443
215,615 12.8 13.0 11.8 11.8
279,511
East South Central............................................................ 21,672 24,784
3.4
3.6
76,863
5.5
5.5
3.4
5.5
5.6
80,969
21,656
20,188
65,169
3.6
80,840
West South Central...........................................................
255,556
211,209 15.4 14.1 10.8 10.2 60,524 53,527
254,694
191,285 15.4 15.0 10.8 10.4
63,238
Mountain............................................................................. 60,736
78,605
70,554 4.1 4.6 3.3
16,151 22,957
86,750 4.1 5.1 3.3 4.1 16,063 16,557
77,971
3.8
Pacific.................................................................................. 75,445 83,008
512,335
440,743 19.1 18.5 21.6 20.9 75,281 72,312
511,033
418,411 19.1 20.2 21.6 22.9
2-family structures *
All urban places........................... ..................................... 34,233 24,326
156,618
103,042 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
103,042 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 34,159 24,326
156,408
New England...................................................................... 1,650
676
10,700
2,897 4.8 2.8 6.8 2.8 1,650
676
2,897 4.8 2.8 6.9
2.8
10,700
Middle Atlantic.................................................................. 6,163 6,390
32,192 18.0 26.3 19.8 31.2
31,016
32,192 18.0 26.3 19.8 31.2 6,145 6,390
30,926
East North Central........................................................... 3,326 3,013
20,617
15,016 9.6 12.4 13.1 14.6
15,016 9.7 12.4 13.2 14.6 3,270 3,013
20,496
West North Central........................................................... 1,778 1,243
8,623
5,721 5.2 5.1 5.5 5.6 1,778 1,243
8,623
5,721 5.2 5.1 5.5
5.6
South Atlantic.................................................................... 7,589 4,300
30,829
14,437 22.2 17.7 19.7 14.0 7,589 4,300
30,829
14,437 22.2 17.7 19.7 14.0
East South Central............................................................ 2,602
9,211
984
984
9,211
2,822 7.6 4.0 5.9
2,822 7.6 4.0 5.9 2.7 2,602
2.7
West South Central........................................................... 5,270 2,155
5,823 15.4 8.9 10.5
5,823 15.4 8.9 10.5 5.7 5,270 2,155
16,456
16,456
5.7
Mountain.............................................................................
2,533
697
2,375 2.1 2.6 1.6
2,375 2.0 2.6 1.6 2.3
637
2.3
697
637
2,533
Pacific................................................................................... 5,158 4,928
26,633
21,759 15.1 20.2 17.0 21.1 5,158 4,928
26,633
21,759 15.1 20.2 17.0 21.1
Multifamily structures *
238,814 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 73,644 47,718
All urban places.................................................................. 77,432 55,745
390,008
363,009
181,531 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
11,241
New England............................... ..................................... 2,075 1,434
5,647 2.8 3.0 3.1
11,241
5,647 2.7 2.6 2.9 2.4 2,075 1,434
3.1
57,998 26.6 31.4 28.1 31.9
Middle Altantic..-............................................................. 22,998 22,988
128,054
115,281 29.7 41.2 32.9 48.3 19,559 14,961
102,154
25,354 10.1 10.8 12.3 14.0
44,634
25,354 10.1 9.2 11.7 10.6 7,464 5,157
East North Central.......................................................... 7,813 5,157
45,734
6,263 2.6 3.9 2,1
6,263 2.5 3.4 2.0 2.6 1,909 1,871
7,628
West North Central........................................................... 1,909 1,871
7,628
3.4
27,701 21.7 14.5 21.8 15.3
27,701 20.6 12.4 20.2 11.6 16,010 6,894
78,936
South Atlantic.................................................................... 16,010 6,894
78,936
3.5
3,425
942
2,339
1.0
13,522
4.7
4.4
1.7
2,339
2.0
East South Central............................................................ 3,425
13,522
3.7
1.3
942
22,346
6,578 7.5 6.0 6.2
6,578 7.1 5.2 5.7 2.7 5,506 2,886
West South Central........................................................... 5,506 2,886
22,346
3.6
5,592
4,131 1.8 3.0 1.5
Mountain............................................................................. 1,362 1,445
4,131 1.8 2.6 1.4 1.7 1,362 1,445
5,592
2.3
76,955
45,520 22.2 25.4 21.2 25.1
45,520 21.1 21.7 19.7 19.1 16,334 12,128
76,955
Pacific................................................................................... 16,334 12,128
i Dwelling units for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts awarded in all urban permit datahavenot been adjusted for lapsed permits nor for lag between permit issuance and the start
places, including an estimate of new homebuilding undertaken in some small urban places that do of construction. Urban classification is based on the 1940 census.
2 Components do not always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
not issue building permits. These data on city d welling units, unlike the data on nonfarm housing in
*Includes units in 1- and 2-family structures with stores.
tables 12-15,17, and 18, cover homebuilding only in u rb a n places, excluding the areas surrounding the
* Includes,units in multifamily structures with stores.
cit^proper. In addition, the urban dwelling unitinformatien does not represent the volume of new
homebuilding actually started during the month, as in the case of nonfarm nousing since the building
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING , 1946-47
28
during 1946 and the first 9 months of 1947 * The
resulting figures indicate that a fifth of the non
farm privately financed dwellings started during
the emergency housing program were begun in
only six industrial areas—Los Angeles, New York,
Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit, and Washington,
D. C. Areas of greater population in 1940 than
some of these, such as Boston and Philadelphia,
were less active in homebuilding. The Los Angeles20
industrial area far outstripped all the others.
The New York area placed second.
Most of the industrial areas and urban counties
gained in housing activity during 1947 compared
with 1946, but especially notable gains were made
in the Boston, Buffalo, Hartford, Washington,
D. C., and Miami areas. On the other hand, in
many of the representative areas in the Bureau’s
survey, not only was the increase in private hous
ing activity in 1947 well below the 18-percent rise
experienced nationally, but there was a marked
decline. The drop in homebuilding during 1947
was steep in the areas represented by Denver,
New York, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Sacramento,
and Phoenix.
20 The survey was accomplished in cooperation with the Housing and
Home Finance Agency, then the National Housing Agency. Figures are
published only for the industrial areas and urban counties* Industrial areas
include the entire county or counties surrounding the central city or cities.
The metropolitan districts cover only adjacent and contiguous minor civil
divisions or incorporated places having a population of 150 or more per
square mile, thus including only the thickly settled territory in and around
a city or group of cities.
T able
20.— New urban dwelling units authorized in each State, by source of funds, 1946-4? 1
Number of new dwelling units
Region and State
All urban places........................
New England............................
Connecticut........................
Maine..................................
Massachusetts....................
New Hampshire.................
Rhode Island......................
Vermont..............................
Middle Atlantic........................
New Jersey.........................
New York...........................
Pennsylvania......................
East North Central..................
Illinois..................................
Indiana................................
Michigan.............................
Ohio.....................................
Wisconsin............................
West North Central.................
Iowa.....................................
Kansas.................................
Minnesota...........................
Missouri..............................
Nebraska.............................
North Dakota....................
South Dakota.....................
South Atlantic...........................
Delaware.............................
District of Columbia.........
Florida.................................
Georgia................................
Maryland............................
North Carolina..................
South Carolina...................
Virginia...............................
West Virginia.....................
East South Central..................
Alabama..............................
Kentucky............................
Mississippi..........................
Tennessee............................
West South Central.................
Arkansas.............................
Louisiana.............................
Oklahoma...........................
Texas....................................
Total
1947
1946
506,453
23^871
4,788
1,116
13,776
1,224
2,721
246
67,822
20,949
27,874
18,999
92,001
21,627
11,362
26,096
23,795
9,121
34,442
5,124
5,773
9,077
8,205
3,556
939
1,768
73,959
257
4,303
27,381
7,216
7,854
10,222
3,089
10,722
2,915
27,699
10,123
4,622
4,581
8,373
71,512
4,488
6,387
7,771
52,866
528,505 501,353 430,195
22,601 23,871 16,485
4,159
2,893
4,788
847
775
1,116
14,308 13,776
9,883
1.224
867
667
2,152
2,052
2,721
268
215
246
82,918 63,806 56,879
14,912 19,935 11,519
48,907 24,872 29,270
19,099 18,999 16,090
95,431 91,541 77,697
23,556 21,627 19,108
12,459 11,362
9,857
24,465 26,096 20,328
25,094 23,354 20,710
9,857
9,102
7,694
43,196 34,414 32,808
8,591
5,124
5,623
6,068
5,773
4,798
12,684
9,077 10,067
9,620
8,177
7,228
2,964
3,556
2,531
1,531
939
1,139
1,738
1,768
1,422
64,267 73,843 57,637
461
257
441
4,287
4,000
3,040
19,962 27,381 18,939
8,336
7,524
7,216
6,912
7,754
6,751
7.994
9,409 10,222
2,846
3,089
2,203
9,026 10,722
7,874
3,315
2,915
2,871
26,710 27,683 22,114
9,515 10,123
8,019
4,622
4,316
3,440
4,674
4,581
3,945
8,205
8,357
6,710
68,279 71,300 58,568
3,154
4,488
2,725
7,613
6,387
5,279
7,796
7,771
6,133
49,716 52,654 44,431
See footnotes at end of table.
Private
1947
1946
Valuation (in thousands)*
Private, as percent
of total
1947
99.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
94.1
95.2
89.2
100.0
99.5
100.0
100.0
100.0
98.1
99.8
99.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.8
100.0
99.6
100.0
100.0
98.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.8
99.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.6
1946
Total
1947
Private
1946
1947
1946
81.4 $2,916,103 $2,448,277 $2,880,926 $2,114,833
72J9 152,132 111,027 152,132 91,580
69.6 31,755 21,021 31,755 17,632
91.5
4,898
3,628
4,898
3,393
69.1 92,038 70,240 92,038 55,510
6,729
76.9
3,951
6,729
3,320
95.4 15,259 10,792 15,259 10,489
80.2
1,453
1,395
1,453
1,236
68.6 449,449 454,979 420,012 318,464
77.2 123,825 81,777 118,064 64,356
59.8 190,413 264,157 166,737 160,418
84.2 135,211 109,045 135,211 93,690
81.4 634,573 509,302 633,092 453,727
81.1 167,241 134,947 167,241 122,320
79.1 58,523 52,804 58,523 43,569
83.1 184,811 137,487 184,811 124,621
82.5 166,344 136,115 165,007 121,824
78.1 57,654 47,949 57,509 41,393
76.0 188,872 187,360 188,627 156,543
65.5 27,402 35,716 27,402 26,555
79.1 26,041 22,485 26,041 19,127
79.4 61,259 64,425 61,259 56,873
75.1 43,739 39,882 43,494 32,982
85.4 18,813 13,068 18,813 11,597
74.4
4,791
6,031
4,791
4,690
81.8
6,828
5,753
6,828
4,719
89.7 390,364 275,697 389,277 257,753
95.7
1,676
2,727
1,676
2,633
76.0 23,912 17,256 23,787 13,835
94.9 151,384 92,958 151,384 90,690
90.3 32,983 29,381 32,983 27,169
97.7 43,333 34,650 42,370 33,942
85.0 50,477 34,961 50,477 31,302
77.4 12,719
8,939 12,719
7,356
87.2 60,747 42,314 60,747 39,769
86.6 13,135 12,511 13,135 11,057
82.8 103,702 82,024 103,573 70,330
84.3 34,654 25,756 34,654 22,527
79.7 19,245 14,815 19,245 12,089
84.4 16,512 12,898 16,512 11,157
81.8 33,291 28,555 33,163 24,557
85.8 294,358 226,610 293,496 203,686
86.4 18,080 10,727 18,080
9,649
69.3 23,334 21,923 23,334 16,476
78.7 32,823 26,229 32,823 21,956
89.4 220,121 167,731 219,259 155,605
Private, as percent
of total
1947
98.8
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
93.5
95.3
87.6
100.0
99.8
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.2
99.7
99.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.4
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.7
100.0
99.5
100.0
100.0
97.8
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.6
99.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
99,6
1946
86.4
ili
83.9
93.5
79.0
84.0
97.2
88.6
70.0
78.7
60.7
85.9
89.1
90.6
82.5
90.6
89.5
86.3
83.6
74.4
85.1
88.3
82.7
88.7
77.8
82.0
93.5
96.6
80.2
97.6
92.5
98.0
89.5
82.3
94.0
88.4
85.7
87.5
81.6
86.5
86.0
89.9
90.0
75.2
83.7
92.8
BOUSINO
T able 20.— New
29
urban dwelling units authorized in each State , by source of funds , 194-6~~4? 1
Valuation (in thousands)*
Number of new dwelling units
1947
1946
18,210 25,039
2,465
2,202
8,347
4,949
3,318
1,774
2,040
1,336
1,163
1,551
2,489
3,188
4,154
2,573
1,063
637
96,937 100,064
82,301 82,935
6,915
5,673
8,963 10,214
Mountain............
Arizona.........
Colorado.......
Idaho............
Montana---Nevada.........
New Mexico.
Utah.............
Wyoming__
Pacific..................
California—
Oregon..........
Washington..
1946
18,122
2,202
4,861
1,774
1,551
3,188
2,573
637
96,773
82,137
5,673
18,639
1,615
6,223
2,245
1,414
949
2,360
3,234
599
89,368
74,324
6,105
8,939
8,r~
1946
1947
1947
t Dwelling units for which building permits were issued and Federal
contracts awarded in all urban places, including an estimate of new homebuilding undertaken in some small urban places that do not issue building
permits. These data on city dwelling units, unlike the data on nonfarm
housing in tables 12-15,17, and 18, cover homebuilding only in u rb a n places,
excluding the areas surrounding the city proper. In addition, the urban
99.5
100.0
98.2
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.8
99.8
100.
100.00
Private
Total
Private, as percent
of total
Private
Total
Region and State
Continued
1947
1946
1947
Private, as percent
of total
1946
74.4 $86,731 $93,256 $86,097 $77,060
7,147
8,751 11,237
65.5 11,237
25,860
74.6 24,551 30,717 23,917
8,403
7,638
7,638 11,334
67.7
5,428
5,113
7,741
5,113
69.3
5,221
9,015
5,675
9,015
81.6
7,565
7,863 12,459 14,735
94.8 12,459
77.9 13,677 16,577 13,677
3,041
2,701
4, r~
3,041
56.3
485,690
89.3 615,922 508,022 614,620
89.6 529,021 424,021 527,719 406,464
29,371
88.3 31,966 31,433 31,966
87.5 54,935 52,568 54,935 49,855
1946-47
99.3
100.0
97.4
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.8
99.8
100.0
100.0
10 0 .0
10 0 .0
1946
82.6
81.7
84.2
74.1
70.1
92.0
96.2
88.9
58.7
95.6
95.9
93.4
94.8
dwelling unit information does not represent the volume of new homebuilding
actually started during the month, as in the case of nonfarm housing, since
the building permit data have not been adjusted for lapsed permits nor for
lag between permit issuance and the start of construction.
Urban classification is based on the 1940 census.
* Components do not always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
NEW URBAN DWELLING UNITS AUTHORIZED
UNITEO S TA TE S DEPARTM ENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR S TA TIS TIC S
1947
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING , 1946-47
30
T a b l e 21. — Number
of new privately financed nonfarm dwelling units started in some representative industrial areas and
urban counties, 1946, and first 9 months of 1947 1
Number of privately
financed nonfarm
dwelling units started in—
Ares
1946
Industrial areas:
Atlanta............................................................. 6,785
Boston.............................................................. 5,180
Buffalo............................................................. 3,075
Chicago............................................................ 18,725
Cleveland.........................................................
Columbus....................................................... 2.690
Dallas............................................................... 5,825
Denver............................................................. 6,785
Detroit............................................................. 16,375
Fort Worth..................................................... 3,725
Hartford........................... .............................. 1.405
Indianapolis................. .................................. 2.690
Knoxville-Alcoa............................................. 2,495
Los Angeles..................................................... 54,380
Memphis......................................................... 4,170
Milwaukee..................................................... 4.405
Minneapolis-St. Paul.................................. 6,910
New York-Newark-Jersey City.................. 40,695
Philadelphia-Camden.................................. L0,560
Pittsburgh....................................................... 5,720
Sacramento...................................................... 4,290
San Francisco.................................................. 17,075
Springfi eld-Holyoke...................................... 1,175
St. Louis.......................................................... 6,620
Syracuse........................................................... 1,010
Toledo....................................... ...................... <*)
Per
cent
change,
First 9 1946 to
months of— 1947
1947 1946
5,210
6,550
4,200
15,095
5,575
2,375
6,415
3,170
15,635
4.015
2.015
2,915
1,635
44,800
3,930
3,335
4,535
24,610
10,045
7,120
2,855
14,010
1,250
5,690
1,150
965
5,300
3,950
2,445
14,760
5,165
1,975
4,745
5,510
13,150
2,965
1,090
2,110
1,905
41,660
3,175
3,390
5,425
31,735
8,545
4,565
3,570
13,780
5,420
790
(l)
-1 .7
+65.8
+71.8
+2.3
+7.9
+20.3
+35.2
-42.5
+18.9
+35.4
+84.9
+38.2
-14.2
+7.5
+23.8
1.6
-16.4
-22.5
+17.6
+56.0
20.0
+1.7
+33.7
+5.0
+45.6
(i2)
-
-
i Based on reports from building-permit-issuing officers and from building
contractors and others in non-permit-issuing as well as permit-issuing places
in the areas shown. Building-permit data are corrected for lapsed permits
and lag between issuance of permits and the start of construction, by follow
up of construction jobs for which permits have been issued. Industrial
areas cover entire county or groups of counties surrounding the central city
or cities.
The counties covered by the industrial areas shown are as follows: Atlanta
—Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton; Boston—Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk; Buf
falo—Erie, Niagara; Chicago—Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, and Will Count
ies, 111., and Lake County, Lid.; Cleveland—Cuyahoga, Lorain; Columbus
—Franklin; Dallas—Dallas; Denver—Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Jefferson;
Detroit—Oakland; Fort Worth—Tarrant; Hartford—Hartford; Indianapolis
—Marion; Knoxville-Alcoa—Blount, Knox; Los Angeles—Los Angeles;
Memphis—Shelby; Milwaukee—Kenosha, Milwaukee, Bacine; Minne-
Area
Industrial areas—Continued
Washington, D. C.................................
Worcester................................................
Urban coimties, and leading city in each:
Adams, 111. (Quincy)............................
Cass, N. D. (Fargo)..............................
Chittenden, Vt. (Burlington).............
Dade, Fla. (Miami)..............................
Garfield, Okla. (Enid)..........................
Hancock, Maine (Ellsworth)..............
Ingham, Mich. (Lansing)....................
Lancaster, Pa. (Lancaster)..................
Logan, W. Va. (Logan)........................
Maricopa. Ariz. (Phoenix)...................
Marion, Ohio (Marion)........................
Marquette, Mich. (Marquette)..........
Mobile, Ala. (Mobile)..........................
Plymouth, Mass. (Brockton)..............
St. Lawrence, N. Y. (Ogdensburg)>__
Sussex, N. J. (Newton)........................
Tioga, N. Y. (Owego)...........................
Webster, Iowa (Fort Dodge)...............
Whatcom, Wash. (Bellingham)..........
Wichita, Tex. (Wichita Falls).............
York, Pa. (York)...................................
Number of privately
financed nonfarm
dwelling units start
Per
ed in—
cent
change,
First 9 1946 to
months of— 1947
1946
1947 1946
10,890 13,825 8,085 +71.0
1,540 1,665 1,295 +28.6
130 130 110 +18.2
285 160 230 —30.4
135 185 130 +42.3
7,690 12,905 5,855 +120.4
420 205 330 -37.9
35
55
30 +83.3
1,110 1,130 870 +29.9
355 435 260 +67.3
115 275
90 +205.6
3,700 1,865 2,580 -27.7
110 105
90 +16.7
155
80 140 -42.9
1,100 750 905 -17.1
715 770 595 +29.4
65
65 +23.1
80
275 310 245 +26.5
45
30
45 -33.3
105
90
85 +5.9
305 135 260 -48.1
370 310 320 -3.1
510 600 415 +44.6
apolis-St. Paul—Dakota, Hennepin, Bamsey; New York-Newark-Jersey
City—Bronx, Queens, Bichmond, Kings, New York, and Westchester
Counties, N. Y., Bergen, Essex, Middlesex, Passaic, Union, and Hudson
Counties, N. J.; Philadelphia-Camden—Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Mont
gomery, and Philadelphia Counties, Pa., and Burlington, Camden, and
Gloucester Coimties, N. J.; Pittsburgh—Allegheny, Beaver, Washington,
Westmoreland; Sacramento—Sacramento; San Francisco—Alameda, Contra
Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo; St. Louis—St. Louis County
and City, Mo., and Madison and St. Clair Coimties, 111.; SpringfieldHolyoke—Hampden; Syracuse—Onondaga; Toledo—Lucas; Washington,
D. C.—District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties,
Md., Alexandria City, Va., and Arlington and Fairfax Counties, Va; Wor
cester—Worcester.
3 Not available.
Building Construction in Cities
Volume
City building construction after the war followed
roughly the general movement of construction
activity as a whole. This was to be expected,
since well over two-thirds of all new work in 1946
and 1947 was made up of building construction.
(See section on expenditures for new construction,
T able 22.— Indexes of the valuation of urban building
authorized, by class of construction, 1929-47 1
Indexes (monthly average, 1935-39*
100)
Period
All
build
ing con
struc
tion
New
residen
tial
build
ing*
New
nonresi
dential
build
ing
1929..........................................................
1930..........................................................
1931..........................................................
1932..........................................................
1933..........................................................
1934..........................................................
1935..........................................................
1936..........................................................
1937..........................................................
1938..........................................................
1939..........................................................
1940..........................................................
1941..........................................................
1942..........................................................
1943..........................................................
1944..........................................................
1945..........................................................
1946.........................................................
First quarter...................................
Second quarter...............................
Third quarter..................................
Fourth quarter. .............................
1947..................... ....................................
First quarter...................................
Second quarter...............................
Third quarter.................................
Fourth quarter...............................
283.1
162.0
114.3
41.9
34.6
35.4
60.7
98.5
108.6
108.3
127.9
150.2
166.4
128.8
60.1
52.4
93.6
225.9
274.7
241.0
227.8
160.1
264.3
177.8
259.8
317.5
302.0
353.5
151.1
107.7
26.7
22.3
18.9
46.4
91.9
98.6
113.9
149.3
167.5
197.6
113.7
72.2
42.8
82.1
311.1
290.9
380.1
349.0
224.4
364.6
238.1
361.8
43/. 8
420.6
319.5
233.3
159.1
64.8
45.0
44.6
69.5
101.4
112.7
106.3
110.1
146.9
153.5
162.4
47.2
47.2
89.0
156.8
282.6
131.5
127.8
105.5
184.2
123.2
171.9
221.3
220.3
Addi
tions,
altera
tions,
and
repairs
187.2
121.8
91.2
44.9
45.3
58.4
79.0
99.8
116.3
98.1
106.9
106.2
115.5
77.0
66.2
87.6
131.7
213.3
269.8
212.3
214.2
156.8
246.5
183.5
258.3
296.6
247.6
i Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts
awarded in all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken
in some small urban places that do not issue building permits. Estimates
for 1929 through 1941 were derived by applying link relatives to data obtained
from all reporting cities, the number of which increased steadily each year
to almost 2,500 in 1941; figures for 1942 onward were derived by expanding a
carefully stratified sample of approximately 2,500, reporting cities to estimate
for all urban areas.
* Includes value of hotels, dormitories, tourist cabins, and other nonhouse
keeping residential building.
pp. 1 to 7.) Furthermore, most nonfarm build
ing still takes place within city limits, despite a
recent trend towards increased development of
suburban areas.i21
The valuation of building construction author
ized 22 in all urban places in 1946 was more than
twice as great as in 1945. Additional gains in 1947
brought the year’s total to over 5% billion dollars—
the highest dollar volume since 1929.
In 1942, when the war construction program
was at its height, city building was down 23 per
cent from the preceding year and totaled less than
half the amount authorized in 1947. Building
in cities was held to comparatively low levels
during the war years, not only by restrictions on
unessential construction but also by the very
nature of the construction activity. Most mili
tary and naval facilities, the predominant type
of war construction, are of necessity located out
side of urban areas.
Compared with 1942, valuations of city building
authorized in 1947 were slightly higher for new
nonresidential building, but were well over three
times as great for both new residential construc
tion and additions, alterations, and repairs.
About three-fifths of the urban building in 1942
was financed with Federal funds. By 1947 the
federally financed proportion was less than 5
percent. The decline in Federal contract awards
for building within city limits was quite steady
over the 5-year period, except for a spurt in the
See pp. 25-26.
22 Building construction for which building permits were issued and Federal
contracts awarded, plus an estimate of building undertaken in some small
urban places that do not issue building permits. Estimating procedures for
all types of urban building construction are the same as those for residential
construction described on page 18. It should be noted, however, that
data in this section do not represent the volume of construction actually
started during the month. They should also be distinguished from the
figures on expenditures for new construction put in place, presented on
pp. 1 to 7.
31
,
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING 1946-47
32
T able 23.— Urban building authorized, by source of funds, 1942-47 1
Valuation (in thousands)
All building construction
Period
1942................................................................
1943................................................................
1944................................................................
1945.................................................................
1946.................................................................
January..................................................
February................................................
March.....................................................
April.......................................................
May........................................................
June........................................................
July.........................................................
August....................................................
September..............................................
October..................................................
November..............................................
December...............................................
1947................................................................
January..................................................
February................................................
March.....................................................
April.......................................................
May........................................................
June........................................................
July.........................................................
August...................................................
September..............................................
October...................................................
November..............................................
December...............................................
Non-Federal
Federal
$2,707,573
1,262,133
1,101,350
1,966,913
4,743,414
323,598
372,987
745,419
436,774
416,175
412,455
423,779
424,844
347,064
337,568
272,840
229,911
5,549,718
269,706
279,121
384,515
446,222
428,878
488,843
537,317
567,979
561,536
604,165
501,556
479,881
$1,066,958
703,584
753,441
1,717,181
4,303,971
303,907
342,172
721,151
393,367
359,925
348,363
358,537
351,003
316,346
324,726
263,347
221,127
5,356,457
249,884
269,908
372,890
429,581
419,138
461,379
530,253
538,296
555,213
596,962
480,243
452,710
$1,640,615
558,549
347,909
249,732
439,443
19,691
30,815
24,268
43,407
56,250
64,092
65,242
73,841
30,718
12,842
9,493
8,784
193,261
19,822
9,213
11,625
16,641
9,740
27,464
7,064
29,683
6,323
7,203
21,313
27,171
39.4
55.7
68.4
87.3
90.7
93.9
91.7
96.7
90.1
86.5
84.5
84.6
82.6
91.1
96.2
96.5
96.2
96.5
92.7
96.7
97.0
96.3
97.7
94.4
98.7
94.8
98.9
98.8
95.8
94.3
Total
$918,413
583,496
345,670
663.160
2,513,789
142,792
158,552
286,230
259,093
265,905
242,848
247,664
263,806
193,514
194,198
149,941
109,155
2,945,934
132,865
140,171
207,987
241,830
227,947
261,093
273,265
301,591
309,495
347,874
268,866
232,950
Non-Federal
$602,609
375,169
289,270
631,562
2,158,201
123.700
137,832
265,921
223,119
213,230
188,875
193,534
194,979
173,792
184,405
149,659
109,155
2,910,735
125,194
140,171
206,401
239,881
227,947
254,576
272,937
299,987
307,265
344,079
262,348
229,950
Federal
Non-Federal
as percent of
total
$315,804
208,327
56,400
31,598
355,588
19,092
20,720
20,399
35,974
52,675
53,973
54,130
68,827
19,722
9,793
282
0
35,199
7,671
0
1,586
1,949
0
6,517
328
1,604
2,230
3,795
6,518
3,000
65.6
64.3
83.7
95.2
85.9
86.6
86.9
92.9
86.1
80.2
77.8
78.1
73.9
89.8
95.0
99.8
100.0
98.8
94.2
100.0
99.2
99.2
100.0
97.5
99.9
99.5
99.3
98.9
97.6
98.7
Valuation (in thousands)
New nonresidential building
Additions, alterations, and repairs
Total
$1,510,688
439,131
438,909
827,614
1,458.602
123,387
149,351
337,718
109,070
90,415
106,229
110,048
92,370
94,673
85,262
81,523
78,556
1,712,672
86,879
87,720
111, 905
129,474
128,196
141,919
170,181
182,041
162,234
168,334
166,472
177,315
Non-Federal
$222,998
106,546
169,078
639,342
1,416,497
123,293
141,130
334,802
107,032
90,365
104,531
105,380
92,359
89,709
83,989
73,107
70,800
1,583,165
76,585
79,760
103,124
116,208
120,724
330,420
167,007
155,677
159,066
166,270
153,140
155,183
Non-Federal
as percent of
total
Federal
$1,287,690
332,585
269,831
188,272
42,105
94
8,221
2,916
2,038
50
1,698
4,668
11
4,964
1,273
8,416
7,756
129,507
10,294
7,960
8,781
13,266
7,472
11,499
3,174
26,364
3,168
2.064
13,322
22,132
1 Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts
awarded in all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken in
some small urban places that do not issue building permits. These data
cover building only in u rb a n places, excluding the suburban areas surround
ing the city proper. They do not represent the volume of building actually
started during the month, since no adjustment has been made for lapsed
Non-Federal
as percent of
total
Total
Period
1942.
1943.
1944.
1945.
1946.................
January..
February.
March__
April.......
May........
June.........
July...........
August___
September.
October.
November.
December.
1947................
January..
February.
March....
April.......
May........
June........
July...........
August___
September.
October__
November.
December.
New residential building *
14.8
24.3
38.5
77.3
97.1
99.9
WO. X
99.9
98.4
95.8
100.0
94.8
98.5
89.7
90.1
92.4
90.9
92.2
89.8
94.2
91.9
98.1
85.5
98.0
98.8
92.0
87.5
Total
$278,472
239,506
316,771
476,139
771,023
57,419
65,084
121,381
68,611
59,855
63,378
66,067
68,668
58,877
58,108
41,376
42,200
891,112
49,961
51,230
64,624
74,918
72,736
85,830
93,870
84,346
89,807
87,957
66,217
69,615
Non-Federal
$241,351
221,869
295,093
446,277
729,272
56,914
63,210
120,428
63,216
56,330
54,957
59,623
63,665
52,845
56,332
40,581
41,172
862,557
48,105
49,977
63,365
73,492
70,467
76,383
90,309
82,632
88,882
86,613
64,755
67,577
Federal
$37,121
17,637
21,678
29,862
41,751
505
1,874
953
5,395
3,525
8,421
6,444
5,003
6,032
1,776
795
1,028
28,555
1,856
1,253
1,259
1,426
2.269
9,447
3,561
1,714
925
1,344
1,462
2,038
Non-Federal
as percent of
total
86.7
92.6
93.2
93.7
94.6
99.1
99.2
92.1
94.1
86.7
90.2
92.7
89.8
96.9
98.1
97.6
96.8
96.3
97.6
98.1
96.9
89.0
96.2
98.0
99.0
98.5
97.8
97.1
building permits nor for lag between permit issuance and the start of construc
tion. Components do not always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
Urban classification is based on the 1940 census.
2 Includes value of hotels, dormitories, tourist cabins, and other nonhouse
keeping residential building; for valuation of housekeeping dwellings, see
tables 16,19, and 20.
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN CITIES
summer of 1946 when the temporary re-use
housing program was in full swing.
Urban building permit valuations reached an alltime monthly high in March 1946, prior to the
effective date of the construction limitation order,
VHP-1. The rest of the year was marked by a
nearly constant down-trend. In contrast, total
urban building in 1947 rose almost without inter
ruption from low in January to peak in October.
The year ended with December valuations amount
ing to more than double the total recorded for city
building in December 1946.
33
New industrial building was the only major
category of urban building construction to show a
decrease from 1946 to 1947. New commercial
building was practically the same in both years.
On the other hand, valuations for new home con
struction and for additions, alterations, and repair
work were up 17 and 16 percent, respectively.
Community buildings (churches, hospitals, schools,
etc.) in 1947 were more than double the 1946 vol
ume; government buildings (post offices, city halls,
etc.) had tripled; and public works and utility
buildings had increased by 41 percent.
T able 24.— New urban nonresidential building authorizedf by general type of building and by region, 1946-47 1
Valuation (in thousands)
Begion
1947
1946
Percent change
from 1946
$321,845
25,952
57,755
118,666
19,890
20,549
13,573
17,519
2,852
45,090
$397,237
19,477
77,845
133,599
29,161
34,612
14,688
13,145
4,417
70,293
1946
—19.0
+33.2
-25.8
-11.2
-31.8
-40.6
-7 .6
+33.3
-35.4
-35.9
$686,921
32,853
90,725
119,958
57,240
106,788
34,680
91,548
26,855
126,273
406,891
25,759
80,190
62,541
34,639
40,161
16.895
65,309
18,366
63,030
190,163
19,739
21,247
42,412
19,160
22,570
12,954
25,963
5,367
20,751
+114.0
+30.5
+277.4
+47.5
+80.8
+77.9
+30.4
+151.5
+242.2
+203.7
Public works and utility buildings •
All urban places.........................................................................
New England.............................................................................
Middle Atlantic.........................................................................
East North Central...................................................................
West North Central..................................................................
South Atlantic............................................................................
East South Central...................................................................
West South Central...................................................................
Mountain....................................................................................
Pacific..........................................................................................
143,824
15,086
24,968
35,972
8,738
19,046
4,154
7,648
3,520
24,695
1 Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts
awarded in all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken
in some small urban places that do not issue building permits. These data
cover building only in u rb a n places, excluding the suburban areas surround
ing the city proper. They do not represent the volume of building actually
started during the month, since no adjustment has been made for lapsed
permits nor for lag between permit issuance and the start of construction.
Components do not always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
Urban classification is based on the 1940 census.
2 Includes factories, navy yards, army ordnance plants, bakeries, ice plants,
industrial warehouses, and o th e r buildings at the site of these and similar
production plants.
102,241
15,638
10,052
23,383
6,108
20,037
862
5,048
1,486
19,627
$669,574
43,164
74,569
119,011
51,822
87,405
34,647
82,156
26,057
150,743
+2.6
-23.9
+21.7
+ .8
+10.5
+22.2
+•1
+11.4
+3.1
-16.2
Public buildings 8
Community buildings4
All urban places.........................................................................
New England.............................................................................
Middle Atlantic.........................................................................
East North Central...................................................................
West North Central..................................................................
South Atlantic...........................................................................
East South Central............. ........... ..........................................
West South Central..................................................................
Mountain....................................................................................
Pacific..........................................................................................
Percent change
from 1946
Commercial buildings8
Industrial buildings *
All urban places.........................................................................
New England.............................................................................
Middle Atlantic........................................................................
East North Central............................................................. —
West North Central..................................................................
South Atlantic...........................................................................
East South Central...................................................................
West South Central..................................................................
Mountain....................................................................................
Pacific..........................................................................................
1947
+40.7
-3 .5
+148.4
+53.8
+43.1
-4 .9
+381.9
+51.5
+136.9
+25.8
40,699
3,418
4,712
8,171
1,696
6,285
830
4,430
2,416
8,741
12,042
371
1,493
- 880
190
988
116
665
70
7,269
+238.0
+821.3
+215.6
+828.5
+792.6
+536.1
+615.5
+566.2
+3,351.4
+20.3
All other buildings7
112,492
6,764
13,392
27,556
9,961
7,213
3,005
6,618
4,153
33,829
87,345
5,328
9,944
19,374
6,485
5,635
2,316
5,664
2,889
29,710
+28.8
+27.0
+34.7
+42.2
+53.6
+28.0
+29.7
+16.8
+43.8
+13.9
* Includes amusement and recreation buildings, stores and other mercantile
buildings, commercial garages, gasoline and service stations, etc.
4 Includes churches, hospitals and other institutional buildings, schools,
libraries, etc.
* Includes Federal, State, county, and local government buildings, such as
post offices, courthouses, city halls, fire and police stations, army barracks,
naval stations.
fi Includes railroad, bus, and airport buildings, roundhouses, radio stations,
gas and electric plants, public comfort stations, etc.
7Includes private garages, sheds, stables and bams, and other buildings
not elsewhere classified.
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING , 1946-47
34
Location
All sections of the country shared in the rise in
city building valuations in 1947. The greatest
increases, around 30 percent, occurred in the
South Atlantic States and the West South
Central States. However, the largest dollar
volume was reported for the East North Central
States, where more than a fifth of the Nation’s
total urban building was authorized in both
1946 and 1947. This densely populated geographic
division led all others in both the new building
and the additions, alterations, and repairs cate
gories.
The Pacific region was only slightly under the
East North Central in the level of postwar city
building as a whole, and California ranked first
among all the States, continuing the construction
boom in California that got under way during the
war years. In 1946, New York held second place
among the States, and Texas third; the relative
positions of these two States were reversed in
1947.
Cities of all sizes participated in the increase
from 1946 to 1947 in total urban building valua
tions. The gain was relatively less, however, in
the largest municipalities. In 1947 the dollar
volume of new building (both residential and
nonresidential) showed a slight decline from the
preceding year in the largest cities, those with
500,000 or more population. But in the smallest
cities (population less than 10,000) there were
substantial gains—31 percent in new residential
construction and 14 percent in new nonresidential
building. The over-all increase of 16 percent in
addition, alteration, and repair work was shared
by all cities, large and small. Again however, the
rise was greatest in the smallest places.
T able 25.— New urban nonresidential building authorized, by type of building and source of funds, 1946-4? 1
Type of building
1947
1946
Federal
Non-Federal
Total
Percent
change
from 1946
1947
1946
Percent
change
from 1946
1947
1946
$129,507
0
0
0
0
0
0
65,760
0
25,825
0
37,922
0
0
0
$42,105
0
0
1.675
0
0
0
13,568
0
8,417
9,209
9,236
0
0
0
Percent
change
from 1946
Valuation (in thousands)
All types............................................................. $1,712,672 $1,458,602
Amusement buildings *....................................
43,216
33,123
76,234
Churches.............................................................
36,971
Factories and workshops3............................... 321,845
397,237
Commercial garages..........................................
61,713
73,513
Private garages..................................................
77,914
58,490
25,440
23,088
Service stations..................................................
144,796
55,163
Institutional buildings4...................................
83,998
95,258
Office and bank buildings................................
Public buildings5..............................................
12.042
40,699
Public works and utility buildings •.............
102,241
143,824
Educational buildings7.................................... 185,861
98,029
Sheds...................................................................
14,621
12.210
455,852
Stores and other mercantile buildings3......... 461,294
Allother.............................................................
16,645
19,957
See footnotes at end of table
+17.4 $1,583,165 $1,416,497
+30.5
33,123
43,216
+106.2
76,234
36,971
395,562
321,845
-19.0
7S, 513
-16.1
61,713
+33.2
58,490
77,914
+10.2
23,088
25,440
79,036
41,595
+162.5
95,258
83,998
+13.4
14,874
3,625
+238.0
143,824
93,032
+40.7
88,793
+89.6
147,939
14,621
12,210
+19.7
455,852
461,294
+1.2
16,645
+19.9
19,957
+11.8
+30.5
+106.2
-18.6
-16.1
+33.2
+10.2
+90.0
+13.4
+310.3
+54.6
+66.6
+19.7
+1.2
+19.9
+207.6
0
0
-100.0
0
0
0
+384.7
0
+206.8
-100.0
+310.6
0
0
0
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN CITIES
T able
35
25.— New urban nonresidential building authorized, by type of building and source of funds j 1946-47 1—Con.
Non-Federal
Total
Type of building
1947
1946
Percent
change
from 1946
1947
1946
Federal
Percent
change
from 1946
1947
1946
Percent
change
from 1946
Number of buildings
All types.............................................................
Amusement buildings12*....................................
Churches............................................................
Factories and workshops8...............................
Commercial garages..........................................
Private garages..................................................
Service stations..................................................
Institutional buildings4*..................................
Office and bank buildings................................
Public buildings4..............................................
Public works and utility buildings6.............
Educational buildings7....................................
Sheds...................................................................
Stores and other mercantile buildings8.........
All other..............................................................
239,539
2,038
3,028
13,576
5,969
124,948
3,956
766
3,216
488
1,886
2,833
20,251
43,222
13,362
226,574
1,940
1,914
17,001
7,600
109,284
4,030
815
3,679
266
1,550
1,193
19,716
44,553
13,033
+5.7
+5.1
+58.2
-20.1
-21.5
+14.3
-1.8
-6 .0
-12.6
+83.5
+21.7
+137.5
+2.7
-3 .0
+2.5
238,252
2,038
3,028
13,576
5,969
124,948
3,956
713
3,216
277
1,886
1,810
20,251
43,222
13,362
226,038
1.940
1,914
16,986
7,600
109,284
4,030
661
3,679
108
1,544
990
19,716
44,553
13,033
+5.4
+5.1
+58.2
-20.1
-21.5
+14.3
-1.8
+7.9
-12.6
+156.5
+22.2
+82.8
+2.7
-3 .0
+2.5
1,287
0
0
0
0
0
0
53
0
211
0
1,023
0
0
0
536
0
0
15
0
0
0
154
0
158
6
203
0
0
0
+140.1
0
0
-100.0
0
0
0
-65.6
0
+33.5
-100.0
+403.9
0
0
0
1 Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts
awarded in all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken
in some small urban places that do not issue building permits. These data
cover building only in u rb a n places, excluding the suburban areas surround
ing the city proper. They do not represent the volume of building actually
started during the month, since no adjustment has been made for lapsed
permits nor for lag between permit issuance and the start of construction.
Components do not always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
Urban classification is based on the 1940 census.
2 Includes recreational structures such as theatres, halls, auditoriums, club
and association buildings (without bedrooms), lodge buildings, natatoriums,
bathhouses, locker buildings, baseball or other observation stands, stadiums,
gymnasiums, amusement park buildings, pavilions, rinks, etc.
* Includes industrial warehouses.
4Includes hospitals, asylums, medical clinic buildings, sanitariums, chari
table institutions, etc., and affiliated buildings.
4Includes Federal, State, county, and local government buildings, such as
post offices, courthouses, city halls, fire and police stations, prisons, arsenals,
armories.
• Includes railroad, bus, and airport stations, pumping stations, round
houses, freight houses, car barns, ferry houses, radio stations, signal towers,
gas and electric plants, public comfort stations, incinerators, etc.
1 Includes all buildings affiliated with schools, colleges, libraries, museums,
observatories, etc.
4Includes commercial warehouses.
In 1946, New York City outranked all other
places in valuations for total building construction
and for residential building, followed closely by
Los Angeles. New York topped the list in both
categories largely because of the initiation of a
huge redevelopment program by the City Housing
Authority.
In 1947, Los Angeles took first place for all
building authorized, with New York second. This
West Coast city led the country also in valuations
for residential construction and for mercantile,
office, and public buildings.
T able
26.— Urban building authorized, by region and State and by source of funds, 1946-47 1
CO
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-47
Valuation (in thousands)
All building construction
New residential building3
New nonresidential building
Additions, alterations, and repairs
Region and State
1947
1947
1946
1947
1946
1947
1946
1946
Non*
NonNonNonNonNonNon*
NonTotal Federal Total Federal Total Federal Total Federal Total Federal Total Federal Total Federal Total Federal
All urban places............................... $5,649,718 $5,356,457 $4,743,414 $4,303,971 $2,945,934 $2,910,735 $2,513,789 $2,158,201 $1,712,672 $1,583,165 $1,458,602 $1,416,497 $891,112 $862,557 $771,023 $729,272
New England................................... 330,940 324,601 284,247 254,830 153,045 153,037 112,324 92,389 109,831 105,288 103,716 98,360 68,064 66,276 68,207 64,081
69,137 68,304 57,444 53,576 31,756 31,756 21,279 17,651 24,628 23,901 22,419 22,404 12,752 12,647 13,746 13,521
Connecticut.........................
Maine.........................................
12,324 11,736 10,954 10,663
4,409
4,657
4,926
4,657
4,926
3,654
3,419
2,569
2,401
2,643
4,828
2,587
Massachusetts........................... 200,317 197,160 173,891 156,238 92,887 92,879 71,211 56,258 66,222 63,526 60,765 60,593 41,208 40,755 41,915 39,387
New Hampshire......._.............. 13,566 13,251
8,657
8,004
3,204
6,747
3,951
6,747
3,320
3,482
2,248
2,248
3,300
2,458
3,336
2,436
Rhode Island............................
32,145 30,721 29,171 22,970 15,260 15,260 10,808 10,505
8,962 12,505
9,384
7,562
7,501
6,499
5,858
4,903
Vermont.....................................
3,452
3,429
3,379
4,130
1,468
1,421
1,236
1,286
1,122
675
1,468
896
698
1,286
1,587
1,247
Middle Atlantic.............................. 885,907 805,360 804,405 656,134 452,349 422,912 461,002 319,714 271,742 228,173 195,151 192,391 161,817 154,276 148,252 144,028
New Jersey................................ 234,452 224,917 171,462 153,039 124,952 119,191 82,301 64,584 67,250 64,343 54,533 54,027 42,250 41,384 34,628 34,428
New York.................................. 385,357 321,758 404,494 293,875 190,633 166,957 267,829 160,817 129,829 93,043 72,922 72,223 64,895 61,758 63,743 60,834
Pennsylvania............................ 266,099 258,685 228,449 209,220 136,764 136,764 110,872 94,313 74,663 70,787 67,696 66,141 54,671 51,134 49,881 48,766
East North Central........................ 1,193,602 1,174,417 1,020,461 952,190 635,528 634,047 527,707 466,133 372,866 358,500 338,659 335,842 185,208 181,869 154,095 150,215
Illinois........................................ 323,252 319,726 293,975 278,846 167,377 167,377 137,144 122,945 105,411 102,590 116,784 116,567 50,464 49,760 40,047 39,334
Indiana....................................... 108,703 105,821 94,355 81,863 58,602 58,602 54,243 43,659 31,536 29,505 23,486 22,836 18,565 17,713 16,626 15,368
Michigan.................................... 317,946 313,399 264,843 250,563 185,056 185,056 138,703 125,070 86,220 81,874 89,978 89,973 46,670 46,469 36,162 35,520
Ohio............................................ 328,296 322,328 263,047 245,006
165,365 149,400 132,965 109,749 106,435 70,354 69,139 51,845 50,528 43,293 42,902
Wisconsin................................... 115,406 113,142 104,241 95,912 166,701
57,792 57,646 48,217 41,494 39,949 38,097 38,057 37,327 17,665 17,399 17,967 17,091
West North Central........................ 382,911 366,490 364,934 322,176 190,002 189,757 190,726 157,918 132,163
118,210 112,927 107,144 60,746 58,523 61,281 57,114
Iowa............................................ 59,580 57,945 64,378 52,824 27,476 27,476 36,103 26,761 22,133 20,970 19,295 18,069
9,970
9,498
8,980
7,994
Kansas........................................ 48,622 47,554 41,195 37,407 26,271 26,271 22,626 19,170 13,227 12,566 11,656 11,452
9,124
6,913
8,716
6,785
Minnesota.................................. 110,713 109,162 109,352 101,001 61,488 61,488 65,212 57,402 31,918 31,182 24,623 24,211 17,307 16,493
19,517
19,388
Missouri.....................................
97,864 95,948 92,239 82,346 43,946 43,700 41,504 33,257 39,683 38,257 34,623 34,489 14,235 13,990 16,112 14,600
Nebraska....................... ..........
38,892 32,851 31,404 28,817 19,063 19,063 13,128 11,649 13,901
7,926 11,702 11,672
5,928
6,574
5,861
5,496
North Dakota...........................
14,407 10,515
9,602
4,792
8,146
4,792
6,166
4,020
2,517
2,517
4,726
1,866
1,703
7,748
919
903
South Dakota............................ 12,834 12,515 16,764 11,635
6,965
6,965
8,511
4,734
5,987
4,953
3,288
2,316
3,553
2,261
2,266
1,948
South Atlantic................................. 714,098 696,181 537,509 495,441 399,942 398,842 283,172 262,239 200,042 189,535 171,247 155,433 114,114 107,804 83,090 77,769
Delaware.................................
4,920
4,741
7,216
6,942
1,676
1,844
1,676
2,899
2,634
1,280
1,967
1,967
1,399
1,785
2,350
2,341
District of Columbia...............
42,966 40,538 46,235 32,498 23,912 23,787 18,132 14,134
8,007 20,993 11,505 10,455
8,599
8,744
7,110
6,859
Florida........................................ 255,232 253,312 160,362 157,176 158,802 158,789 95,536 93,216 59,460
58,015 40,052 39,735 36,970 36,508 24,774 24,225
Georgia.......................................
76,742 74,417 59,257 55,324 33,587 33,587 30,343 27,335 25,571 24.000 19,042 18,552 17,584 16,829
9,872
9,437
Maryland................................... 68,211 65,884 66,882 65,752 43,864 42,902 35,079
34,371 12,745 11,877 22,301 22,269 11,603 11,105
9,502
9,112
North Carolina.........................
88,481 86,638 69,275 64,226 50,689 50,689 35,375 31,535 28,302 26,575 26,040 25,986
9,491
9,375
7,860
6,705
South Carolina......................... 29,607 26,837 25,451 18,492 12,748 12,748
9,173 12,107
7,355
9,390
7,538 11,798
4,916
3,954
5,061
3,599
Virginia...................................... 113,163 109,944 78,174 72,792 61,523 61,523 43,504
36,500 35,663 21,495 21,173 15,141 12,758 13,175 11,233
West Virginia............................ 34,775 33,871 24,657 22,239 13,142 13,142 12,914 40,386
14,945
7,250
6,891
5,965
5,784
11,090
15,668
4,493
4,258
East South Central......................... 210,354 205,176 178,781 161,793 104,063 103,934 85,028 71,529 73,138 69,403 65,583 64,734 33,153 31,839 28,170 25,530
Alabama..................................... 65,631 64,356 53,093 47,780 34,668 34.668 26,785 22,655 20,493 19,468 17,233 16,881 10,470 10,220
9,075
8,244
Kentucky................................... 41,633 39,734 32,172 28,441 19,331 19,331 15,405 12,214 16,872 15,633 13,071 13,004
5,430
4,770
3,696
3,223
Mississippi................................. 31,529 31,152 25,521 23,068 16,574 16,574 13,088 11,266
9,537
8,575
5,202
8,560
5,041
9,753
3,858
3,242
Tennessee................................... 71,560 69,934 67,995 62,504 33,490 33,361 29,750 25,394 26,020 24,765 26,704 26,289 12,050 11,808 11,541
10,821
West South Central........................ 570,550 550,141 433,443 401,731 300,903 300,041 236,618 212,170 193,072 175,475 132,641 131,626 76,576 74,625 64,184 57,935
Arkansas....................................
34,536 33,263 21,895 20,333 18,516 18,516 10,975
8,930
5,734
6,065
9,955
5,597
9,736
5,817
5,186
5,000
Louisiana...................................
67,079 55,696 46,019 39,188 23,387 23,387 23,022 16,807 33,050 21,824 14,151 14,108 10,642 10,485
8,273
8,846
Oklahoma................................... 61,874 60,330 49,677 43,734 33,597 33,597 26,395 22,122 20,450 19,026 15,537 15,511
7,828
7,707
7,745
6,101
Texas.......................................... 407,061 400,853 315,852 298,476 225,403 224,541
163,505 129,617 125,695 97,219 96,410 52,041 50,616 42,407 38,561
Mountain.......................................... 175,719 166,967 164,694 143,707 88,821 88,187 176,226
97,427 80,138 58,162 50,597 40,287 39,764 28,736 28,182 26,980 23,805
Arizona___________________
25,351 24,675 19,784 17,841 11,633 11,633
9,088
9,528
7,393
8,056
7,900
9,965
3,754
3,515
2,548
2,640
Colorado..................................... 50,360 45,100 47,934 41,335 24,839 24,205 30,871 26,014 16,780 12,350
8,265
8,083
8,741
8,544
7,238
8,798
Idaho..........................................
17,060 16,731 19,433 16,108
7,783
7,783 11,885
4,831
4,831
8,591
5,904
5,592
3,373
3,356
2,717
2,686
Montana..................................... 13,798 13,191 13,130 10,338
5,294
5,294
8,149
5,689
3,036
3,036
5,618
1,945
1,684
6,296
2,208
2,208
Nevada....................................... 15,904 15,684 12,594 12,084
9,442
3,671
3,216
9,442
6,786
6,332
3,177
2,575
3,876
2,585
2,592
2,571
New Mexico.............................. 22,372 21,653 15,349 14,451 12,843 12,843
4,198
4,198
8,329
8,019
5,742
6,435
3,094
2,822
2,234
3,068
Utah...........................................
24,470 23,816 29,228 26,514 13,835 13,835 17,316 15,303
6,393
7,267
7,142
7,032
3,603
4,645
4,069
3,588
6,404
Wyoming...................................
6,117
7,242
5,036
3,152
3,152
1,418
1,397
5,003
2,868
1,633
1,874
821
771
1,378
1,332
Pacific................................................ 1,085,637 1,067,126 954,940 915,969 621,281 619,980 519,785 495,971 301,658 287,983 298,391 291,203 162,697 159,163 136,764 128,795
California................................... 905,352 889,289 785,023 753,789 533,344 532,043 433,720 415,852 242,483 230,935 242,457 235,689 129,525 126,312 108,846 102,248
Oregon........................................ 73,979 73,273 66,913 62,566 32,286 32,286 32,948 29,882 29,360 28,710 23,120 22,783 12,333 12,277 10,845
9,901
Washington............................... 106,305 104,564 103,004
99,614 55,651 55,651 53,117 50,237 29,815 28,338 32,814 32,731 20,839 20,575 17,073 16,646
* Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts awarded in all urban places,
3 Includes value of hotels, dormitories, tourist cabins, and other nonhousekeeping residential build
including an estimate of building undertaken in some small urban places that do not issue building ing; for valuation of housekeeping dwellings, see tables 16,19, and 20.
permits. These data cover building only in u r b a n places, excluding the suburban areas surrounding
Urban classification is based on the 1940 census.
the city proper. They do not represent the volume of building actually started during the month,
since no adjustment has been made for lapsed building permits nor for lag between permit issuance and
the start of construction. Components do not always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
o
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN CITIES
T abus
27.— Urban building authorized, by city-size doss and source of funds, 1946-471
Total
City-size class
37
Valuation (in
thousands)
1947
1946
Federal
Non-Federal
Percentage distributton
1947
Valuation (in
thousands)
1947
1946
1946
Percentage distri
bution
1947
1946
Valuation (in
thousands)
1947
1946
Percentage distri
bution
1947
1946
All building construction
All urban places........................ $5,549,718 $4,743,414
500,000 and over......................... 1,104,000 1,094,839
100,000 to 500,000....................... 1,189,384 1,033,470
50,000 to 100,000......................... 585,608 451,678
25,000 to 50,000........................... 611,241 509,854
10,000 to 25,000........................... 900,822 736,671
5,000 to 10,000............................. 679,502 540,781
2,500 to 5,000.............................. 479,160 376,121
100.0
19.9
21.4
10.6
11.0
16.2
12.3
8.6
100.0 $5,356,457 $4,303,971
23.1 1,034,129 936,082
21.8 1,159,025 945,094
9.5 551,011 415,418
10.8 595,381 4/2,421
15.5 874,649 673,342
11.4 670,811 509,147
7.9 471,452 352,467
100.0
19.3
21.7
10.3
11.1
16.3
12.5
8.8
100.0 $193,261 $439,443
21.7 69,872 158,757
22.0 30,359 88,376
9.7 34,598 36,260
11.0 15,861 37,433
15.6 26,173 63,329
8,691 31,634
11.8
8.2
7,708 23,654
100.0
36.2
15.7
17.9
8.2
13.5
4.5
4.0
100.0
36.1
20.1
8.3
8.5
14.4
7.2
5.4
100.0
19.9
19.6
8.7
10.8
17.5
13.9
9.6
35,198 355,587
26,684 131,665
5,155 65,347
1,355 31,172
455 30,660
1,463 52,349
13 27,700
73 16,694
100.0
75.8
14.6
3.9
1.3
4.2
(*) .2
100.0
37.0
18.4
8.8
8.6
14.7
7.8
4.7
100.0
23.6
22.4
10.3
11.0
14.1
10.8
7.8
129,507
36,387
15,315
29,310
12,805
22,569
6,593
6,528
42,105
17,214
9,401
1,468
1,120
5,851
1,276
5,775
100.0
28.1
11.8
22.6
9.9
17.4
5.1
5.1
100.0
40.9
22.3
3.5
2.7
13.9
3.0
13.7
28,555
6,801
9,889
3,932
2,600
2,142
2,086
1,106
41,751
9,878
13,628
3,620
5,653
5,129
2,658
1,185
100.0
23.8
34.6
13.8
9.1
7.5
7.3
3.9
100.0
23.7
32.6
8.7
13.5
12.3
6.4
2.8
New residential buildingi2
All urban places....................... 2,945,934 2,513,789
500,000 and over......................... 551,660 559,985
100,000 to 500,000....................... 563.427 489,144
50,000 to 100,000......................... 281,515 219,578
25,000 to 50.000........................... 313,797 264,688
10,000 to 25,000........................... 511,558 429,173
5,000 to 10,000............................. 424,971 328,307
2,500 to 5,000.............................. 299,006 222,914
100.0
18.7
19.1
9.6
10.7
17.4
14.4
10.1
100.0
22.3
19.4
8.7
10.5
17.1
13.1
8.9
2,910,735 2,158,201
524,976 428,319
558,271 423,797
280,160 188,406
313,342 234,028
510,095 376,824
424,958 300,607
298,933 206,220
100.0
18.0
19.2
9.6
10 8
17.5
14.6
10.3
New nonresidential building
All urban places....................... 1,712,672 1,458,602
500,000 and over......................... 348,224 351,810
100,000 to 500,000....................... 380,895 327,475
50,000 to 100,000......................... 201,465 147,009
25,000 to 50,000........................... 198,346 157,381
10,000 to 25,000........................... 274,737 204,884
5,000 to 10,000............................. 179,448 154,409
2,500 to 5,000.............................. 129,558 115,634
100.0
20.3
22.2
11.8
11.6
16.0
10.5
7.6
100.0 1,583,165 1,416,497
24.1 311,837 334,596
22.5 365,580 318,074
10.1 172,155 145,541
10.8 185,540 156,261
14.0 252,168 199,033
10.6 172,855 153,133
7.9 123,030 109,859
100.0
19.7
23.1
10.9
11.7
15.9
10.9
7.8
Additions, alterations, and repairs
All urban places........................
500,000 and over.........................
100,000 to 500,000........................
50,000 to 100,000.........................
25,000 to 50,000...........................
10,000 to 25,000...........................
5,000 to 10,000.............................
2,500 to 5,000..............................
891,112 771,023
204,117 183,044
245,063 216,851
102,628 85,091
99,099 87,785
114,528 102,614
75,083 58,065
50,596 37,573
100.0
22.9
27.5
11.5
11.1
12.9
8.4
5.7
100.0 862,557 729,272
23.8 197,316 173,166
28.1 235,174 203,223
11.0 98,695 81,471
11.4 96,499 82,132
13.3 112,386 97,485
7.5 72,997 55,407
4.9 49,490 36,388
i Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts
awarded in all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken in
some small urban places that do not issue building permits. These data cover
building only in u rb a n places, excluding the suburban areas surrounding the
city proper. They do not represent the volume of building actually started
during the month since no adjustment has been made for lapsed building
permits nor for lag between permit issuance and the start of construction.
100.0
22.9
27.3
11.4
11.2
13.0
8.5
5.7
100.0
23.7
27.9
11.2
11.2
13.4
7.6
5.0
Urban classification and city size are based on the 1940 census.
*Includes value of hotels, dormitories, tourist cabins, and other nonhouse
keeping residential building; for valuation of housekeeping dwellings, see
tables 16,19, and 20.
’ Less than one-tenth of 1 percent.
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-47
38
T able 28.— Cities leading in various types of building construction authorized, 1947 1
Type of building construction and leading cities
All building construction:12*
Los Angeles, Calif.........
New York, N. Y ...........
Detroit, Mich....... ____
Chicago, 111....................
Houston, Tex.................
Philadelphia, Pa...........
Dallas, Tex.....................
Miami, Fla.....................
New residential building:2
Los Angeles, Calif.........
New York, N. Y...........
Detroit, Mich................
Chicago, 111....................
Philadelphia, Pa...........
Miami, Fla....................
Houston, Tex................
Dallas, Tex....................
Factories and work shops:4*
Chicago, 111....................
Detroit, Mich................
Philadelphia, Pa...........
Cleveland, Ohio............
Los Angeles, Calif........
Hillside, N. J.................
Houston, Tex.................
New York, N. Y...........
Milwaukee, Wis............
Louisville, Ky...............
St. Louis, Mo................
Portland, Oreg...............
Stores and other mercantile buildings: *
Los Angeles, Calif..............................
Detroit, Mich..................................... .
Chicago, 111..........................................
Houston, Tex.....................................
New York, N. Y ................................
Atlanta, Ga.........................................
St. Louis, Mo......................................
Miami, Fla..........................................
Denver, Colo......................................
Cleveland, Ohio.................................
Office and bank buildings:
Los Angeles, Calif.......
Houston, Tex...............
Tallahassee, Fla...........
Minneapolis, Minn__
Chicago, 111..................
Valuation (in
thousands)
$259,041
206,799
147,607
120,743
72,631
72,386
53,082
51,628
146,208
122,533
86,892
45,982
41,266
33,115
32,959
30,898
18,193
7,678
7,427
6,762
6,503
5,754
5,188
4,843
4,682
4,388
4,252
4,125
15,082
11,663
9,102
8,738
8,707
6,235
5,845
5,734
5,481
5,256
18,243
6,048
2,701
2,347
2,140
1 Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts
iawarded in u r b a n places, excluding the suburban areas surrounding the city
proper. These data do not represent the volume of building actually started
during the month, since no adjustment has been made for lapsed permits nor
for lag between permit issuance and the start of construction.
TJrban classification is based on the 1940 census.
2 Covers additions, alterations, and repairs, as well as new residential and
new nonresidential building.
8 Includes hotels, dormitories, tourist cabins, and other nonhousekeeping
residential building.
4 Includes industrial warehouses.
8 Includes commercial warehouses.
8 Includes hospitals, asylums, medical clinic buildings, sanitariums, chari
table institutions, etc., and affiliated buildings.
Type of building construction and leading cities
Institutional buildings: *
New York, N. Y .....
Buffalo, N. Y........... .
Sherveport, La..........
Boston, Mass........... .
Fresno, Calif..............
Grand Island, Nebr..
Houston, Tex........... .
Public buildings:7
Los Angeles, Calif.
Tallahassee, Fla__
Fort Worth, Tex..
Pasadena, Calif...
Public works and utility buildings:8
Detroit, Mich.................................
Oswego, N. Y.................................
Los Angeles, Calif.........................
Chicago, 111.....................................
Newport News, Va........................
Woodbridge, N. J..........................
Norfolk, Va.....................................
Educational buildings: •
New York, N. Y............................
Detroit, Mich.................................
Los Angeles, Calif..........................
Cambridge, Mass..........................
Chicago, 111.....................................
Churches:
Detroit, Mich...........
Minneapolis, Minn.
Chicago, 111...............
Dallas, Tex...............
New York, N. Y ....
Houston, Tex...........
Los Angeles, Calif__
Kansas City, M o...
Commercial garages:
New York, N. Y.
Detroit, Mich__
Houston, Tex___
Columbus, Ohio.
Amusement buildings:10
Miami, Fla................
San Antonio, Tex__
San Francisco, Calif..
Valuation (in
thousands)
$23,637
14,293
9,745
7,395
5,675
5,245
4,529
1,993
1,700
1,448
1,092
7.298
7,058
6,920
6,335
6,037
4,005
3,803
8,414
5,699
5,544
4,693
4,247
2,273
2,114
2,103
2,034
1,781
1,715
1,552
1,235
2,662
2,005
1,636
1,061
1,957
1,699
1,051
7 Includes Federal, State, county, and local government buildings, such
as post offices, courthouses, city halls, fire and police stations, jails, prisons,
arsenals and armories.
8 Includes railroad, bus, and airport buildings, roundhouses, radio stations,
gas and electric plants, public comfort stations, etc.
• Includes all buildings affiliated with schools, colleges, libraries, museums,
observatories, etc.
10 Includes recreational structures such as theatres, halls, auditoriums, club
and association buildings (without bedrooms), lodge buildings, natatoriums,
bathhouses, locker buildings, baseball and other observation stands, stadi
ums, gymnasiums, amusement park buildings, pavilions, rinks, etc.
T able 29.— Building
construction authorized in cities with 1940 population of 50,000 or more, 1946 and 1947 1
All building construction
State and city
1947
Popula
tion in
1940 Num- Valuaber of tion (in
build- thouings sands)
7,176
1,957
2,149
2,153
3,585
2,007
2,624
2,280
20,015
62,210
5,607
3.619
2,860
11,839
8,269
1,834
1,949
1,397
10,104
1,099
1,166
1,662
788
1,936
873
1,294
7,713
5,446
13,321
5,461
7,573
4,483
1,726
778
2,033
1,572
11,715
466
620
589
604
384
1,718
1,217
1,125
265
2,037
1,587
$18,041
5,493
6,015
9,656
11,722
8,590
14,786
10,360
35,208
259,041
27,389
13,819
12,849
30,428
48,290
11,451
11,817
6,627
29,178
1,966
5,953
10,171
1,707
7,774
4,317
3,332
42,964
21,128
51,628
17,426
9,316
28,439
3,592
3,687
2,937
5,886
120,743
3,098
4,057
2,307
8,154
1,607
4,451
4,713
4,865
2,614
4,624
8,647
1947
1946
New nonresidential building
1947
1946
Additions, alterations, and repairs
1947
1946
Number of
buildings
Valuation (in
thousands)
Number of
buildings
Valuation (in
thousands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
7,857
2,236
2,436
1,998
3,049
2,075
2,569
2,244
18,199
56,954
5,550
3,551
3,048
10,410
7,708
1,924
2,140
1,488
15,119
1,206
1,267
2,019
1,181
2,493
1,013
1,405
7,897
5,326
9,962
3,624
7,671
5,310
860
800
1,978
1,879
12,293
349
567
482
665
436
1.360
1,242
1,138
230
2,209
1,767
$15,764
5,297
4,281
8,534
7,585
7,079
8,750
8,272
37,426
227,742
23,363
12,959
13,427
23,100
50,959
10,376
9,894
6.110
30,049
2.132
5,304
10,459
3,080
8,087
3,238
5,063
46,253
15,686
26,396
11,088
8,157
23,403
1,965
3,483
2,438
3,443
122,405
2,707
2,349
3,135
6,910
866
4,436
3,736
4,915
3,570
3,573
7,002
1,664
671
519
682
991
209
730
492
2,571
17,019
1,101
637
978
2,731
2,672
746
556
517
2,173
308
295
119
143
202
259
101
1,934
1.312
4,270
2,116
867
1,085
285
182
0
517
4,410
151
229
201
236
32
314
328
342
36
704
676
$8,808
1,746
3,835
4,100
7,323
2,249
4.287
5,747
18,306
146,208
11,455
6,526
6,565
19,863
24,099
6,031
7,870
3,599
14,474
989
2,468
1,654
711
2,152
1,713
892
23,912
8,227
33,115
12,413
3,787
8,559
1,242
624
(3)
3,196
45,982
1,034
1,515
976
4,575
897
2,102
1,958
2,413
230
2,379
4,915
1,850
668
927
722
828
313
909
603
2,156
19,647
1,140
713
1,498
2,555
3,014
909
730
593
4,513
329
210
312
414
732
426
193
2,469
1,357
1,962
1,504
841
1,419
265
110
0
470
6,441
74
271
191
297
89
310
517
470
34
321
787
$6,764
1,545
2,663
3,265
4,100
1,703
4,500
4,203
13,841
121,786
8.056
5,052
7,942
13,051
19,530
6,026
6,197
3,037
19,364
1,117
1,428
1,267
1,830
2,891
1,985
1,540
18,132
6,745
13,912
8,104
2,841
8,996
881
464
0
1,636
40,578
437
1,275
566
2,310
416
1,891
2,260
2,448
234
1,132
4,010
749
290
249
512
328
283
402
675
2,588
19,774
1,543
621
511
2,855
257
322
i 553
230
1,403
185
258
141
111
281
154
176
667
730
1,653
502
642
627
204
154
0
214
3,439
207
213
121
130
95
262
256
267
117
249
293
$5,200
2,539
1,258
4,303
2,846
4,090
8,720
3,182
8,359
73,260
i 8,865
5,100
3,805
5,635
12; 221
4,107
2,853
1,999
8,701
598
2,391
5,423
641
3,955
1,964
744
8,597
8,160
11,848
2,157
2,765
10,785
1,035
: 2,722
0
942
47,397
1,937
2,055
850
2,830
164
1,231
1,552
1,692
1,909
1,263
2,818
790
372
238
433
317
355
355
704
3,552
17,592
1,695
675
412
2.563
297
303
651
203
1,825
209
216
177
90
334
259
90
553
742
1,260
389
625
778
161
192
0
247
2,905
178
161
94
114
45
179
177
177
97
286
253
$4,267
2,442
1,079
4,281
1,751
4,037
2,747
2,963
16,652
73,722
8,319
6,229
3,532
6,630
18,134
3,059
2,893
1,487
5,013
444
2,531
6,142
803
3,256
928
1,433
21,011
5,322
7,771
1,817
2,866
8,036
546
2,577
0
1.025
62,719
2,069
872
2,182
3,769
192
1,556
687
1,704
3,173
939
2,011
4,763
996
1,381
959
2,266
1,515
1,492
1,113
14,856
25,417
2,963
2,361
1,371
6,253
5,340
766
840
650
6,528
606
613
1,402
534
1,453
460
1,017
5,112
3,404
7,398
2,843
6,064
2,771
1,237
442
1,429
841
3,866
108
178
267
238
257
1,142
633
516
112
1,084
618
$4,033
1,208
922
1,253
1,553
2,251
1,779
1,431
8,543
39,573
7,069
2,193
2,479
4,930
11,970
1,313
1,094
1,029
6,003
379
1,094
3.094
355
1,667
640
1,696
10,455
4,741
6,665
2,856
2,764
9,095
1,315
341
835
1,748
27,364
127
487
481
749
546
1,118
1,203
760
475
982
914
5,217
1,196
1,271
843
1,904
1,407
1.305
937
12,491
19,715
2,715
2,163
1,138
5,292
4,397
712
759
692
8,781
668
841
1,530
677
1,427
328
1,122
4,875
3,227
6,740
1,731
6,205
3,113
434
498
1,487
1,162
2,947
97
135
197
254
302
871
548
491
99
1,602
727
$4,733
1,310
539
988
1,734
1,339
1,503
1,106
6,933
32,234
6,988
1,678
1.953
3.419
13,295
1,291
804
1,586
5,672
571
1,345
3.050
447
1,940
325
2,090
7,110
3,619
4,713
1,167
2,450
6,371
538
442
783
782
19,108
201
202
387
831
258
989
789
763
163
1,502
981
Number of new
dwelling units
1GA7
1QJ.A
2,416 2,067
688
771
965
876
818
817
844
1,713
389
309
755
909
972
857
3,979 3,330
21.138 24,632
1,708 1,406
782
883
1,174 1,779
3,438 2, $31
3,102 3,530
994
818
1,428 1,265
575
604
2,692 5,181
308
332
441
222
207
366
143
413
732
338
432
261
111
208
4,303 4,000
1,541 : 1,460
6,043 2,615
2,295 ! 1,533
887
868
1,379 1,533
285
263
206
120
132
175
578
480
5,455 7,341
158
76
229
259
191
213
502
441
165
89
314
316
352
539
472
351
46
40
787
33*
772
790
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN CITIES
Alabama:
Birmingham267,583
Mobile..........
78,720
Montgomery.
78,084
Arizona:
Phoenix.........
65,414
Arkansas:
Little Rock..
88,039
California:
Berkeley...............
85,547
Fresno...................
60.685
Glendale...............
82,582
Long Beach..........
164,271
Los Angeles..........
1,504,277
Oakland—...........
302,163
Pasadena.............
81,864
Sacramento...........
105,958
San Diego.............
203,341
San Francisco___
634,536
San Jose................
68,457
Santa Monica___
53,500
Stockton...............
54,714
Colorado:
Denver..................
322,412
Pueblo...................
52,162
Connecticut:
Bridgeport............
147,121
Hartford...............
166,267
New Britain____
68.685
New Haven..........
160,605
Waterbury...........
99,314
Delaware:
Wilmington.........
112,504
District of Columbia:
Washington..........
663,091
Florida:
Jacksonville..........
173,065
Miami...................
172,172
St. Petersburg__
60,812
Tampa..................
108,391
Georgia:
Atlanta..................
302,288
Augusta...............
65,919
Columbus.............
53,280
M acon.................
57,865
Savannah.............
95,996
Illinois:
Chicago...........—
3,396,808
Cicero....................
64,712
Decatur.................
59,305
Bast St. Louis__
75,609
Evanston..............
65,389
Oak Park.............
66,015
Peoria...................
105,087
Rockford.............
84.637
Springfield............
75,503
Indiana:
East Chicago.......
54.637
Evansville............
97,062
Fort Wayne.........
118,410
See footnotes at end of table.
1946
New residential building *
CO
CD
T able
2^.—-Building construction authorized in cities with 1940 population s 50,000 or more, 19.40 and I&£7,^Continued
All building construction
1947
State and city
.
.
.
.
.
.
1947
1946
New nonresidential building
1947
Population 111
1940 Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
2,113
1,585
4,842
2,856
1,201
2,231
3,012
2,334
888
1,405
1,126
1,112
4,894
213
3,389
2,514
3,394
1,093
13,535
8,969
679
1,548
720
443
602
588
606
826
351
996
929
1,785
1,271
1,752
1,511
2,590
21,626
4,526
5,773
221
1,333
1,522
1,478
1,683
2,276
6,486
3,916
2,382
2,878
527
5,256
$9,194
6,723
26,806
9,814
1,372
4,057
4,637
12,661
3,293
4,413
3,847
3,780
16,643
835
18,769
12,452
22,004
3,336
45,168
31,241
3,113
9,331
1,788
1,767
1.997
1,871
2,962
1,798
2,003
2,166
7,625
4,064
2,500
11,220
8,033
17,137
147,607
11,141
9,460
3,301
2,809
4,612
4,438
3,405
4,540
30,931
19,126
9,661
17,668
1,154
28,493
1,732
1,866
4,284
3,067
1,078
2,528
3,118
2,695
853
1,458
1,053
1,521
4,862
220
3,399
3,449
3,141
1.051
13,651
8.697
751
1,734
712
373
595
858
737
756
605
1,257
865
2,098
1,097
2,371
1,584
1,768
21,082
4,426
4,984
187
1,254
1,434
1,214
1,757
2,518
7,689
4,667
2,048
3,565
283
6,356
$6,079
7,682
14,783
7,085
3,059
5,644
4,270
13.255
2,740
5,137
2,997
4,257
14,003
958
15,957
15,072
9,040
2,643
50,016
42,906
1,683
8,818
2,025
1,826
1,611
1,697
2,897
2,293
1,926
2,649
3,522
3,618
1,609
9,606
7,443
9,819
116,848
10,497
8,632
1,351
3,232
4,483
9,608
4,460
4,432
29,770
20,118
6,946
18,202
759
31,639
1,074
625
1,561
630
115
350
304
960
230
312
287
412
1,665
28
1,785
1,226
1,173
165
3,472
555
149
7
117
129
98
81
115
81
76
124
304
204
23
584
476
1,275
9,501
800
647
1
60
353
229
378
300
1,255
1,050
675
756
96
516
$6,603
4,710
14,125
4,585
331
1,657
2,500
5,281
923
1,673
1,112
2,120
9,687
184
10,993
4,683
6,114
1,036
29,244
7,703
960
305
618
859
648
407
789
512
549
620
3,600
1,856
586
3,997
2,937
10,712
86,892
5,605
3,774
1
344
2,091
1,353
1,207
1,505
11,370
11,059
4,945
6,450
237
5,787
679
725
1,714
902
529
647
434
1,380
412
530
267
852
1,531
21
1,847
2,313
1,238
104
4,493
706
103
709
202
39
48
323
217
104
346
268
248
273
1
927
712
753
9,261
884
832
2
268
390
343
578
512
2,779
1,712
698
1,453
67
1,652
$3,525
4.548
8,316
4,312
1,746
2,791
2,455
6,874
1,669
2,717
895
3,221
7,416
103
7,103
6,778
5,169
604
25,897
4,391
635
2,212
902
248
345
1,137
1,026
802
1,313
1,085
2,294
1,446
5
4,151
3,983
5,453
64,039
4,346
4,189
15
1,590
1,961
1,755
1,847
1,960
14,645
12,277
3,474
7,505
202
9,059
411
389
1,103
89
299
435
223
720
243
381
250
271
518
45
758
285
323
108
898
366
109
118
159
37
97
103
119
59
74
186
76
244
38
294
246
741
5,183
760
575
63
148
297
339
463
282
1,089
1,073
359
740
146
2,001
111, 719
70,184
386,972
101,268
62,693
62,120
66,039
169,819
82,364
51,743
121,468
67,833
114,966
62,018
319,077
494,637
98,167
73,643
859,100
770.816
62,343
110,879
115,428
53,750
84,323
101,389
98,123
58,010
63,083
110,341
69,873
75,810
102,177
149,554
193,694
63,584
1,623,452
151,543
164, 292
50,810
54,097
78,753
66,626
82, 794
101,065
492,370
287,736
62,107
399,178
75,711
816,048
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
1946
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
$1,643
397
1,351
350
5,512
207
2,764
82
650
240
1,588
324
921
169
5,991
675
1,515
206
2,130
301
1,466
242
915
276
3,828
613
316
29
6,729
731
3,901
301
13,856
397
1,443
124
6,777
878
13,468
261
1,672
103
7,494
96
227
153
344
52
696
85
1,037
84
1,010
123
617
77
1,142
70
683
203
3,416
85
1,060
184
970
19
3,913
252
3,495
192
4,529
602
40,610 4,409
3,302
684
1,608
459
2,919
31
1,139
128
1.432
230
2,553
293
354
1,380
1,423
236
13,318
886
3,955
825
2,918
239
8,068
778
641
85
15,848 1,808
$1,465
2,296
769
1,843
1,074
2,227
742
4,808
774
1,903
1,244
633
4,126
503
7,973
5,128
2,200
1,002
16,316
26,927
324
4,842
474
1,059
705
124
1,218
1,070
397
629
664
1,086
826
2,995
1,639
3,958
36,562
4,243
1,418
880
1,009
1,610
7,450
1,964
578
6,898
3,655
2,171
6,027
233
14,591
Additions, alterations, and repairs
1947
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
1946
Num
ber of
build
ings
Number of new*
dwelling units
Valua
tion (in 1947
thou
sands)
628
656 $1,089 1,199
$948
571
659
662
791
838
2,178 7,169 2,363 5,698 2,377
2,137 2,465 2,083
930
640
119
787
309
239
391
1,446
348
812 1,557
626
2,485 1,216 2,515 1,073
319
654 1,389
968
640 1,573
415
235
231
855
297
712
312
627
517
610
589 1,269
544
858
304
429
393
403
745
446
2,711 3,128 2,718 2,461 1,993
352
170
28
140
335
821
846 1,047
881 2,665
835 3,166 1,335
1,003 3,868
1,898 3,034 1,506 1,671 1,202
823 1,037
820
183
857
9,165 9,147 8,280 7,803 5,513
8,048 10,070 7,730 11,588
975
421
724
545
481
170
1,423 1,532
929 1,764
57
444
357
649
118
943
564
282
519
277
130
462
561
407
653
100
404
82
451
436
427
372 1,163
397
124
653
421
82
669
575
686
312
189
216
77
201
786
863
935
126
686
532
609
564
549
385
324
1,337 1,148 1,641 1,086
944 1,077
1,210
63
778
874 3,310 1,192 2,460
574
680 1,821
789 1,601
563
574 1,896
413
408 1,352
6,942 20,105 7,412 16,247 10,973
875
2,966 2,234 2,858 1,908
4,551 4,078 3,693 3,025
658
157
154
1
381
456
1,125 1,326
62
858
633
872 1,089
814
355
912
910
241
532
578
403
842
818
825
649
378
1,694 1,612 1,770 1,894
299
4,142 6,243 4,024 8,227 1,381
1,793 4,112 2,130 4,186 1,174
934
1,348 1,798 1, 111 1,301
1,382 3,150 1,334 4,670
910
285
324
276
99
131
2,739 6,858 2,896 7,989
841
1946
686
744
1,771
906
527
645
438
1,394
442
588
295
855
1,690
22
1,877
2,427
1,247
104
5,045
1,023
127
766
204
36
49
323
218
150
354
268
296
274
2
929
800
774
9,496
891
873
2
271
391
345
602
524
2,935
1,797
835
1,545
68
2,370
c o n s t r u c t io n a n d s o u s in g , 1946-41
Indiana—Continued
Gary......................
Hammond...........
Indianapolis........
South Bend..........
Terre Haute.........
Iowa:
Cedar Rapids___
Davenport...........
Des Moines..........
Sioux City............
Waterloo..............
Kansas:
Kansas City........
Topeka.................
Wichita................
Kentucky:
Covington............
Louisville.............
Louisiana:
New Orleans.......
Shreveport...........
Maine:
Portland_______
Maryland:
Baltimore.............
Massachusetts:
Boston *................
Brockton..............
Cambridge...........
Fall River............
Holyoke - ............
Lawrence............ .
Lowell--..............
Lynn................... .
Malden.............. .
Medtord...............
New Bedford___
Newton................
Quincy..................
Somerville.......... .
Springfield...........
Worcester............
Michigan:
Dearborn............ .
Detroit................ .
Flint.....................
Grand Rapids....
Highland Park...
Kalamazoo...........
Lansing................
Pontiac................
Saginaw................
Minnesota:
Duluth.................
Minneapolis........
St. Paul.............. Mississippi:
Jackson.-............
Missouri:
Kansas City........
St. Joseph............
St. Louis..............
1946
New residential building *
©
Springfield........................
61,238
Nebraska:
81,984
Lincoln..............................
Omaha.............................. 223,844
New Hampshire:
Manchester....................... 77,685
New Jersey:
Atlantic City.................... 64,094
Bayonne............................ 79,198
Camden............................ 117,536
East Orange...................... 68,945
Elizabeth.......................... 109,912
Hoboken...........................
50,115
Irvington........................... 55,328
Jersey City....................... 301,173
Newark.............................. 429,760
Passaic.............................. 61,394
Paterson............................ 139,656
Trenton............................. 124,697
Union City..:..................
56,173
New York:
Albany.............................. 130,577
Binghamton.....................
78,309
Buffalo............................... 575,901
Mount Vernon................. 67,362
New Rochelle................... 58,408
New York City 5_................... 7,454,995
Bronx Borough................ 1,394,711
Brooklyn Borough.......... 2,698,285
Manhattan Borough___ 1,889,924
Queens Borough.............. 1,297,634
Richmond Borough........ 174,441
Niagara Falls.................... 78,029
Rochester.......................... 324,975
Schenectady.....................
87,549
Syracuse. ......................... 205,967
70,304
Troy...................................
Utica.................................. 100,518
Yonkers *.......................... 142,598
North Carolina:
Asheville...........................
51,310
Charlotte........................... 100,899
Durham............................
60,195
Greensboro........................ 59,319
Winston-Salem................
79,815
Ohio:
Akron................................ 244,791
Canton.............................. 108,401
Cincinnati......................... 455,610
Cleveland.......................... 878,336
Cleveland Heights..........
54,992
Columbus......................... 306,087
Dayton.............................. 210,718
Hamilton........................... 50,592
Lakewood.........................
69,160
Springfield........................
70,662
Toledo............................. 282,349
Youngstown..................... 167,720
Oklahoma:
Oklahoma City................ 204,424
Tulsa.................................. 142,157
Oregon: Portland................. 305,394
Pennsylvania:
Allentown.........................
96,904
Altoona.............................. 80,214
Bethlehem........................
58,490
Chester.............................. 59,285
Erie.................................... 116,955
Harrisburg........................ 83,893
Johnstown......................... 66,668
Lancaster..........................
61,345
McKeesport..................... 55,355
Philadelphia..................... 1,931,334
Pittsburgh........................ 671,659
See footnotes at end of table.
2,299
2,916
3,903
2,183
1,059
633
1,389
, 1,106
578
714
426
572
1,726
640
1,468
1,512
434
2,533
1,626
2,825
716
538
10,016
1,137
1,623
1,668
5,041
547
1,844
2,729
1,311
1,147
726
448
1,051
777
1,767
744
1,424
1,596
4,501
1,407
14,242
7,553
420
4,353
2,605
1,085
282
1,307
2,664
1,275
2,863
2,418
6,582
779
2,462
379
164
1,401
707
629
939
955
10,096
5,055
4,762
9,875
8,823
4,830
2,017
1,786
9,885
4,348
5,395
2,315
2,462
6,357
16,080
3,038
3,108
3,058
795
7,184
4,010
25,906
2,655
2,785
206,799
14,781
46,872
62.268
79,062
3,816
6,654
15,847
2,541
6,503
2,166
2,233
10,288
2,951
10,955
5,646
8,888
6,057
18,037
4,527
31,117
43,028
3,394
23,849
13,259
4,542
1,577
5,038
12,017
6,528
14,276
11,288
39,953
5,632
2,708
2,671
1,146
4,663
5.662
994
4,640
1,567
72,386
19,700
2,526
2,574
3,855
2,109
1,478
936
1,593
1,254
588
924
288
967
1,562
1,079
1,898
1,345
469
1,794
2,050
3,170
487
712
23,293
1,157
2,348
12,281
6,932
575
1,699
2,428
1,355
1,364
1,189
368
1,122
685
1,677
610
1,078
1,010
4,422
1,751
13,797
7,155
310
4,898
2,448
937
271
1,163
2,606
1,408
3,104
2,670
7,696
819
2,461
423
490
1,608
930
747
868
896
10,191
5,526
4,336
7,124
13,155
3,578
2,188
1,774
5,314
2,310
2,789
1,786
799
3,878
11,127
2,575
3,821
2,858
614
4,935
3,102
16,197
1,640
2,557
254,399
10,578
34,367
141,757
64,412
3,285
4,233
10,918
4,553
7,254
4,350
2,502
6,843
1,753
9,700
4,380
4,299
3,387
13,880
4,672
35,625
38,547
1,361
19,464
10,488
2,562
1,294
2,937
10,213
4,822
13,822
9,511
34,922
4,498
1,491
2,581
3,713
5,739
4,237
1,641
1,628
1,203
65,499
18,204 1
578
914
877
444
16
56
208
57
151
0
165
7
537
41
65
59
1
103
113
252
36
89
4,820
406
476
113
3,582
243
383
376
123
318
18
129
515
267
1,183
407
943
444
982
342
808
1,728
177
1,875
927
419
45
250
608
365
1,559
1,085
1,472
227
119
146
35
433
172
39
212
57
5,229
740
2,305
6,524
4,805
2,487
104
845
2,031
2,511
3,691
0
1,523
56
3,588
1,585
502
308
9
2,804
1,057
2,991
830
1,379
122,533
6,547
16,655
37,821
59.560
1,950
2,519
6,597
695
2,853
141
703
8,332
1,312
7,243
2,888
6,112
3,550
7,201
2,636
9,042
12,987
2,229
14,361
7,902
2,909
725
1,726
4,533
2,323
8,205
6,057
17,890
2,560
709
1,678
199
2,184
1,081
180
1,858
444
41,266
8,648
650
439
1,032
333
167
213
359
157
190
0
26
375
326
194
305
168
1
92
286
255
70
192
17,882
410
1,126
10,634
5,504
208
238
478
179
847
625
75
485
226
917
301
616
430
1,363
362
1,300
1,885
97
2,313
744
302
67
306
835
459
1,463
1,273
1,964
268
185
162
358
544
448
43
68
32
5,524
1,102
181
514
398
206
51
39
157
55
154
8
58
94
249
109
115
83
9
53
146
657
56
68
1,244
185
259
122
576
102
263
452
131
270
50
130
152
146
247
111
167
176
907
317
430
1,649
124
1,066
636
186
116
255
946
330
548
486
1,461
189
182
98
57
380
94
95
60
67
895
455
311
1,418
392
2,165
584
1,864
224
1,170
28
972
32
437
113
6,639
934
38
139
1,221
23
637
51
649
2,041
54
6,720
228
321
785
1,382
120
1,198
66
233
8
2,473
50
1,764
150
633
18,037
1,097
41
792
57
945
54,006
4,975
120
216
25,481
7,727
109
14,515
388
112
1,308
3,240
248
5,816
409
685
145
229
2,490
104
872
1,109
198
922
167
1,373
87
2,309
342
2,179
102
163
1,897
127
1,310
917
6,928
363
1,228
7,754
442
21,711 1,540
97
1,038
5,737 1,093
557
3,452
165
868
85
680
291
2,586
805
6,167
2,214
369
4,533
729
4,138
520
14,238 1,919
1,702
166
1,269
170
85
593
60
677
1,451
343
3,530
47
441
133
1,982
33
568
40
17,862
446
401
5,481
1,424
1,921
6,334
778
225
384
1,578
381
854
733
219
538
5,120
803
605
765
142
1,800
625
4,675
478
227
29,405
2,117
2,313
16,575
7,165
1,235
1,858
3,863
2,551
2,147
496
1,542
2,351
431
3,224
2,129
1,377
994
3,452
1,424
4,826
17,607
200
3,477
2,458
590
269
997
3,424
1,318
5,878
3,452
13,944
1,624
167
941
1,662
1,085
812
878
147
155
17,346
5,098
1,640
1,488
2,628
1,533
992
538
1,024
994
273
706
203
471
940
490
1,288
1,370
424
2,377
1,367
1,916
624
381
3,952
646
888
1,433
883
202
1,198
1,901
1,057
559
658
189
384
364
337
226
314
976
2,612
748
13,004
4,176
119
1,412
1,042
480
121
802
1,110
580
756
847
3,649
363
2,161
135
72
588
441
495
667
831
3,972
3,860
1,039
1,186
2,154
1,173
941
504
1,215
903
433
1,678
290
4,260
5,772
668
1,224
1,552
553
1,907
1,189
4,878
728
614
30,260
3,259
4,736
16,720
4,987
558
895
3,434
1,161
1,160
1,153
421
1,034
266
1,403
579
879
1,197
3,908
663
14,321
8,330
127
3,751
1,905
765
172
726
1,317
1,991
1,538
1,093
7,825
1,370
730
400
270
1,028
1,051
373
800
555
13,258
6,571
1,565
844
589
637
1,743 2,585 1,023
447
2,239 1,901
931 1,059
460
1,652 1,316
344
16
1,283 1,208
167
169
219
691
447
349
362
1,121 1,691
336
304
775
1,059
717
289
259
488
0
901 1,053
0
326
343
211
36
13
377
538 1,134
695
419
1,008 4,130
240
887
194
564
99
309
1,473 1,662
172
1, 111 1,160
61
463
1
1
460
449
1,652 2,368
108
1,614
903
159
372
2,282 9,857
466
270
527
376
106
70
463
556
90
192
4,466 30,533 18,150 39,497
627 2,854
908
888
1,006 4,315 2,474 4,443
1,538 19,187 5,530 25,776
1,040 3,685 8,893 8,151
255
492
345
239
1,213
398
911
249
1,541 3,227 1,090
631
1,031
921
124
177
288
540
374
874
717
19
460
637
95
129
508
76
470
957 1,152
577
465
263
372
231
418 1,524 1,357 1,129
492
207
516
326
299
419 1,160
618
453
691
584
434
2,142 2,904 1,006 1,381
1,026
787 356
364
12,055 9,901 1,144 2,132
3,730 8,397 2,123 2,157
116
137
182
99
1,492 3,030 1,977 2,516
1,147 3,482 1,148
859
613
470
419
301
119
112
78
229
566
410
257
308
966 2,170
646
948
580 1,453
366
466
912 2,111 1,935 1,538
877 1,440 1,233 1,266
3,813 5,520 2,274 2,434
385 1,200
391
275
2,106
576
119
185
176
493
164
165
72
232
35
355
721 2,168
433
578
435
847
172
448
571
580
39
44
767
810
285
118
824
823
60
36
4,221 13,833 5,321 5,611
4,023 5,513 1,760 1.386
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN CITIMS
2,068
2,618
4,920
1,484
755
943
2,145
1,154
1,447
0
237
2,206
1,877
885
1,554
933
9
767
1,674
1,665
635
1,774
194,461
5,607
27,739
105,995
53,562
1,558
1,464
3,828
1,081
4,567
3,137
452
3,535
857
4,952
1,759
2,503
1,702
7,524
2,461
20,898
12,543
1,024
12,957
4,548
1,359
913
1,530
4,619
2,051
5,833
4,619
15,458
1,674
748
1,147
1,819
2,486
2,578
183
671
225
34,320
7,593
T able
29.— Building construction authorized in cities with 1940 population of 50,000 or more, 1940 and 1947 1 Continued
All building construction
State and city
1947
1946
New nonresidential building
1947
1947
Population in
1940 Num Valua
ber of tion (in
build thou
ings sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Num
ber of
build
ings
$2,645
3,253
4,803
3,648
3; 205
5,505
8; 636
1,809
5,542
6,782
10,656
27,047
6,798
9,111
20,608
6,708
14,612
53,082
7,870
27,897
2,472
72,631
30,203
8,731
11,368
24,709
16,402
1,596
16,611
7,504
40,435
18,597
11,570
6,650
4,965
3,257
5,354
31,614
6,563
2,386
888
885
1,109
1,569
714
2.464
1,370
916
3,228
2,592
7,521
1,836
2,422
5,660
2,434
2,902
13,419
1,504
6,978
1,336
9,120
13,827
1,648
3,003
2,057
1,729
426
4,373
1,468
7,908
5,030
3,621
1,724
1,399
1458
1,914
8,076
922
$2.776
2,417
4,179
1,154
2,221
2,561
12,529
1,546
3,328
4,923
13,383
22,581
7,959
7,566
19,033
3,798
9,873
44,628
5,325
24,227
2,939
53,899
25,654
5,016
14,057
14,023
5,474
1,588
18,266
5,982
41,807
14,181
11,273
3,403
4,095
2,389
6,183
36,263
3,206
28
22
521
12
113
434
159
49
353
517
735
2,560
438
1,144
2,134
799
1,416
5,759
550
3,983
164
4,507
5,115
816
978
1,042
835
324
819
274
2,310
1,587
736
320
517
46
394
1,422
336
$181
145
3,702
368
773
2,863
1,094
214
2,427
1,550
3,793
16,134
1,977
5,685
15,041
2,651
8,401
30,898
2,593
18,055
665
32,959
19,280
4,636
6,640
20,618
7,397
795
8,144
3,162
23,303
11,167
5,041
2,327
2,519
356
3,131
13.812
2,485
84
17
549
0
174
273
176
44
534
572
1,262
2,335
668
1,193
3,284
679
1,090
5,301
687
4,068
176
5,119
3,682
970
1,462
978
565
61
1,325
548
3,244
1,596
1,047
212
702
42
349
2,396
271
$592
87
3,104
0
953
h 594
814
117
1,860
1,533
4,627
10,420
3,009
4,423
14,879
2,129
5,232
23,256
2,388
15,488
819
26,085
13,783
2,637
7,708
10,603
1,672
164
9,498
3,034
19,706
19,649
6,456
1,466
2.679
275
2,089
14,636
1,789
72
157
79
12
98
164
289
206
199
363
453
2,291
312
168
1,098
360
801
1,716
246
1,465
184
1,625
1,238
300
557
207
469
91
455
161
1,566
1,490
694
261
299
94
225
1,362
220
110,508
140', 404
56', 883
86.236
56,712
75,797
253; 504
71,275
62i 396
128,163
111,580
292,942
167,402
Cl, 686
87,930
59,061
57,301
294,734
96.810
177,662
60,862
384,514
253,854
55,982
149,934
57,040
144,332
50, 745
193,042
69,287
368,302
122,001
109,408
67,914
78,836
61,099
67,447
587,472
67,195
2,168
896
859
1,623
1,687
950
2,230
1,259
799
3,016
1,999
7,781
1,878
2,106
4,334
3,074
3,714
15,584
1,455
7,275
1,158
8,716
14,479
1,649
2,644
2,203
2,035
584
4,139
1,276
7,383
4,675
2,803
1,802
1,560
1,486
2,053
6,829
1,255
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
1946
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
Additions, alterations, and repairs
1947
Num
ber of
build
ings
Valua
tion (in
thou
sands)
34
$1,289
$881 2,068 $1,175
717 1,586
1,522
145 1,292
349
259
452
752
73
0 1,599 2,514
0
766
104
323 1,476 1,553
879
621
352
302
133
2,021
4,064
249 9,069 1,782 3,478
898
644 1,004
697
183
424
247
2,691
151 1,189
383 1,810 2,136 2,349
2,883
811 2,211
4,652
458 5,975
7, 111 1,777 9,309 2,930 3,802
322 2,875 1,128 1,688
3,133
794 1,006
2,420
303 1,696
3,995 1,237 2,985 1,102 1,572
873 1,915 1,071
2,986
347
666 3,258 1,497 1,995
4,216
12,633 1,972 13,317 8,109 9,551
659 1,098
240 2,031
4,179
7,701 1,284 6,275 1,827 2,141
832
810
975
251 1,201
31,969 1,897 22,234 2,584 7,703
5,685 1,127 5,720 8,126 5,238
533 1,526
308 1,724
2,569
524 3,071 1,109 1,950
2,778
954 2,061
187 2,313
2,030
494 2,384
731 2,222
6,783
494
169
857
119
307
4,882
356 4,370 2,865 3,585
1,510
841
2,832
218 2,068
9,352 1,440 14,178 3,507 7,780
2,799
4,631 1,540 3,013 1,598 2,020
750 3,013 1,373
4,509
758
902 1,221
195
3,565
744
977
765
241
1,469
1,346
1,287
64
1,067
1,614
210 2,410 1,434 1,025
1.198
10,839 1,210 15,431 4,045 6,963
699 1,045
588
3,033
176
1946
Num
ber of
build
ings
Number of new
dwelling units
Valua
tion (in 1947
thou
sands)
2,268 $1,303
726 1,038
623
263
1,109 1,154
945
1,291
665
308
2,039 2,646
785
1,143
279
231
2,273 1,580
872 2,781
3,409 2,852
846 2,075
926 1,447
1,139 1,169
796
1,408
1,146 1,383
6,146 8,055
906
577
1,626 2,464
919
909
2,104 5,580
9,018 6,151
655
370
1,017 3,278
892 1,107
670 1,418
567
246
2,692 4,398
702
880
3,224 7,923
1,894 1,519
1,824 1,804
1,317 1,035
651
456
1,352 1,047
1,355 1,684
4,470 6,196
475
829
29
27
601
97
115
435
178
60
577
513
812
3,440
522
1,152
2,234
800
1,705
7,736
566
4,493
206
5,881
5,222
853
1,146
2,611
1,419
324
1,722
455
3,346
1,731
753
402
584
46
625
1,733
348
1946
101
25
570
0
176
273
197
44
565
580
1,272
2,488
701
1,193
3,789
663
1,156
5,546
707
4,234
261
5,709
3,788
983
1,709
1,458
585
61
1,799
565
3,364
1,623
1,073
238
740
42
399
2,783
274
valuation of hotels, dormitories, tourist cabins, and other nonhousekeeping building, in
i These data cover building only in u rb a n places, excluding the suburban areas surrounding the city 2 Includes the
valuation of housekeeping units shown in the last 2 columns. Data on the number of
proper They do not represent the volume of building actually started, but the volume a u th o rize d , addition to buildings
should be differentiated from the figures on the number of new dwelling units,
principally by building permits issued and Federal contracts awarded. The building permit data residential
since
a
building
may contain more than one dwelling unit.
nave not been adjusted for lapsed permits nor for lag between permit issuance and the start of con
a Data not available for residential and nonresidential separately.
struction. Urban classification is based on the 1940 census. Figures for building construction au
* Based on applications filed rather than permits issued.
thorized in cities with 1940 population of loss than 60,000 are published separately, and are obtain
3 Based on inspection records and represent work actually started.
able from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-tf
Pennsylvania—Continued
Beading______________
Scranton_____________
Upper Darby Township.
Wilkes-Barre..................
York..................................
Rhode Island:
Pawtucket
Providence........................
South Carolina:
Charleston
Columbia..........................
Tennessee:
Chattanooga . . . .
Knoxville
________
Memphis........................
Nashville..........................
Texas:
Amarillo
Austin. .............................
Beaumont........... .......
Corpus Christi
_ __
Dallas...............................
El Paso.___
. .
Fort Worth .................
Galveston
Houston.
________
San Antonio
_ _ _.
Waco..................................
Utah:
Salt Lake City.................
Virginia:
Arlington County_____
Norfolk______________
Portsmouth ________
Richmond____________
Roanoke. .........................
Washington:
Seattle _ _______ _
Spokane
_ _ __
Tacoma.............................
West Virginia:
Charleston
Huntington......................
Wheeling...........................
Wisconsin:
Madison
Milwaukee. ________
Racine...............................
1946
New residential building 2
Appendix.—Supplementary Tables
Value of Federal Construction Contract Awards
T able A -l.— Value of contracts awarded and force-account work started on federally financed new construction, by type of
construction, 1985-47 1
Type of construction
Total new construction8....................
Airport8........... -..................................
Building................................................
Residential..................... ..............
Nonresidential..............................
Conservation and development____
Reclamation..................................
River, harbor, and flood control.
Electrification •....................................
Highway...............................................
Water supply and sewage disposal—
All other types7................................. .
Value (in millions)
1947
1946
$1,294 $1,450
25~
276
549
61
435
114
225
308
300
77
169
231
131
8
5
657
536
8
13
12
32
— -
1945
1944
1943
1942
1941
1940
1939
1938
1937
$902 $1,298 $2,507 $7,775 $5,932 $2,316 $1,587 $1,609
41~
5~
243~ 579~ 499~ 137(4)
617
875 1,698 6,130 4,422 1,538
677
669
53
101
322
245
231 •32
375
549
564
774 1,323 5,581 4,100 1,293
438
645
72
113
304
156
218
200
198
225
31
67
101
151
42
69
115
175
41
46
55
129
67
158
129
110
5
4
12
4
24
33
18
30
112
101
162
364
372
348
447
356
23
31
152
24
16
118
116
38
43
52
184
116
198
315
336
45
nr
1 Excludes projects classified as “secret.” by the military, and all construc
tion for the Atomic Energy Commission. Data for Federal aid programs
cover amounts contributed by both the owner and the Federal Government.
Force-account work is done, not through a contractor, but directly by a
business or government agency, using a separate work force to perform non
maintenance construction on the agency's own properties.
8 Includes major additions and alterations.
8 Excludes hangars and other buildings, which are included under building
construction.
«
1935
1936
$990 $1,533 $1,478
(*)
(4)
344
561
443
•17
•63
•8
327
498
435
133
439
190
59
74
158
74
116
281
7
15
5
512
360
381
76
155
136
74
70
100
_
_
4 Included in “All other types”.
8 Nonresidential construction at the site of 3 Resettlement Administration
projects, for which a break-down of residential and nonresidential costs is
not available, is included in the residential totals.
•Excludes loans granted by the Rural Electrification Administration,
which were included in this series in publications issued prior to August 1947.
7 Covers forestry, railroad, and other types of construction projects not
elsewhere classified.
T able A -2.— Value of contracts awarded and force-account work started on federally financed new construction, by region
and State, 1948-47 1
Region and State
1947
1946
1944
1943
Value (in Percent Value (in Percent Value (in Percent Value (in Percent Value (in Percent
thousands) of total thousands) of total thousands) of total thousands) of total thousands) of total
United States, total....................................................... $1,294,067 100.0 $1,450,252 100.0
New England..................................................................
31,398
2.4
61,264
4.2
Connecticut..............................................................
6,592
.5
15,051
1.0
Maine___-...............................................................
4,650
.4
4,701
.3
Massachusetts..........................................................
10,877
.8
1.9
27,820
New Hampshire- ...................................................
.2
2,678
3,782
.3
Rhode Island...........................................................
3,641
.3
.5
6,720
Vermont........................... -......................................
2,960
.2
3,190
.2
Middle Atlantic...................................-........................ 187,796 14.5
201,728 13.9
New Jersey...............................................................
23,693
37,035
2.5
1.8
New York—............................................................
100,002
101,559
7.7
7.0
Pennsylvania _____________________________
64,101
63,134
5.0
4.4
East North Central—.................................................... 154,455 11.9
169,710 11.7
Illinois.......................................................................
54,421
4.2
38,460
2.7
Indiana.____________________________________
17,466
26,314
1.3
1.8
Michigan—. ............................................................
36,749
25,823
2.5
2.0
Ohio...........................................................................
33,743
47,246
2.6
3.3
Wisconsin..... ...........................................................
20,941
23,002
1.4
1.8
West North Central....................................................... 161,039 12.4
154,317 10.6
Iowa...........................................................................
17,359
27,148
1.9
1.3
Kansas.......................................................................
22,486
24,293
1.7
1.7
Minnesota................................................................
24,127
25,353
1.9
1.7
Missouri....................................................................
31,047
2.4
2.4
34,758
Nebraska. ......................... ......................................
18,392
1.4
18,776
1.3
North Dakota..........................................................
27,459
2.1
7,325
.5
South Dakota..........................................................
20,169
16,664
1.6
1.1
South Atlantic................................................................ 191,296 14.8
181,916 12.5
Delaware..................................................................
1,784
2,990
.2
.1
District of Columbia...............................................
15,216
1.2
11,627
.8
Florida......................................................................
24,433
20,434
1.4
1.9
2.4
Georgia......................................................................
30,509
39,271
2.7
See footnotes at end of table.
1945
$902,265 100.0 $1,297,602
22,735
2.5
31,457
5,993
.7
4,917
.1
6,756
587
11,446
14,258
1.6
321
.0
2,261
1,410
.1
5,772
305
166
.0
109,846 12.2
144,101
36,777
4.1
22,663
44,484
31,122
3.4
4.7
76,954
41,947
134,951
86,402
9.6
39,831
3.3
29,300
19,800
2.2
17,987
1.4
32,754
12,509
16,313
1.8
38,302
.9
6,077
8,480
98,943 11.0
57,511
6,763
5,125
.6
10,465
12,312
1.2
3,357
.4
4,019
52,232
16,846
5.8
2.4
13,074
21,688
3,434
4,945
.5
1,131
.1
1,063
127,561 14.1
225,404
1,909
1,395
.2
11,800
1.3
11,806
20,419
2.3
42,359
9,015
17,925
1.0
100.0 $2,506,786
2.4
101,601
20,674
.4
.5
17,022
.9
36,108
.2
2,310
.4
24,258
1,229
.0
11.1
296,368
59,665
1.8
3.4
111, 838
5.9
124,865
10.4
373,273
121,754
3.1
1.4
18,074
2.5
102,384
2.9
116,649
14,412
.5
102,564
4.4
.5
7,383
.9
13,833
31,025
.3
30,699
1.3
16,977
1.0
245
.3
2,402
.1
464,507
17.4
.1
6,173
14,355
.9
145,774
3.3
1.4
36,243
43
100.0
4.1
.8
.7
1.4
.1
1.0
.1
11.8
2.4
4.4
5.0
14.9
4.8
.7
4.1
4.7
.6
4.1
.3
.6
1.2
1.2
.7
.0
.1
18.5
.2
.6
5.8
1.4
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING, 1946-47
44
T able
A -2.— Value of contracts awarded and force-account work started on federally financed new construction, by region
and State, 1946-47 1— Continued
1947
Region and State
1944
1945
1946
1943
Value (in Percent Value (in Percent Value (in Percent Value (in Percent Value (in Percent
thousands) of total thousands) of total thousands) of total thousands) of total thousands) of total
South Atlantic-Continued
Maryland..................................................................
North Carolina.......................................................
South Carolina........................................................
Virginia.....................................................................
West Virginia...........................................................
East South Central........................................................
Alabama...................................................................
Kentucky..................................................................
Mississippi................................................................
Tennessee.................................................................
West South Central.......................................................
Arkansas...................................................................
Louisiana..................................................................
Oklahoma.................................................................
Texas.........................................................................
Mountain.........................................................................
Arizona.....................................................................
Colorado...................................................................
Idaho.........................................................................
Montana...................................................................
Nevada.....................................................................
New Mexico.............................................................
U tah.........................................................................
Wyoming..................................................................
Pacific...............................................................................
California..................................................................
Oregon.......................................................................
Washington..............................................................
$15,927
25,749
31,266
32,301
12,905
111,094
13,127
21,577
38,702
37,688
196,857
63,158
30,919
16,231
86,549
105,630
9,734
33,628
9,362
8,583
3,999
10,773
8,257
21,294
154,502
95,347
32,406
26,749
1.2
2.0
2.4
2.5
1.0
8.6
1.0
1.7
3.0
2.9
15.3
4.9
2.4
1.3
6.7
8.2
.8
2.6
.7
.7
.3
.8
.6
1.7
11.9
7.4
2.5
2.0
$18,162
31,173
24,415
24,555
10,495
117,117
22,468
24,623
17,812
52,214
170,741
39,129
17,655
40,932
73,025
137,444
22,242
29,830
14,003
17,438
17,169
13,610
7,628
15,524
256,015
160,248
-28,782
66,985
1.3
2.1
1.7
1.7
.7
8.1
1.6
1.7
1.2
3.6
11.8
2.7
1.2
2.8
5.1
9.5
1.5
2.1
1.0
1.2
1.2
.9
.5
1.1
17.7
11.1
2.0
4.6
$26,256
18,419
4,541
28,578
6,624
68,117
24,464
13,077
11,921
18,655
117,925
17,926
15,183
20,046
64,770
41,442
2,550
1,590
1,564
3,336
13,110
10,890
4,273
4,129
229,294
180,786
13,278
35,230
2.9
2.0
.5
3.2
.7
7.5
2.7
1.4
1.3
2.1
13.1
2.0
1.7
2.2
7.2
4.6
.3
.2
.2
.4
1.4
1.2
.5
.4
25.4
20.0
1.5
3.9
$32,426
43,024
10,274
53,685
12,510
84,326
18,046
24,329
10,178
31,773
197,382
85,098
34,259
13,251
64,774
74,815
14,047
3,002
4,314
3,237
5,289
8,426
32,109
4,391
347,655
285,541
21,375
40,739
2.5
3.3
.8
4.1
1.0
6.5
1.4
1.9
.8
2.4
15.2
6.6
2.6
1.0
5.0
5.8
1.1
.2
.3
.3
.4
.7
2.5
.3
26.8
22.0
1.7
3.1
$67,701
83,856
24,856
78,997
6,552
188,943
39,594
46,769
24,105
78,475
358,300
56,697
80,785
30,670
190,148
209,940
25,474
7,772
21,232
1,537
49,015
17,751
82,813
4,346
411,290
265,619
33,345
112,326
2.7
3.3
1.0
3.2
.3
7.5
1.6
1.8
1.0
3.1
14.3
2.3
3.2
1.2
7.6
8.4
1.0
.3
.8
.1
2.0
.7
3.3
.2
16.4
10.6
1.3
4.5
i Excludes projects classified as “secret” by the military, and all construction for the Atomic Energy Commission. Also excludes loans granted by the
Rural Electrification Administration, which were included in this series in publications issued prior to August 1947. Data for Federal-aid programs cover
amounts contributed by both the owner and the Federal Government. Major additions and alterations are included.
Force-account work is done, not through a contractor, but directly by a business or government agency using a separate work force to perform non-mainte
nance construction on the agency’s own properties.
Statistics Relating’to Construction Costs
A-4.— Average weekly hours and average weekly and
hourly earnings on private building construction, and
index numbers, 1984-4?1
T able
A-3.— Composite index of principal components of
construction costs for new private building, 1984-471i
T able
Index numbers (average 1935-1939=100)
Year
1934............................
1935............................
1936............................
1937............................
1938............................
1939............................
1940............................
1941............................
1942............................
1943............................
1944............................
1945_____________
1946............................
1947............................
Composite of
earnings and
prices
94.1
94.4
95.8
105.0
101.9
103.1
107.2
115.2
126.1
131.5
137.3
141.5
156.0
197.1
Year
Average hourly Wholesale prices
of building
earnings on
materials
private building
90.8
93.0
94.1
103.1
103.7
106.4
109.4
115.3
131.1
142.9
150.6
157.4
168.7
191.9
96.2
95.2
96.8
106.3
100.8
101.0
105.8
115.2
123.0
124.3
128.9
131.5
148.0
200.3
i Based on average hourly earnings in private building construction and
wholesale prices of building materials. In 1939, labor constituted 38.6 percent
and material 61.4 percent of the composite average. Changes in construction
costs resulting from variations in the efficiency of labor and management, in
competitive markets, in black market operations, and in overhead costs are
not reflected in this index.
Average
1934........................
1935........................
1936........................
1937........................
1938........................
1939........................
1940........................
1941........................
1942........................
1943........................
1944........................
1945........................
1946........................
1947........................
Index numbers (average
1935-39=100)
Hours Weekly Hourly Hours Weekly Hourly
worked earn earn worked earn earn
per week ings* ings per week ings
ings
28.9
30.1
32.8
33.4
32.1
32.6
33.1
34.8
36.4
38.4
39.6
39.0
38.1
37.6
$22.97 $0,795
24.51
.815
.824
27.01
30.14
.903
29.19
.908
30.39
.932
31.70
.958
35.14 1.010
41.80 1.148
48.13 1.252
52.19 1.319
53.73 1,379
56.24 1,478
63.30 1,681
89.8
93.5
101.9
103.7
99.7
101.2
102.8
108.1
113.0
119.3
123.0
121.1
118.3
116.8
81.3
86.8
95.6
106.7
103.3
107.6
112.2
124.4
148.0
170.4
184.7
190.2
199.1
2211
90.8
93.0
94.1
103.1
103.7
106.4
109.4
115.3
131.1
142.9
150.6
157.4
168.7
191.9
1 The data cover all employees of contract construction firms working at
the site of privately financed projects (skilled, semiskilled, unskilled, super
intendents, time clerks, etc.). Employees of construction firms employed on
publicly financed projects and off-site work are excluded.
The averages are based on reports submitted monthly to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics by over 11,000 firms whose major activity is construction.
The reports provide data on the number of employees, their total gross
earnings, and total hours of work (straight time and overtime combined)
during the pay-roll period ending nearest the 15th of the month.
* Hourly earnings when multiplied by weekly hours of work may not
exactly equal weekly earnings because of rounding.
APPENDIX.—SUPPLEMENTARY-TABLES
45
T able A -5.— Average weekly hours and average weekly and hourly earnings on private building construction, by type of em
ploying contractor, monthly, 1946-4? 1
Average hours and earnings of all site workers employed by—
Special trades contractors
Period
All types General
of building building
contractors contractors
All
Plumbing,
Exca
heating, Painting
Plastering Carpen Roofing vating,
grading,
and
and air
and Electrical Masonry and
lathing tering sheet metal and
condi decorating
tioning
foundation
Average hours worked per week
1946, annual average................
January...............................
February............................
March.................................
April....................................
May.....................................
June.....................................
July.....................................
August................................
September..........................
October...............................
November...........................
December...........................
1947, annual average................
January...............................
February.............................
March.................................
April....................................
May....................................
June.....................................
July.....................................
August................................
September..........................
October...............................
November..........................
December...........................
38.1
37.7
37.3
37.5
38.2
37.5
38.2
38.2
38.2
38.7
38.8
37.2
38.4
37.6
37.6
36.9
38.0
37.1
37.6
37.8
38.0
38.2
37.9
38.1
36.6
37.9
37.6
36.8
36.8
37.0
37.8
36.7
37.9
37.7
37.8
38.4
38.5
36.8
38.0
37.0
37.2
36.2
37.9
36.4
36.8
36.9
37.6
38.0
37.2
37.4
35.8
37.1
38.6
38.5
37.8
38.0
38.6
38.4
38.7
38.8
38.7
39.2
39.1
37.7
40.0
38.4
38.1
37.6
38.2
38.0
38.5
38.7
38.4
38.5
38.9
38.9
37.5
38.9
39.6
40.4
40.0
38.9
39.2
39.6
39.2
39.4
39.5
40.2
40.1
38.6
40.8
39.2
39.9
39.3
39.2
38.7
38.7
38.9
38.7
38.9
39.1
39.2
38.4
40.6
37.5
37.9
37.1
37.8
37.7
37.9
38.1
37.6
37.8
38.6
38.4
35.2
36.9
36.7
35.9
36.3
37.1
36.6
37.3
37.4
36.9
37.4
37.4
37.6
35.0
36.0
40.7
40.8
40.9
40.3
40.4
40.3
41.1
40.9
40.3
41.1
40.8
39.8
41.4
40.3
40.2
40.8
40.5
40.5
40.4
40.6
39.7
39.3
40.3
40.8
39.9
40.6
37.2
32.9
33.8
36.6
37.0
37.0
37.7
38.7
38.6
38.1
38.0
37.4
37.5
36.4
34.9
32.4
35.1
34.6
37.2
37.2
37.3
38.2
38.1
37.7
36.0
36.3
36.8
35.0
34.9
35.0
34.9
35.9
37.8
37.2
37.7
38.3
38.5
35.3
38.7
37.5
37.9
36.3
37.9
38.2
38.9
38.2
37.5
38.0
38.1
37.4
35.3
36.5
39.0
38.1
38.7
39.3
40.0
38.9
39.2
39.1
39.4
39.8
39.1
38.3
38.2
38.5
37.7
37.8
39.6
37.9
38.9
38.3
37.7
39.5
39.0
38.9
38.4
37.8
37.1
36.4
35.7
36.5
37.5
36.7
37.4
38.1
37.7
38.3
37.5
36.1
36.4
36.7
34.9
34.1
35.8
36.0
37.2
37.6
37.2
37.4
37.9
38.4
35.4
37.1
37.5
35.6
35.2
36.9
39.0
37.6
38.6
38.8
38.3
38.4
37.9
36.4
37.9
37.8
36.3
37.2
37.7
36.5
38.5
37.9
38.1
39.1
39.8
38.8
36.7
37.8
$62.04
55.31
55.81
56.32
55.96
58.65
51.89
61.75
64.60
65.21
66.43
63.13
71.04
73.15
69.81
66.84
69.15
72.40
74.95
73.67
73; 14
75.61
76.05
75.60
73.27
76.63
$50.60
53.95
53.37
54.44
54.18
54.78
55.93
57.07
56.82
58.68
59.95
57.64
57.85
63.33
58.20
57.69
62.98
61.01
62.67
62.29
61.97
65.99
65.75
66.55
66.50
64.94
$51.29
49.57
48.45
48.76
49.61
48.61
50.53
53.11
53.30
54.06
54.33
50.95
52.84
57.81
51.49
50.59
53.67
54.02
57.43
58.13
59.58
60.86
63.27
62.48
57.76
60.64
$51.57
47.06
45.97
48.70
52.41
50.50
52.46
55.28
54.21
54.88
51.85
52.10
54.94
60.12
53.98
55.00
58.36
56.07
59.70
60.48
60.33
63.12
64.27
63.51
60.08
63.33
Average weekly earnings*
1946, annual average.................
January...............................
February-...........................
March................ -...............
April....................................
May.....................................
June.....................................
July.....................................
August................................
September..........................
October............................—
November..........................
December...........................
1947, annual average................
January......................... .
February-...........................
March.................................
April....................................
May.....................................
June.....................................
July.....................................
August................................
September..........................
October...............................
November...........................
December...........................
$56.24
52.89
53.04
52.87
54.29
53.63
55.23
56.25
56.67
58.49
59.20
57.65
60.32
63.30
59.97
58.92
61.23
60.57
62.26
62.71
63.60
64.71
65.36
66.36
64.55
67.31
See footnotes at end of table.
$53.33
49.83
50.80
50.40
51.73
50.43
52.39
53.01
53.66
55.64
56.39
54.68
56.73
59.39
56.49
54.91
58.02
56.38
57.95
58.55
60.08
61.33
61.16
62.25
60.55
62.86
$59.52
55.57
55.37
55.58
57.16
57.31
58.64
60.09
60.34
61.37
62.39
61.11
64.53
67.97
64.00
63.65
64.92
65.43
67.15
67.69
67.99
69.01
70.61
71.32
69.36
72.64
$60.92
55.93
56.92
55.65
58.25
58.92
59.07
60.92
61.43
63.70
63.89
62.62
67.44
69.66
67.16
66.65
66.89
67.37
68.24
67.73
68.63
69.60
71.19
71.98
71.90
76.61
$58.66
56.43
55.16
56.31
56.92
57.09
58.86
58.81
59.75
62.06
62.16
57.39
61.05
63.37
58.83
58.75
60.10
60.87
63.77
63.52
63.52
66.32
66.13
67.29
63.56
65.33
$68.44
65.12
65.28
65.25
66.30
66.50
67.51
65.94
67.53
69.66
70.59
69.63
74.76
77.78
73.85
74.95
75.75
76.31
76.73
77.81
77.17
76.96
79.92
81.87
79.64
81.20
$55.42
47.70
48.91
51.91
53.43
53.08
54.72
57.38
58.36
58.53
58.70
57.56
58.36
62.39
56.49
52.41
57.37
57.36
62.01
63.54
63.26
65.89
66.68
67.19
65.39
66.69
CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING , 1946-47
46
T able A -5.— Average weekly hours and average weekly and hourly earnings on private building construction, by type of em
ploying contractor, monthly, 1946-47 1— Continued
Average hours and earnings of all site workers employed bySpecial trades contractors
Period
All types General
of building building
contractors contractors
Plumbing,
Exca
heating, Painting
Plastering Carpen Roofing vating,
and Electrical Masonry and
and air
and
grading,
condi decorating
lathing tering sheet metal and
tioning
foundation
All
Average hourly earnings
1946, annual average.................
January...............................
February.............................
March..................................
April....................................
May.....................................
June......................................
July......................................
August.................................
September...........................
October................................
November...........................
December............................
1947, annual average.................
January...............................
February............................
March..................................
April....................................
May.............. ......................
June.....................................
July......................................
August.................................
September...........................
October...............................
November......... .................
December........................—
$1,478
1.402
1.422
1.411
1.423
1.431
1.444
1.473
1.482
1.510
1.526
1.549
1.569
1.681
1.594
1.598
1.610
1.632
1.655
1.661
1.676
1.694
1.723
1.743
1.765
1.774
$1,419
1.355
1.379
1.362
1.368
1.374
1.384
1.408
1.419
1.450
1.463
1.485
1.495
1.603
1.518
1.516
1.531
1.550
1.575
1.585
1.596
1.614
1.646
1.665
1.690
1.695
$1,544
1.444
1.465
1.463
1.482
1.493
1.515
1.547
1.558
1.580
1.596
1.622
1.655
1.772
1.680
1.691
1.699
1.723
1.742
1.749
1.772
1.794
1.816
1.833
1.851
1.865
$1,564
1.491
1.487
1.492
1.511
1.506
1.545
1.565
1.581
1.609
1.620
1.629
1.653
1.724
1.637
1.619
1.619
1.662
1.712
1.697
1.722
1.774
1.767
1.792
1.818
1.812
$1,537
1.384
1.423
1.430
1.487
1.489
1.508
1.548
1.555
1.584
1.593
1.620
1.655
1.779
1.681
1.694
1.705
1.739
1.761
1.739
1.774
1.791
1.819
1.836
1.872
1.887
1 The data cover all employees of contract construction firms working at the
site of privately financed projects (skilled, semiskilled, unskilled, superin
tendents, time clerks, etc.). Employees of construction firms employed on
publicly financed projects and off-site work are excluded.
The averages are based on reports submitted monthly to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics by over 11,000 firms whose major activity is construction.
$1,683
1.595
1.596
1.619
1.640
1.651
1.643
1.661
1.678
1.696
1.732
1.750
1.808
1.930
1.838
1.836
1.872
1.885
1.899
1.917
1.946
1.960
1.985
2.006
1.995
2.000
$1,490
1.450
1.448
1.419
1.443
1.434
1.453
1.484
1.510
1.537
1.544
1.541
1.556
1.716
1.618
1.619
1.637
1.656
1.668
1.706
1.697
1.727
1.752
1.781
1.817
1.836
$1,688
1.579
1.601
1.611
1.604
1.632
1.639
1.659
1.716
1.703
1.727
1.788
1.837
1.951
1.842
1.840
1.822
1.894
1.926
1.927
1.950
1.992
1.995
2.019
2.075
2.100
$1,426
1.418
1.379
1.385
1.355
1.407
1.425
1.458
1.442
1.473
1.531
1.504
1.513
1.645
1.544
1.528
1.591
1.611
1.612
1.625
1.645
1.670
1.684
1.710
1.733
1.718
$1,383
1.361
1.356
1.335
1.325
1.325
1.350
1.393
1.414
1.412
1.448
1.413
1.450
1.577
1.477
1.483
1.497
1.499
1.542
1.547
1.602
1.629
1.669
1.626
1.631
1.634
$1,375
1.322
1.306
1.319
1.345
1.342
1.361
1.423
1.416
1.431
1.369
1.431
1.450
1.590
1.487
1.477
1.550
1.537
1.552
1.594
1.583
1.616
1.613
1.638
1.636
1.676
The reports provide data on the number of employees, their total gross earn
ings, and total hours of work (straight time and overtime combined) during
the pay-roll period ending nearest the 15th of the month.
2 Hourly earnings when multiplied by weekly hours of work may not
exactly equal weekly earnings because of rounding.
T able A -6.— Average weekly hours and average weekly and hourly earnings on Federal construction, by type of construction,
1946-47 1
Type of construction
All types.............................................................
Residential..........................................................
Nonresidential....................................................
Highways............................................................
Conservation and development............v ___
Reclamation......................................_____
River, harbor, and flood control..............
All other..............................................................
Average hours worked per week
1947
36.6
33.0
30.1
37.6
41.2
39.1
42.5
34.5
1946
37.0
34.8
34.3
39.0
41.4
38.4
42.6
34.5
Percent
change
-1 .1
-5 .2
-12.2
-3 .6
- .5
+1.8
- .2
0
1 Computed on an annual average basis by dividing reported annual pay
rolls ana number of man-hours worked during the year by 52. This method
is used primarily because hours and earnings on Federal construction projects
are reported by accounting months, rather than by calendar months. Thus
all contractors do not report for uniform pay periods during any given month;
some may include data for 4 weeks and others for 5. In addition, averages
in a given month are affected substantially by shifts in the geographic dis
tribution of projects under way, especially when the number of projects in a
Average weekly earnings 2
1947
1946
$49.88
49.42
46.30
48.72
53.87
57.94
51.50
49.09
$57.62
48.64
45.21
47.57
48.91
50.97
48.11
44.32
Percent
change
+4.7
+1.6
+2.4
+2.4
+10.1
+13.7
+7.0
+10.8
Average hourly earnings
1947
1946
$1,363
1.496
1.538
1.294
1.306
1.482
1.212
1.423
$1,286
1.397
1.320
1.221
1.182
1.328
1.130
1.284
Percent
change
+6.0
+7.1
+16.5
+6.0
+10.5
+11.6
+7.3
+10.8
category is small. Consequently, average hours and earnings cannot be
computed accurately on a current weekly basis. Most of the bias resulting
from both the reporting procedures and the project location, however, is
removed when data for the year as a whole are used to obtain averages.
Reports are received monthly from agencies carrying on most Federal con
struction work and, for some work, directly from the construction contractors.
2 Hourly earnings when multiplied by weekly hours of work may not exactly
equal weekly earnings because of rounding.
A P P E N D IX .— S U P P L E M E N T A R Y TA B LE S
A-7.— Average construction cost for new privately
financed 1•‘family dwelling units started, 1940-4? 1
T able
1940 ......................
1941 ......................
1942 ......................
1943 ......................
1944 ......................
1945........................
1946...........................
First quarter__
Second quarter.
Third quarter..
Fourth quarter.
1947_____________
First quarter__
Second quarter.
Third quarter..
Fourth quarter.
$4,065
4,249
3,894
3,674
3,439
4,654
5,520
5,572
5,489
5,425
5,631
6,750
5,925
6,327
6,904
7,510
1 These data represent the average cost of all the 1-family dwelling units
started nationally. They do not show change in the cost of building a single
type of dwelling.
The figures are based primarily on builders’ estimates of construction cost
as recorded on building permits and for 1946, and 1947 on reports of construc
tion cost by individual construction contractors in a representative group of
localities that do not issue permits. The building permit information has
been adjusted for understatement of costs on permit applications, using the
data from periodic field investigation of a large sample of building permits.
Construction costs exclude sales profit, selling costs, the cost of land and
site improvements, and all such nonconstruction expenses as architectural
and engineering fees. They cover only the cost of labor, materials, and sub
contracted work, and that part of the builder’s overhead and profit chargeable
directly to the construction project. Thus, construction cost should not be
confused with selling price.
T able
A-8.— Percentage distribution of nonfarm 1-family
houses started in the second quarter of 194?, by construc
tion cost class, by type of area, and by region 1
T able
Average construc
tion cost
Period
47
Construction cost
class
All classes__ ___ _
Under $3,250
$3,250-$5,249_ _
$5,250-$7,249__ __
$7,250-$9,249_ _ ____
$9,250 and over...............
Percentage distribution of nonfarm 1-family
houses started in—
Total Indus Non
United trial indus
trial North* South4 West *
States areas3 areas
100
20
23
25
18
14
100
12
19
26
24
19
100
18
19
23
23
17
100
28
28
25
12
.7
100
21
31
28
11
9
100
20
15
28
24
13
1 This construction cost information is based on reports from individual
construction contractors over the country who provided cost figures for a
large and representative sample of projects at or near completion. Builders’
costs exclude sales profit, selling costs, the cost of land and site improvements,
and all such nonconstruction expenses as architectural and engineering fees.
They cover only the cost of labor, materials, and subcontracted work, and
that part of the builder’s overhead and profit chargeable directly to the con
struction project. Thus, construction cost should not be confused with
selling price.
3 Industrial areas cover entire counties or groups of counties surrounding
the central city or cities. Industrial areas cover the country’s largest cities
and surroundings.
* Covers the New England, Middle Atlantic, East North Central, and
West North Central States and, in addition, the District of Columbia,
Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.
4 Covers the East South Central and West South Central States, the South
Atlantic States (not including the District of Columbia), and the States of
Arizona, and New Mexico.
5 Covers the Pacific States, i. e., California, Oregon, and Washington.
A-9.— Percentage distribution of nonfarm 1-family houses started in each of 28 industrial areas and 21 urban counties,
by construction cost class, second quarter of 194? 1
Construction cost class
Area
lustrial areas:3
Atlanta ___ ___
Boston
_ ___
Buffalo
______
Chicago___
Cleveland
__
Columbus _
■ Dallas
Denver___________________
Detroit- _
Fort Worth
Hartford
,
Indianapolis __
TTnoxville-Alcoa
Los Angeles. _ ,
Memphis
Milwaukee __
Minneapolis-fit. Paul...............
New
York-Newark-Jersey
City. _ . . . . . .
Philadelphia—Camden _
Pittsburgh
Sacramento........... .............. .
San Francisco
_________
Springfleld-Holyoke________
St. Louis.....................................
Syracnse
Toledo................... ....................
All
classes
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
Under
$5,249
42
24
28
19
3
12
36
42
12
58
25
43
82
21
63
13
14
7
21
9
32
6
27
28
18
27
Construction cost class
$5,250- $9,250$9,249 and over
45
45
55
52
53
74
49
40
52
37
55
44
17
65
32
65
27
54
61
61
49
71
60
48
47
49
Industrial areas: *—Continued
Washington, D. O.....................
13
Worcester....................................
31
17 Urban county3 and leading city
in each:
29
Adams, HI. (Quincy)................
44
14
Cass, N. D. (Fargo)..................
Chittenden, Vt. (Burlington).
15
18
Garfield, Okla. (Enid).............
36
5
Hancock, Maine (Ellsworth)..
Ingham, Mich. (Lansing.)___
20
13
Lancaster, Pa. (Lancaster)___
1
Logan, W. Va. (Logan)............
Maricopa, Ariz. (Phoenix)___
14
Marion, Ohio (Marion)............
5
22
Marquette, Mich. (Mar
59
quette).....................................
Mobile, Ala. (Mobile)...............
39
Plymouth, Mass. (Brockton).
18
St. Lawrence, N. Y. (Ogdens30
19
23
13
Webster, Iowa (Fort Dodge) ~
24
Whatcom, Wash. (Bellingham)..
35
Wichita, Tex. (Wichita Falls) .
24
York, Pa. (York)......................
3 This construction cost information is based on reports from individual
construction contractors over the country who provided cost figures for a large
and representative sample of projects at or near completion. Builders’ costs
exclude sales profit, selling costs, the cost of land and site improvements, and
all such nonconstruction expenses as architectural and engineering fees.
They cover only the cost of labor, materials, and subcontracted work, and
that part of the builder’s overhead and profit chargeable directly to the con
Area
$5,250- $9,250$9,249 and over
All
lasses
Under
$5,249
100
100
5
46
48
47
47
7
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
50
35
19
22
25
50
49
0
85
33
70
71
76
44
29
91
100
44
53
78
50
7
47
70
55
75
50
51
100
15
54
10
29
22
49
71
7
0
45
47
22
50
43
18
11
23
0
0
0
0
0
13
20
0
2
7
0
2
0
11
0
0
0
struction project. Thus, construction cost should not be confused with
selling price.
3 Industrial areas cover entire counties or groups of counties surrounding
the central city or cities. See table 21, footnote 1 (on p. 30) for the counties
covered by each area.
3 Covers the entire county.
U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING O FF IC E : 1948
@FedFRASER