For Release at 10:00 A.M. EST, Monday, February 1, 2010
Michael Davis, Linnet Holland, or John Tremblay
CB10-17
(301) 763-1605
DECEMBER 2009 CONSTRUCTION AT $902.5 BILLION ANNUAL RATE
The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that construction spending during December 2009
was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $902.5 billion, 1.2 percent (±1.3%)* below the revised November estimate
of $913.2 billion. The December figure is 9.9 percent (±1.4%) below the December 2008 estimate of $1,002.1 billion.
The value of construction in 2009 was $939.1 billion, 12.4 percent (±1.1%) below the $1,072.1 billion spent in 2008.
PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION
Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $593.0 billion, 1.2 percent (±1.1%) below the
revised November estimate of $599.9 billion. Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $260.4 billion
in December, 2.8 percent (±1.3%) below the revised November estimate of $268.1 billion. Nonresidential construction was at a
seasonally adjusted annual rate of $332.5 billion in December, 0.2 percent (±1.1%)* above the revised November estimate of
$331.8 billion.
The value of private construction in 2009 was $621.8 billion, 18.8 percent (±1.3%) below the $766.2 billion spent in 2008.
Residential construction in 2009 was $252.2 billion, 28.0 percent (±2.1%) below the 2008 figure of $350.1 billion and
nonresidential construction was $369.6 billion, 11.2 percent (±1.3%) below the $416.1 billion in 2008.
PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION
In December, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $309.6 billion, 1.2 percent
(±1.9%)* below the revised November estimate of $313.3 billion. Educational construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual
rate of $80.3 billion, 0.4 percent (±2.9%)* below the revised November estimate of $80.6 billion. Highway construction was at
a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $83.7 billion, 2.3 percent