June 2, 2009 - The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced yesterday that construction spending during April 2009 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $968.7 billion, 0.8 percent (±1.3%) above the revised March estimate of $961.3 billion.

The April figure is 10.7 percent (±1.8%) below the April 2008 estimate of $1,085.2 billion. During the first 4 months of this year, construction spending amounted to $286.3 billion, 11.3 percent (±1.4%) below the $322.8 billion for the same period in 2008.

Private Construction
Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $657.3 billion, 1.4 percent (±1.3%) above the revised March estimate of $648.2 billion. Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $249.2 billion in April, 0.7 percent (±1.3%) above the revised March estimate of $247.4 billion. Non-residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $408.2 billion in April, 1.8 percent (±1.3%) above the revised March estimate of $400.8 billion.

Public Construction
In April, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $311.4 billion, 0.6 percent (±2.1%) below the revised March estimate of $313.2 billion. Educational construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $89.1 billion, 1.8 percent (±2.9%) below the revised March estimate of $90.7 billion. Highway construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $79.0 billion, 0.9 percent (±6.9%)* above the revised March estimate of $78.3 billion.