Year-over-year construction employment increased in August for almost two-thirds of metropolitan areas, with 256 out of 358 reporting gains over the past 12 months, according to analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).
On the other hand, 65 metros lost jobs and 37 have maintained construction employment numbers since August 2020, according to AGC.
“While construction activity has rebounded from pandemic lows in many metros, the recovery is fragile,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist, in a prepared statement. “Extreme production and delivery delays, along with continuing high materials costs, may lead to project cancellations and postponements that cut into job gains.”
San Diego-Carlsbad, California added the most construction jobs (8,900 jobs, up 11 percent); followed by Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, California (8,600 jobs, 12 percent); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (7,200 jobs, 12 percent); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts (6,300 jobs, 9 percent) and St. Louis, Missouri (6,300 jobs, 9 percent). Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, Massachusetts, had the highest percentage increase (26 percent, 900 jobs); followed by Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas (23 percent, 3,600 jobs); Bloomington, Illinois (17 percent, 500 jobs); and Sierra Vista-Douglas, Arizona (16 percent, 500 jobs).
New York City lost the most jobs (-8,600 jobs or -6 percent); followed by Nassau County-Suffolk County, New York (-5,100 jobs, -6 percent); Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Florida (-3,200 jobs, -6 percent); Calvert-Charles-Prince George’s, Maryland (-2,400 jobs, -7 percent) and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas (-2,300 jobs, -1 percent). The largest percentage declines were in Evansville, Indiana-Kentucky (-14 percent, -1,400 jobs); Tuscaloosa, Alabama (-12 percent, -800 jobs); Watertown-Fort Drum, New York (-11 percent, -200 jobs); Morristown, Tennessee (-10 percent, -200 jobs); Victoria, Texas (-9 percent, -300 jobs) and Gadsden, Alabama (-9 percent, -100 jobs).
Source: AGC
