US construction employment increased in 278 out of 358 metro areas between September 2017 and September 2018, declined in 42 and was unchanged in 38, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that construction employment is growing in most parts of the country as firms expand to keep pace with growing demand for construction.
“It is a good time to be looking for a high-paying job in construction in many parts of the country,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Construction hiring would likely have been even more robust if construction firms could find more qualified candidates to hire.”
The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas metro area added the most construction jobs during the past year (29,500 jobs, 14 percent), while the largest percentage gain occurred in Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, Fla. (27 percent, 3,600 jobs).
The largest job losses from September 2017 to September 2018 were in Middlesex-Monmouth-Ocean, N.J. (-4,000 jobs, -10 percent), while the largest percentage decrease occurred in Spokane-Spokane Valley, Wash. (-2,100 jobs, -14 percent).