Construction Employment Rose in 62% of Metro Areas in August

Washington, DC, October 2, 2023-Construction employment, not seasonally adjusted, rose from August 2022 in 223 (62%) of the 358 metro areas (including divisions of larger metros), fell in 79 (22%), and was unchanged in 56, according to an Associated General Contractors analysis of Department of Labor data.

As in August, the metros adding the most jobs over 12 months were the Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas division (15,100 combined jobs or 10%), New York City (11,000 combined jobs, 8%), and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon-Washington (9,200 construction jobs, 11%). Baton Rouge, Louisiana had the largest percentage gain (16%, 7,100 construction jobs), followed by 11% gains in the Wilmington, Delaware-Maryland-New Jersey division (2,000 combined jobs); Middlesex-Monmouth-Ocean, New Jersey (4,800 combined jobs); Cheyenne, Wyoming (400 combined jobs); and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon. The largest losses were in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas (6,800 construction jobs); Nassau County-Suffolk County, New York (-5,200 combined jobs, -6%); and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Florida (-4,400 construction jobs, -8%). Kankakee, Illinois again had the worst percentage job loss (-13%, -200 combined jobs), followed by Binghamton, New York (-9%, -400 combined jobs) and Pittsfield, Massachusetts (-9%, -200 combined jobs).