Construction employment grew in 252 out of 358 metro areas between August 2018 and August 2019, declined in 60 and was unchanged in 46, according to a new analysis of federal employment data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that while firms are finding ways to add staff, a recent survey found 80 percent of contractors are having a hard time finding enough workers to hire.
The Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas metro area added the most construction jobs during the past year (12,400 jobs, 8 percent). Other metro areas adding a large amount of construction jobs during the past 12 months include Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz. (11,000 jobs, 9 percent); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. (9,600 jobs, 6 percent) and St. Louis, Mo. (7,100 jobs, 10 percent). The largest percentage gain occurred in Auburn-Opelika, Ala. (15 percent, 400 jobs) and Spokane-Spokane Valley, Wash. (15 percent, 2,400 jobs) followed by Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa (14 percent, 4,300 jobs).
The largest job losses between August 2018 and August 2019 occurred in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C. (-2,900 jobs, -4 percent), followed by Baton Rouge, La. (-2,600 jobs, -5 percent); Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, Conn. (-1,500 jobs, -7 percent) and Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, Md. (-1,400 jobs, -4 percent). The largest percentage decrease took place in Fairbanks, Alaska (-9 percent, -300 jobs) and Longview, Texas (-9 percent, -1,300 jobs), followed by Houma-Thibodaux, La. (-8 percent, -400 jobs).