Nearly one-third of U.S. metro areas lost construction jobs between August 2020 and August 2021, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today. Association officials noted that the job losses are occurring as the fate of a bipartisan infrastructure bill that would boost demand for construction remains uncertain in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“While construction activity has rebounded from pandemic lows in many metros, the recovery is fragile,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Extreme production and delivery delays, along with continuing high materials costs, may lead to project cancellations and postponements that cut into job gains.”
Construction employment declined from a year earlier in 65 metros and held steady in 37. New York City lost the most jobs (-8,600 jobs or -6%), followed by Nassau County-Suffolk County, N.Y. (-5,100 jobs, -6%); Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla. (-3,200 jobs, -6%); Calvert-Charles-Prince George’s, Md. (-2,400 jobs, -7%) and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas (-2,300 jobs, -1%). The largest percentage declines were in Evansville, Ind.-Ky. (-14%, -1,400 jobs); Tuscaloosa, Ala. (-12%, -800 jobs); Watertown-Fort Drum, N.Y. (-11%, -200 jobs); Morristown, Tenn. (-10%, -200 jobs); Victoria, Texas (-9%, -300 jobs) and Gadsden, Ala. (-9%, -100 jobs).
Construction employment increased in 256 out of 358 metro areas over the last 12 months. San Diego-Carlsbad, Calif. added the most construction jobs (8,900 jobs, 11%; followed by Sacramento-Roseville--Arden-
Association officials urged members of both parties in the House to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill, noting its new funding was needed to modernize the nation’s aging highways and transit systems. They noted the measure is slated for a vote this Thursday and cautioned that the industry was likely to lose more construction jobs without the measure.
“This is the kind of infrastructure bill that Democrats and Republicans have been promising to pass for years now,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Failing to pass this measure will create new challenges for the economy.”
View the metro employment data, rankings, top 10, new highs and lows, and map.
Related Stories
Market Data | Apr 8, 2019
Engineering, construction spending to rise 3% in 2019: FMI outlook
Top-performing segments forecast in 2019 include transportation, public safety, and education.
Market Data | Apr 1, 2019
Nonresidential spending expands again in February
Private nonresidential spending fell 0.5% for the month and is only up 0.1% on a year-over-year basis.
Market Data | Mar 22, 2019
Construction contractors regain confidence in January 2019
Expectations for sales during the coming six-month period remained especially upbeat in January.
Market Data | Mar 21, 2019
Billings moderate in February following robust New Year
AIA’s Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for February was 50.3, down from 55.3 in January.
Market Data | Mar 19, 2019
ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator declines sharply in January 2019
The Construction Backlog Indicator contracted to 8.1 months during January 2019.
Market Data | Mar 15, 2019
2019 starts off with expansion in nonresidential spending
At a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, nonresidential spending totaled $762.5 billion for the month.
Market Data | Mar 14, 2019
Construction input prices rise for first time since October
Of the 11 construction subcategories, seven experienced price declines for the month.
Market Data | Mar 6, 2019
Global hotel construction pipeline hits record high at 2018 year-end
There are a record-high 6,352 hotel projects and 1.17 million rooms currently under construction worldwide.
Market Data | Feb 28, 2019
U.S. economic growth softens in final quarter of 2018
Year-over-year GDP growth was 3.1%, while average growth for 2018 was 2.9%.
Market Data | Feb 20, 2019
Strong start to 2019 for architecture billings
“The government shutdown affected architecture firms, but doesn’t appear to have created a slowdown in the profession,” said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD, in the latest ABI report.