U.S. construction jobs spike throughout the country, according to recent report

ARLINGTON, VA. — U.S. construction employment grew in 78 per cent of the nation’s metropolitan areas from October 2017 to October 2018, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released recently by the Associated General Contractors of America.

Job numbers in the sector grew in 281 out of 358 metro areas in the time period, declined in 43 and was unchanged in 34, reported the association in late November.

The Houston, Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas metro area added the most construction jobs during the past year (25,600 jobs, 12 per cent).

Other metro areas adding a large amount of construction jobs during the past 12 months include Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz. (16,700 jobs, 14 per cent); Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (13,100 jobs, 9 per cent); and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla. (11,700 jobs, 16 per cent).

The largest percentage gain occurred in Midland, Texas (25 per cent, 7,200 jobs), followed by New Bedford, Mass. (22 per cent, 600 jobs); Weirton-Steubenville, W.Va.-Ohio (21 per cent, 400 jobs); and Lewiston, Idaho-Wash. (20 per cent, 300 jobs).

The largest job losses between October 2017 and October 2018 occurred in Middlesex-Monmouth-Ocean, N.J. (minus 3,900 jobs, down 10 per cent), followed by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Md. (minus 2,100 jobs, down 3 per cent); and Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, Calif. (minus 1,500 jobs, down 2 per cent).

“Construction employment has been increasing at a greater rate than overall employment in many metros,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, in the release.

“But many contractors report they are having difficulty filling hourly craft worker positions, even though construction pay exceeds the average for the overall economy.”

Simonson noted construction job openings at the end of September jumped 55 per cent from a year earlier to 278,000, the highest September level in the report’s 18-year history.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for construction workers fell to 3.6 per cent in October, the lowest October rate since 2000.