ARLINGTON, VA.—Over 70 per cent of U.S. metro areas gained construction jobs between September 2020 and September 2021 according to analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released Nov. 3.
Association officials noted the job losses occurred as plans to boost investments in infrastructure are held up in Washington and firms cope with shortages, delivery delays and construction materials price increases.
“Many metro areas are having a hard time getting back to construction employment levels from last fall that were already low because of the pandemic,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, in a statement. “The challenge is that the economic recovery for the construction industry is being undermined by Washington’s failure to boost infrastructure investments and continuing supply chain disfunction.”
Construction employment increased in 258 out of 358 metro areas over the last 12 months. Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, Calif. added the most construction jobs (9,000 jobs, 13 per cent), followed by Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. (7,800 jobs, eight per cent), San Diego-Carlsbad, Calif. (7,600 jobs, nine per cent), Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, Ill. (6,700 jobs, five per cent) and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Mass. (6,700 jobs, nine per cent).
Beaumont-Port Arthur, Tex. had the highest percentage increase (20 per cent, 3,300 jobs), followed by Sierra Vista-Douglas, Ariz. (19 per cent, 600 jobs), Waterbury, Conn. (17 per cent, 500 jobs), Albuquerque, N.M. (15 per cent, 3,700 jobs) and Fargo, N.D.-Minn. (15 per cent, 1,400 jobs).
Construction employment declined from a year earlier in 67 metros and held steady in 33. Nassau County-Suffolk County, N.Y. lost the most jobs (6,000 or eight per cent), followed by New York City (5,500 jobs, four per cent) and New Orleans-Metairie, La. (3,100 jobs, 12 per cent).
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