Construction employment increased in 274 out of 358 metro areas between August 2016 and August 2017, declined in 52 metros and stagnated in 32, according to a new analysis of federal employment data by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), Arlington, VA.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA. added the most construction jobs during the past year (15,800 jobs, 17%), followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA. (11,000 jobs, 8%); Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV. (10,900 jobs, 20%); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA. (8,500 jobs, 13%) and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. (7,400 jobs, 10%). The largest percentage gains occurred in the Lewiston, ID-WA metro area (27%, 400 jobs) followed by Lake Charles, LA. (23%; 4,800 jobs); Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI. (20%, 4,400 jobs); Las Vegas; Killeen-Temple, TX (17%, 1,600 jobs) and Riverside, CA.
The largest job losses from Aug. 2016 to Aug. 2017 were in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX (-4,500 jobs, -2%), followed by Columbia, SC (-3,900 jobs, -23%); Orange-Rockland-Westchester, NY (-2,500 jobs, -6%); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (-2,300 jobs, -4%) and Middlesex-Monmouth-Ocean, NJ (-1,900 jobs, -5%). The largest percentage decreases for the year were in Columbia, SC; followed by Grand Forks, ND-MN (-22%, -1,100 jobs); Danville, IL. (-17%, -100 jobs) and Trenton, NJ (-9%, -500 jobs).
Electrical Marketing estimates electrical contractors account for 13% of construction employment in any market.