Construction employment increased in 225, or 63 percent, of 358 metro areas between May 2023 and May 2024, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that employment levels in some parts of the country have been impacted by changing demand for construction and ongoing labor shortages.
“A pullback in starts by developers of apartments, warehouses, and offices, along with spotty improvement in single-family starts, has held down job gains in some metros,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But surging demand for data centers, manufacturing and power projects, and infrastructure mean contractors in many metros are still short of all the workers they need.”
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