Construction Jobs Increase In 189 Metro Areas Between February 2024 And February 2025; Tariffs Threaten To Cause Cancellations And Job Losses

Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla., Boise, Idaho and Kokomo, Ind. Lead in Number and Percentage of Job Gains, While Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. and Elizabethtown, Ky. Experience Worst Job Losses

Construction employment increased in 189, or 53 percent, of 360 metro areas between February 2024 and February 2025, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials warned that new and increased tariffs announced yesterday are likely to cause some projects to be paused or canceled and could lead to fewer areas having job gains.

“Falling business and consumer confidence, along with rising costs from tariffs, are causing projects to be delayed or canceled,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “These challenging conditions are leading to less widespread job growth than previously.”

Two metro areas topped the list of job gainers with 4,400 construction jobs added in the last 12 months: the Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla. metro division (an 8 percent gain) and Boise City, Idaho (13 percent). Other areas with large gains include Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla. (4,300 jobs, 5 percent); Tampa, Fla. (3,700 jobs, 5 percent); the Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas division (3,400 jobs, 2 percent); and New Orleans-Metairie, La. (3,400 jobs, 15 percent). Kokomo, Ind. had the largest percentage gain (22 percent, 400 jobs), followed by Battle Creek, Mich. (19 percent, 300 jobs); Anniston-Oxford, Ala. (17 percent, 200 jobs); Las Cruces, N.M. (17 percent, 700 jobs); and New Orleans-Metairie.

Construction employment declined over the year in 125 metro areas and was unchanged in 46 areas. The largest job loss occurred in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. metro division (-8,200 jobs, -5 percent), followed by New York City (-6,100 jobs, -4 percent); the Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley, Calif. division (-5,200 jobs, -7 percent), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. (-5,000 jobs, -4 percent); and the Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, Wash. division (-4,800 jobs, -7 percent). The largest percentage decrease occurred in Elizabethtown, Ky. (-23 percent, -600 jobs), followed by Monroe, Mich. (-14 percent, -300 jobs) and 10 percent losses in Pueblo, Colo. ( -400 jobs); Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa (-2,400 jobs); and Bellingham, Wash. (-800 jobs).

Association officials said the number of metros with construction employment gains has already slowed from a year ago. They warned that tariffs will make construction more expensive and are likely to trigger retaliatory measures that harm U.S. businesses and workers, leading to further cutbacks in construction. They urged the Trump administration to reduce or eliminate tariffs as soon as possible to limit harm to contractors, other businesses, and consumers.

“Now that the President has provided specific details about his tariff plans, the private sector can decide how best to proceed with planned projects,” said Jeffrey D. Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer. “Our hope is that the benefits of greater clarity and supply chain certainty outweigh the impacts of higher materials prices and construction costs.”

View the metro employment data and top 10.