Construction Employment Increases in 283 of 358 Metro Areas from February 2022 to 2023
Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas, and Hanford-Corcoran, California, experience largest number and percentage of gains; Lawton, Oklahoma, and Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, California, have most extensive construction job losses
Construction employment increased in 283, or 79 percent, of 358 metro areas between February 2022 and February 2023, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Meanwhile, new government data shows there were more job openings in the industry than the number of people hired in March. Association officials said the industry continues to struggle to find enough workers and urged public leaders to boost investments in construction training and education.
“Although construction employment rose in nearly four-fifths of all metros in the past 12 months, contractors are still struggling fill jobs,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “There were more far job openings in construction at the end of February than construction employees hired in the entire month.”