Of the 358 metro areas, 230 recorded gains in construction employment between May 2022 and May 2023, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America.
The number of hired workers would have been higher if more qualified workers were available, AGC’s Chief Economist Ken Simonson stated.
“But with a construction unemployment rate in May of only 3.5 percent, there are very few suitable candidates available in many markets,” Simonson said.
Construction employment fell in 79 metros and remained unchanged in 49 areas.
The highest gains in construction employment were in Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas, which added 11,600 jobs since May 2022.
The biggest decrease in construction jobs came in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas, with a loss of 5,400 jobs.
The full AGC report can be found here.
