Construction employment rose in 218, or 61 percent, of 358 metro areas between April 2023 and April 2024, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that construction employment is growing in fewer metro areas than earlier this year, but said demand remains strong enough in much of the country that many contractors continue to struggle to find enough workers.
“Job gains were less widespread in the latest 12 months than earlier in 2024 as homebuilders and developers throttled back,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “However, with demand surging for data centers, manufacturing and power projects, and infrastructure, there are still more than twice as many areas with job gains as the number of metros that had a decrease in construction employment.”
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