Construction Employment Diverges In September As Half Of Metro Areas Add Employees, While Headcount Stalls Or Shrinks In The Other Half

Construction employment trends were evenly split between metro areas that added jobs between September 2024 and September 2025 and metros with flat or falling headcounts, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that demand for industrial and data center construction remains robust, but demand in other sectors flags.

“The latest data on employment by metro area shows how spotty construction activity has become,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Although a few project types, such as data centers, power, and certain infrastructure and manufacturing plants, are booming, many metro areas are experiencing a drop in activity.”

Between September 2024 and September 2025, 180 metro areas or 50 percent added construction employees.  Arlington-Alexandria-Reston, Va.-W.Va. added the most construction jobs (7,900 jobs or 9 percent), followed by Washington, D.C.-Md. (6,200 jobs or 13 percent); Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C.-S.C. (4,400 jobs, 5 percent); Cincinnati, Ohio-Ky.-Ind. (3,800 jobs, 7 percent); and Boise City, Idaho (3,700 jobs, 10 percent). The largest percentage gain—13 percent—occurred in Washington, D.C.-Md., followed by a 12 percent gain in Owensboro, Ky. (200 jobs) and 10 percent gains in Boise City; Elizabethtown, Ky. (200 jobs); Paducah, Ky-Ill. (400 jobs); Battle Creek, Mich. (200 jobs); Sandusky, Ohio (200 jobs); and Canton-Massillon, Ohio (1,000 jobs).

Construction employment declined over the year in 114 metro areas and was unchanged in 66 areas. The largest job loss occurred in New York City (-9,900 jobs, -7 percent), followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. (-6,100 jobs, -4 percent); Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, Nev. (-5,700 jobs, -7 percent); Nassau County-Suffolk County, N.Y. (-5,600 jobs, -7 percent); and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. (-5,600 jobs, -5 percent). The largest percentage loss, -8 percent, occurred in Hanford-Corcoran, Calif. (-100 jobs); Pueblo, Colo. (-300 jobs); Newark, N.J. (-3,200 jobs); and Ithaca, N.Y. (-100 jobs).

Association officials said federal leaders could help boost demand for construction by accelerating the permitting process for many types of federally funded construction projects. And they urged the Trump administration to resolve outstanding trade disputes to provide greater certainty about future tariff levels, which would make it easier for developers to decide whether to move forward with stalled projects.

“Demand for new data centers is enough to boost construction employment in many parts of the country,” said Jeffrey D. Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer. “If federal officials can speed up too-lengthy reviews and provide greater tariff certainty, they will help boost construction employment for other needed projects.”

View the metro employment data by state, by rank and top 10 changes.