Exactly half of the nation’s metro areas added construction jobs between June 2024 and June 2025, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that construction demand appears to be stalled in many parts of the country amid uncertainty about tariff rates and labor availability.
What the association says
“Construction activity is in a holding pattern in much of the nation,” says Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “As a result, fewer metro areas are experiencing gains in construction employment compared to a year ago.” The construction economist noted that only 180 of the 360 metro areas for which the government posts construction employment data added construction jobs in the latest 12 months, whereas a year ago, there were roughly 35 more areas with gains in construction employment.
More information
For the fourth-straight month, Arlington-Alexandria-Reston, Virginia-West Virginia added the most construction jobs between June 2024 and June 2025. In second place again was Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana. The top two gainers were followed by Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Florida; Washington, D.C.-Maryland; and Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, Illinois. Las Cruces, New Mexico again had the largest percentage gain, followed by Mansfield, Ohio; Paducah, Kentucky-Illinois; and New Orleans-Metairie, Louisiana.
Construction employment declined over the year in 113 metro areas and was unchanged in 67 areas. The largest job loss again occurred in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California, followed by Nassau County-Suffolk County, New York and three areas with losses of 3,800 jobs each: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, California; Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, Washington; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The largest percentage decrease again occurred in Niles, Michigan, followed by five areas with declines of 8% each: Hanford-Corcoran, California; Fort Collins-Loveland, Colorado; Pueblo, Colorado; Lake Charles, Louisiana; and Duluth, Minnesota-Wisconsin.
Association officials said construction demand was being impacted by higher interest rates, uncertainties about potential new tariffs and changes in labor policy that are stalling economic activity in parts of the country. They urged the Trump administration to announce more trade arrangements that provide greater certainty about tariff rates. And they also urged the administration to refocus its immigration efforts on undocumented workers who are engaged in criminal activity.
“Uncertainty about tariff rates and labor availability are holding back private sector demand for construction,” says Jeffrey D. Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer. “Creating more certainty and avoiding measures that needlessly tighten the labor market should help stimulate new construction demand.”
