Upcoming Event
Free Newsletter
Deposit Photos
Deposit Photos
Construction jobs rise in 57% of US metro areas
ColoradoBiz Staff //April 15, 2026//
More than half of U.S. metro areas added construction jobs between January 2025 and January 2026, according to an analysis of federal employment data by the Associated General Contractors of America.
In Brief:
- Construction employment up in 205 of 360 metro areas
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands added 16,000 jobs
- St. Louis and Kansas City saw 13% job growth
- Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux experienced 14% job decline
Construction employment increased in 205 of 360 metro areas, or 57%, while 110 metros lost jobs and 45 were unchanged.
“It is good to see job gains in a majority of metro areas, especially after widespread decreases in 2025,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “However, continued hesitancy by many owners to commit to projects, cost increases from tariffs and the Middle East war, and labor force imbalances make future job gains unpredictable.”
The largest job gains were in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, Texas, which added 16,000 jobs, or 7%. Other top gainers included St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois, with 9,000 jobs (13%), and Kansas City, Missouri-Kansas, with 7,500 jobs (13%). The biggest percentage increases were in Bloomington, Illinois, and Bloomington, Indiana, each with 20% growth.
Construction employment fell in several large metro areas. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California, lost 5,300 jobs, or 5%, while Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon-Washington, lost 4,100 jobs, or 5%. The steepest percentage decline was in Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, Louisiana, down 14%.
Industry officials said demand remains strong for projects such as data centers and power facilities, but a shortage of skilled workers is limiting growth.
“To keep construction employment growing in more metros, it is vital that contractors have access to workers with the skills to execute needed projects,” said Jeffrey D. Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer. “The federal government should increase funding for state, local, and industry efforts to provide workers with the right skills.”
s
