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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 (AGC) of new government employment data. Association officials say construction demand appears to be stalled in many parts of the country amid uncertainty about tariff rates and labor availability.
“Construction activity is in a holding pattern in much of the nation,” says Ken Simonson, AGC chief economist. “As a result, fewer metro areas are experiencing gains in construction employment compared to a year ago.” He adds 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, roughly 35 more areas had gains in construction employment.
For the fourth-straight month, Arlington-Alexandria-Reston, Virginia-West Virginia, added the most construction jobs (9,100 jobs, or 10 percent) between June 2024 and June 2025. In second place again was Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana (5,400 jobs, 11 percent). Next in line were Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Florida (4,800 jobs, 8 percent); Washington, D.C.-Maryland (4,700 jobs, 10 percent); and Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, Illinois (4,500 jobs, 38 percent). Las Cruces, New Mexico, had the largest percentage gain (16 percent or 700 jobs), followed by Mansfield, Ohio (14 percent, 300 jobs); Paducah, Kentucky-Illinois (13 percent, 500 jobs); and New Orleans-Metairie, Louisiana (12 percent, 3,000 jobs).
Construction employment declined over the year in 113 metro areas and was unchanged in 67 areas, according to the AGC’s analysis. The largest job loss occurred in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California (-5,200 jobs, -4 percent), followed by Nassau County-Suffolk County, New York (-4,000 jobs, -5 percent) and three areas with losses of 3,800 jobs each: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, California (-5 percent); Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, Washington (-3 percent); and Baton Rouge, Louisiana (-7 percent). The largest percentage decrease occurred in Niles, Michigan (-17 percent, -400 jobs), followed by five areas with declines of 8 percent each: Hanford-Corcoran, California (-100 jobs); Fort Collins-Loveland, Colorado (-900 jobs); Pueblo, Colorado (-300 jobs); Lake Charles, Lousiana (-900 jobs); and Duluth, Minn.-Wisconsin (-300 jobs).
AGC officials say construction demand has been affected 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 urge the Trump administration to announce more trade arrangements that provide greater certainty about tariff rates, which the administration began doing toward the end of July. 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 AGC chief executive officer. “Creating more certainty and avoiding measures that needlessly tighten the labor market should help stimulate new construction demand.”
Metro employment data can be viewed by state, by rank and top 10 changes.