U.S. Construction Employment Increases in 146 Metro Areas
Construction employment increased in 146 out of 337 metropolitan areas between August 2010 and August 2011, declined in 145 and stayed level in 46, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released in late September by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that the local employment data remains relatively split as private-sector demand increased and public sector activity declined more rapidly during the past year.
“The construction market is caught between increases in private-sector demand and even larger decreases in public sector construction investments,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, noting that private sector spending on construction has grown by 5.5% since July 2010 while public-sector demand declined by 8.8% during the same period. “Construction employment continues to be stuck in a pattern where there are just as many hot spots as there are slow spots,” he said.