Construction Employment Increases In Less Than Half Of Metro Areas In December Amid Stalled Demand For Many Types Of Construction Projects

Washington, D.C.-Md., Elizabethtown, Ky. Top Lists of Yearly Job Gains, While Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, Nev. Has Worst Losses for the Year as Firms Struggle with Lax Demand, Labor Shortages

Just under half of metro areas added construction jobs between December 2024 and December 2025, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that the construction job growth has stalled in many parts of the country amid contractor worries about lax demand and the ongoing challenge of finding enough workers to hire.

“Construction hiring has stalled or declined in a majority of metro areas as owners have put projects on hold,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Nevertheless, most contractors expect it to be as hard or harder than last year to add workers.”

Between December 2024 and December 2025, 176 metro areas or 49 percent added construction employees.  Washington, D.C.-Md. added the most construction jobs (5,800 jobs or 12 percent), followed by Kansas City, Mo.-Kans. (5,600 jobs or 9 percent); Arlington-Alexandria-Reston, Va.-W.Va. (5,300 jobs, 6 percent); and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C.-S.C. (4,800 jobs, 6 percent). The largest percentage gain—16 percent—occurred in Elizabethtown, Ky. (300 jobs), followed by 12 percent gains in Washington, D.C.-Md. and Bowling Green, Ky. (500 jobs) and 10 percent gains in Kahului-Wailuku, Hawaii (500 jobs), Urban Honolulu, Hawaii (2,900 jobs), Boise City, Idaho (3,900 jobs), Paducah, Ky.-Ill. (400 jobs), and Wilmington, N.C. (1,400 jobs).

Construction employment declined over the year in 129 metro areas and was unchanged in 55 areas. The largest job losses occurred in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, Nev. (-8,600 jobs, -11 percent) and New York City (-8,600 jobs, -6 percent), followed by Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. (-8,200 jobs, -7 percent); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. (-8,000 jobs, -5 percent); and Nassau County-Suffolk County, N.Y. (-6,300 jobs, -8 percent). The largest percentage loss occurred in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, Nev., followed by 9 percent losses in Reno, Nev. (-2,100 jobs) and Bellingham, Wash. (-3,800 jobs), and an 8 percent decline in Hanford-Corcoran, Calif. (-100 jobs); Colorado Springs, Colo. (-1,400 jobs); and Nassau County-Suffolk County, N.Y.

Association officials noted that an Outlook the association released last month showed contractors have dampened expectations for most construction market segments compared to last year. At the same time, most contractors report difficulty finding enough workers to hire. They urged Congress to focus on passing a new surface transportation bill before the current law expires and to take short- and long-term steps to address workforce shortages.

“The best way to boost construction employment is to drive new demand and make it easier to find qualified workers,” said Jeffrey D. Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer. “Passing a new highway and transit bill, investing in workforce development and allowing more people to lawfully work in construction will help this industry add more people to their payrolls.”

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