Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, Texas and Idaho Falls, Idaho Have Highest Number and Percentage of Job Gains Since March 2025; New York City and Lawton, Okla. Have Largest and Steepest Job Losses
Construction employment increased in 166, or 46 percent, of 360 metro areas between March 2025 and March 2026, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials warned that more metro areas are likely to lose construction jobs unless Congress acts promptly to renew funding for highway and transit projects, a major source of employment.
“Owners in many metro areas are delaying, scaling back, or even canceling projects amid market uncertainties and higher materials prices, which is undermining construction employment levels,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “One step policymakers in Washington can take to keep job losses in check is to pass a transportation funding bill before the current law expires in September.”
Between March 2025 and March 2026, 166 metro areas added construction jobs, 151 lost jobs, and employment was unchanged in 43 areas. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, Texas added the most construction jobs over the year (10,600 jobs or 4 percent), followed by St. Louis, Mo.-Ill. (6,700 jobs, 9 percent); Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C.-S.C. (5,000 jobs, 6 percent); Baton Rouge, La. (5,000 jobs, 10 percent); and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas (4,600 jobs, 5 percent).
Idaho Falls, Idaho had the largest percentage gain (15 percent, 900 jobs), followed by Eau Claire, Wis. (14 percent, 500 jobs) and 12 percent gains in Bloomington, Ind. (400 jobs), Terre Haute, Ind. (500 jobs), Battle Creek, Mich. (200 jobs), Las Cruces, N.M. (600 jobs), and Weirton-Steubenville, W.Va.-Ohio (200 jobs).
Construction employment declined in 151 metro areas and was flat in 43 areas during the past year. The largest job loss occurred in New York City (-5,400 jobs, -4 percent), followed by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Ore.-Wash. (-4,900 jobs, -6 percent); the Nassau County-Suffolk County, N.Y. metro division (-3,900 jobs, -5 percent); Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, Calif. (-3,700 jobs, -5 percent); and the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. division (-3,400 jobs, -2 percent). The steepest percentage loss occurred in Lawton, Okla. (-22 percent, -400 jobs), followed by Fairbanks-College, Alaska (-12 percent, -300 jobs); Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, La. (-11 percent, -700 jobs); and Lake Havasu City-Kingman, Ariz. (-10 percent, -500 jobs).
Association officials said they were encouraged by the fact House officials recently released a draft of the new highway and transit funding bill. They urged lawmakers to act quickly to finalize legislation that includes the funding and permitting reforms necessary to allow state and local officials to make needed improvements to highways, bridges and transit systems.
“Funding improvements to the way people and goods move within the economy provides two clear benefits; it boosts immediate demand for construction and supports broader economic growth,” said Jeffrey D. Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer. “Getting started on a bill is helpful, finishing it on time is essential.”
View the metro employment data by metro, rank and top 10 changes.