by Jbs032410b3 — March 29, 2010—Construction employment continued to shrink in every state and the District of Columbia as well as in most American cities between January 2009 and January 2010, according to new analysis of federal employment figures just released by the Associated General Contractors of America. The figures underscore just how hard hit the construction industry has been nationwide, association officials noted.
According to AGC’s analysis of state statistics, 38 states and DC experienced a double-digit percentage drop in construction employment over the past twelve months.
California lost the most construction jobs (128,700), while North Dakota lost the least jobs (200). The five states with the largest percentage decline in employment were Nevada (29.9 percent), Arizona (26 percent), Colorado (22.2 percent), Idaho (21 percent), and Florida (20.4 percent).
The states that experienced the smallest decline in construction employment were North Dakota (1 percent), Nebraska (4.1 percent), Alaska (4.2 percent), South Dakota (5.9 percent), and Arkansas (6.2 percent).
According to ACGanalysis of figures for metropolitan areas, 313 out of 337 cities lost construction jobs between January 2009 and January 2010. AGC noted that 230 metro areas experienced double-digit percentage decreases in construction employment, while no city experienced a double-digit increase in construction employment, and 18 cities nationwide lost more than 10,000 construction jobs.
Association officials said the figures underscore the need for new investments in infrastructure as well as new tax incentives designed to stimulate private sector demand. They cited the new data in urging the Senate to pass a ten-month extension to the nation’s surface transportation program and for the administration to accelerate stimulus-funded construction projects.
