Construction employment increased in 180 out of 358 metro areas, was unchanged in 46, and declined in 132 between October 2014 and October 2015, according to an analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America, Arlington, Va., Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. (9,800 jobs, 13%) added the most construction jobs during the past year.
Other metro areas adding a large number of construction jobs include Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. (9,400 jobs, 8%), Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo. (9,400 jobs, 10%), and Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nev. (8,400 jobs, 19%). The largest percentage gains occurred in Weirton-Steubenville, W.Va.-Ohio (56%, 900 jobs); Wenatchee, Wash. (21%, 500 jobs); Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, N.Y. (19%, 4,400 jobs) and Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise.
The largest job losses from October 2014 to October 2015 were in Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (-6,000 jobs, -8%), followed by Bergen-Hudson-Passaic, N.J. (-2,200 jobs, -7%); Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla. (-2,100 jobs, -5%), and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.-Wisc. (-1,700 jobs, -2%). The largest percentage decline for the past year was in Watertown-Fort Drum, N.Y. (-19%).