Cities With the Most Construction Workers [2025 Edition]

Note: This is the most recent release of our Cities With the Most Construction Workers study. To see data from prior years, please visit the Full Results section below.

The U.S. construction industry faces a high degree of uncertainty in 2025. On one hand, demand for new housing and infrastructure remains high, driven by a persistent housing shortage and a wave of federal investment. On the other hand, the sector is grappling with notable headwinds: labor shortages have tightened the market for skilled workers, while overall construction spending has slowed in recent months amid elevated interest rates and broader economic uncertainty. These conflicting trends have cast a spotlight on the construction workforce—both where it is growing and where it may be vulnerable.

Historically, construction employment has closely mirrored macroeconomic cycles, rising in times of expansion and contracting sharply during downturns. The recent post-pandemic boom brought millions of workers back into the industry, with employment reaching over 8 million in 2024 according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. But as economic momentum cools, there is growing interest in where construction activity remains most concentrated.

This report by Construction Coverage examines long-term trends in construction employment, identifies the most common construction industry occupations, and highlights the U.S. cities and states where construction workers make up the largest share of the local workforce. These high-concentration areas not only reflect where construction activity is most robust, but also where local economies may be most exposed should the sector contract.

How Many People Work in the U.S. Construction Industry?

There are approximately 8.1 million Americans employed in construction, accounting for 6.1% of private-sector employment

Data: Construction Industry Share of Total Private Industry Employment Over Time

Date	Construction industry share of employment (trailing 12-month average)
12/1/2001	6.197%
1/1/2002	6.208%
2/1/2002	6.217%
3/1/2002	6.222%
4/1/2002	6.224%
5/1/2002	6.225%
6/1/2002	6.224%
7/1/2002	6.222%
8/1/2002	6.221%
9/1/2002	6.220%
10/1/2002	6.218%
11/1/2002	6.216%
12/1/2002	6.213%
1/1/2003	6.212%
2/1/2003	6.208%
3/1/2003	6.204%
4/1/2003	6.203%
5/1/2003	6.204%
6/1/2003	6.206%
7/1/2003	6.209%
8/1/2003	6.212%
9/1/2003	6.216%
10/1/2003	6.221%
11/1/2003	6.225%
12/1/2003	6.232%
1/1/2004	6.239%
2/1/2004	6.248%
3/1/2004	6.261%
4/1/2004	6.277%
5/1/2004	6.287%
6/1/2004	6.300%
7/1/2004	6.313%
8/1/2004	6.323%
9/1/2004	6.335%
10/1/2004	6.347%
11/1/2004	6.361%
12/1/2004	6.375%
1/1/2005	6.387%
2/1/2005	6.401%
3/1/2005	6.413%
4/1/2005	6.428%
5/1/2005	6.444%
6/1/2005	6.460%
7/1/2005	6.476%
8/1/2005	6.494%
9/1/2005	6.514%
10/1/2005	6.532%
11/1/2005	6.553%
12/1/2005	6.572%
1/1/2006	6.596%
2/1/2006	6.621%
3/1/2006	6.645%
4/1/2006	6.665%
5/1/2006	6.684%
6/1/2006	6.704%
7/1/2006	6.717%
8/1/2006	6.729%
9/1/2006	6.738%
10/1/2006	6.744%
11/1/2006	6.744%
12/1/2006	6.744%
1/1/2007	6.742%
2/1/2007	6.732%
3/1/2007	6.726%
4/1/2007	6.717%
5/1/2007	6.709%
6/1/2007	6.699%
7/1/2007	6.690%
8/1/2007	6.681%
9/1/2007	6.670%
10/1/2007	6.659%
11/1/2007	6.649%
12/1/2007	6.633%
1/1/2008	6.615%
2/1/2008	6.599%
3/1/2008	6.576%
4/1/2008	6.552%
5/1/2008	6.526%
6/1/2008	6.495%
7/1/2008	6.467%
8/1/2008	6.435%
9/1/2008	6.404%
10/1/2008	6.371%
11/1/2008	6.334%
12/1/2008	6.295%
1/1/2009	6.248%
2/1/2009	6.197%
3/1/2009	6.143%
4/1/2009	6.083%
5/1/2009	6.020%
6/1/2009	5.956%
7/1/2009	5.890%
8/1/2009	5.823%
9/1/2009	5.755%
10/1/2009	5.686%
11/1/2009	5.623%
12/1/2009	5.562%
1/1/2010	5.508%
2/1/2010	5.455%
3/1/2010	5.408%
4/1/2010	5.373%
5/1/2010	5.339%
6/1/2010	5.305%
7/1/2010	5.275%
8/1/2010	5.249%
9/1/2010	5.226%
10/1/2010	5.206%
11/1/2010	5.187%
12/1/2010	5.169%
1/1/2011	5.153%
2/1/2011	5.142%
3/1/2011	5.130%
4/1/2011	5.116%
5/1/2011	5.104%
6/1/2011	5.095%
7/1/2011	5.087%
8/1/2011	5.080%
9/1/2011	5.074%
10/1/2011	5.067%
11/1/2011	5.061%
12/1/2011	5.059%
1/1/2012	5.062%
2/1/2012	5.064%
3/1/2012	5.065%
4/1/2012	5.064%
5/1/2012	5.063%
6/1/2012	5.060%
7/1/2012	5.055%
8/1/2012	5.050%
9/1/2012	5.047%
10/1/2012	5.047%
11/1/2012	5.047%
12/1/2012	5.049%
1/1/2013	5.053%
2/1/2013	5.059%
3/1/2013	5.065%
4/1/2013	5.071%
5/1/2013	5.080%
6/1/2013	5.090%
7/1/2013	5.101%
8/1/2013	5.113%
9/1/2013	5.124%
10/1/2013	5.134%
11/1/2013	5.146%
12/1/2013	5.152%
1/1/2014	5.162%
2/1/2014	5.169%
3/1/2014	5.178%
4/1/2014	5.190%
5/1/2014	5.202%
6/1/2014	5.213%
7/1/2014	5.225%
8/1/2014	5.237%
9/1/2014	5.248%
10/1/2014	5.261%
11/1/2014	5.272%
12/1/2014	5.286%
1/1/2015	5.299%
2/1/2015	5.312%
3/1/2015	5.323%
4/1/2015	5.337%
5/1/2015	5.348%
6/1/2015	5.360%
7/1/2015	5.371%
8/1/2015	5.382%
9/1/2015	5.392%
10/1/2015	5.404%
11/1/2015	5.416%
12/1/2015	5.430%
1/1/2016	5.443%
2/1/2016	5.456%
3/1/2016	5.470%
4/1/2016	5.483%
5/1/2016	5.494%
6/1/2016	5.504%
7/1/2016	5.514%
8/1/2016	5.522%
9/1/2016	5.531%
10/1/2016	5.537%
11/1/2016	5.544%
12/1/2016	5.548%
1/1/2017	5.554%
2/1/2017	5.562%
3/1/2017	5.571%
4/1/2017	5.578%
5/1/2017	5.588%
6/1/2017	5.598%
7/1/2017	5.607%
8/1/2017	5.616%
9/1/2017	5.624%
10/1/2017	5.633%
11/1/2017	5.642%
12/1/2017	5.653%
1/1/2018	5.664%
2/1/2018	5.677%
3/1/2018	5.689%
4/1/2018	5.700%
5/1/2018	5.712%
6/1/2018	5.725%
7/1/2018	5.737%
8/1/2018	5.750%
9/1/2018	5.764%
10/1/2018	5.777%
11/1/2018	5.789%
12/1/2018	5.801%
1/1/2019	5.815%
2/1/2019	5.823%
3/1/2019	5.831%
4/1/2019	5.841%
5/1/2019	5.850%
6/1/2019	5.858%
7/1/2019	5.866%
8/1/2019	5.873%
9/1/2019	5.881%
10/1/2019	5.887%
11/1/2019	5.893%
12/1/2019	5.897%
1/1/2020	5.902%
2/1/2020	5.909%
3/1/2020	5.916%
4/1/2020	5.935%
5/1/2020	5.969%
6/1/2020	5.998%
7/1/2020	6.020%
8/1/2020	6.040%
9/1/2020	6.056%
10/1/2020	6.071%
11/1/2020	6.087%
12/1/2020	6.108%
1/1/2021	6.126%
2/1/2021	6.137%
3/1/2021	6.152%
4/1/2021	6.150%
5/1/2021	6.129%
6/1/2021	6.111%
7/1/2021	6.099%
8/1/2021	6.086%
9/1/2021	6.076%
10/1/2021	6.067%
11/1/2021	6.058%
12/1/2021	6.046%
1/1/2022	6.034%
2/1/2022	6.030%
3/1/2022	6.021%
4/1/2022	6.012%
5/1/2022	6.005%
6/1/2022	6.001%
7/1/2022	5.997%
8/1/2022	5.995%
9/1/2022	5.994%
10/1/2022	5.994%
11/1/2022	5.993%
12/1/2022	5.994%
1/1/2023	5.996%
2/1/2023	6.000%
3/1/2023	6.002%
4/1/2023	6.006%
5/1/2023	6.009%
6/1/2023	6.013%
7/1/2023	6.018%
8/1/2023	6.025%
9/1/2023	6.031%
10/1/2023	6.039%
11/1/2023	6.047%
12/1/2023	6.056%
1/1/2024	6.063%
2/1/2024	6.071%
3/1/2024	6.080%
4/1/2024	6.087%
5/1/2024	6.093%
6/1/2024	6.100%
7/1/2024	6.108%
8/1/2024	6.116%
9/1/2024	6.122%
10/1/2024	6.126%
11/1/2024	6.132%
12/1/2024	6.137%

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As of December 2024, about 8.1 million Americans work in construction, accounting for 6.1% of private-sector employment. While this marks a strong recovery from the lows of the Great Recession, the sector has yet to return to pre-2008 levels.

Construction employment declined sharply following the housing market crash, reaching a low point in early 2011 when it accounted for just 4.8% of private-sector jobs—the lowest level in over 30 years. Since then, the sector has gradually regained ground, supported by sustained demand for housing and infrastructure projects.

The COVID-19 pandemic briefly accelerated this trend. With construction classified as essential in many states, the industry avoided the widespread job losses seen in other sectors, and its employment share temporarily rose above 6.4%. While that surge was short-lived, construction’s share has held relatively steady in the years since, hovering between 6.0% and 6.3%.

The Most Popular Construction Industry Jobs

Laborers, supervisors, and carpenters are the most common construction jobs

Data: The Most Popular Construction Industry Jobs

Occupation	Share of total construction industry employment
Laborers	11.0%
First-line supervisors	7.7%
Carpenters	7.3%
Electricians	7.2%
Plumbers	4.6%
HVAC technicians	3.7%
Operating engineers	3.6%
Construction managers	3.4%
General & operations managers	3.4%
Office clerks	3.2%
Project managers	2.7%
Masons	2.4%
Painters	2.2%
Truck drivers	1.6%
Roofers	1.6%

While the construction industry is often associated with manual labor and skilled trades, the sector supports a broad mix of occupations, from on-site workers to project coordinators and administrative staff. The most common roles remain those at the core of physical construction: laborers (11.0%), first-line supervisors (7.7%), and carpenters (7.3%) collectively make up more than a quarter of the industry’s workforce. Other specialized trades like electricians (7.2%), plumbers (4.6%), HVAC technicians (3.7%), masons (2.4%), painters (2.2%), and roofers (1.6%) are also among the most popular construction jobs.

Specialized trades make up over half the construction workforce.

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Beyond the jobsite, many roles support project planning, oversight, and business operations. Construction managers and general managers each represent 3.4% of total construction employment, while project managers account for 2.7%. Administrative roles—including office clerks (3.2%)—play a smaller but essential role in keeping office operations running smoothly.

Which States Rely Most Heavily on the Construction Sector for Jobs?

Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho have the highest concentration of construction workers

Data: Percentage of Employment in Construction by U.S. State

State	Percentage of employment in construction
Wyoming	11.0%
Utah	9.5%
Idaho	9.3%
Montana	8.7%
Louisiana	8.7%
North Dakota	8.2%
Arizona	8.1%
Nevada	8.0%
New Mexico	7.9%
Colorado	7.7%
South Dakota	7.7%
Hawaii	7.5%
Florida	7.4%
Maryland	7.3%
Nebraska	7.3%
Alaska	7.3%
Texas	7.2%
Washington	7.1%
Oregon	6.8%
North Carolina	6.5%
Virginia	6.5%
Iowa	6.5%
Maine	6.4%
Oklahoma	6.3%
Vermont	6.3%
Alabama	6.2%
Indiana	6.1%
South Carolina	6.1%
Arkansas	6.1%
Kansas	6.0%
West Virginia	6.0%
Missouri	5.9%
Delaware	5.9%
California	5.9%
Tennessee	5.8%
Wisconsin	5.5%
Kentucky	5.5%
Georgia	5.5%
Minnesota	5.4%
Mississippi	5.4%
Massachusetts	5.3%
New Hampshire	5.3%
Ohio	5.2%
Michigan	5.1%
Rhode Island	5.1%
Pennsylvania	4.9%
New York	4.7%
Illinois	4.5%
New Jersey	4.5%
Connecticut	4.3%

All eight Mountain West states rank among the top 10 nationally for construction employment as a share of total jobs. Wyoming leads the nation at 11.0%, followed closely by Utah (9.5%), Idaho (9.3%), Montana (8.7%), Arizona (8.1%), Nevada (8.0%), New Mexico (7.9%), and Colorado (7.7%). This regional concentration reflects both strong construction demand and a significant dependence on the sector for employment.

Construction activity in the Mountain West is being driven by a combination of rapid in-migration, expanding housing needs, and large-scale manufacturing and infrastructure projects. The region’s business-friendly environment and abundance of undeveloped land have made it a hub for both residential and industrial development, pushing construction employment to consistently high levels across state lines.

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In contrast, states in the Northeast—such as Connecticut (4.3%), New Jersey (4.5%), and New York (4.7%)—along with several in the Midwest like Illinois (4.5%) and Michigan (5.1%), report the lowest shares of construction employment. These patterns suggest slower population growth, more mature housing markets, and possibly more diversified state economies where construction plays a less dominant role.

Where Is Construction Industry Employment Growing the Most?

Since 2019, states in the Mountain West are experiencing a hiring boom in construction

Data: Percentage and Total Change in Construction Industry Employment by State

State	Percentage change
Idaho	+35.5%
Arizona	+32.3%
Arkansas	+27.3%
Utah	+26.3%
Tennessee	+25.6%
Montana	+24.5%
South Dakota	+23.8%
Maine	+17.7%
North Carolina	+17.4%
Indiana	+16.2%
Kentucky	+16.2%
New Hampshire	+15.9%
Missouri	+15.8%
Nebraska	+15.7%
Florida	+15.0%
Nevada	+14.3%
Alabama	+14.1%
Mississippi	+13.5%
Wisconsin	+13.4%
Michigan	+13.2%
Alaska	+13.0%
Georgia	+11.9%
Kansas	+11.6%
Rhode Island	+11.2%
Texas	+10.8%
South Carolina	+10.2%
Ohio	+9.9%
Minnesota	+8.6%
Iowa	+8.6%
Virginia	+7.8%
New Mexico	+7.5%
Oregon	+6.6%
Delaware	+6.0%
Vermont	+6.0%
Connecticut	+5.9%
Colorado	+4.7%
Massachusetts	+4.6%
Hawaii	+4.6%
North Dakota	+4.1%
Illinois	+3.9%
Oklahoma	+3.9%
Wyoming	+3.5%
California	+3.1%
Washington	+3.0%
New Jersey	+2.9%
Pennsylvania	-0.2%
Maryland	-1.1%
Louisiana	-1.3%
New York	-4.3%
West Virginia	-5.0%

State	Total change
Florida	+84,355
Texas	+83,342
Arizona	+55,375
North Carolina	+40,408
Tennessee	+33,248
Utah	+28,775
California	+27,802
Georgia	+24,340
Indiana	+23,695
Michigan	+22,767
Ohio	+22,482
Missouri	+19,982
Idaho	+17,984
Wisconsin	+16,614
Virginia	+15,792
Arkansas	+14,342
Nevada	+13,698
Alabama	+13,216
Kentucky	+13,023
Minnesota	+10,950
South Carolina	+10,933
Illinois	+8,884
Nebraska	+8,449
Colorado	+8,330
Massachusetts	+7,462
Kansas	+7,425
Montana	+7,326
Oregon	+7,209
Iowa	+6,708
Washington	+6,221
Mississippi	+6,033
South Dakota	+5,618
Maine	+5,319
New Jersey	+4,554
New Hampshire	+4,424
New Mexico	+3,741
Connecticut	+3,541
Oklahoma	+3,234
Rhode Island	+2,231
Alaska	+2,132
Hawaii	+1,702
Delaware	+1,374
North Dakota	+1,157
Vermont	+913
Wyoming	+804
Pennsylvania	-629
West Virginia	-1,787
Maryland	-1,809
Louisiana	-1,822
New York	-17,487

Despite short- and long-term labor shortages at the national level, some states have seen substantial growth in construction hiring. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded a 35.5% increase in construction employment in Idaho from 2019 to 2024, the largest in the nation. Other parts of the Mountain West have also seen substantial increases, with Arizona (+32.3%), Utah (+26.3%), and Montana (+24.5%) all ranking in the top 10 for percentage growth.

Notably, the states with the highest percentage gains in construction employment tend to have lower population densities. However, these percentages don’t fully capture the impact of growth in more populous states. Florida, for instance, saw a more modest 15.0% growth but added 84,355 new construction industry positions—over 66,000 more jobs than the 17,984 that Idaho added during the same time period. Similarly, Texas’ 10.8% increase in construction employment translated to over 83,000 new jobs.

Below is a breakdown of construction industry employment across over 360 metros and all 50 states. For more detailed information, refer to the methodology section.

Cities With the Most Construction Workers

Top Large Metros	Percentage*
1. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	9.3%
2. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	8.4%
3. Raleigh-Cary, NC	8.4%
4. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	8.2%
5. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	8.1%
6. Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	8.0%
7. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	7.7%
8. Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	7.7%
9. Urban Honolulu, HI	7.7%
10. Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	7.6%
11. Jacksonville, FL	7.6%
12. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	7.5%
13. Richmond, VA	7.5%
14. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	7.2%
15. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	7.2%

Bottom Large Metros	Percentage*
1. Memphis, TN-MS-AR	4.5%
2. Cleveland, OH	4.5%
3. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	4.5%
4. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	4.5%
5. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	4.6%
6. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	4.6%
7. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	4.6%
8. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	4.7%
9. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	4.8%
10. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	5.0%
11. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	5.1%
12. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	5.1%
13. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	5.2%
14. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	5.3%
15. Rochester, NY	5.4%

Top Midsize Metros	Percentage*
1. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	16.2%
2. Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	15.8%
3. Baton Rouge, LA	14.9%
4. Corpus Christi, TX	13.1%
5. Naples-Marco Island, FL	13.1%
6. Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT	11.6%
7. North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	10.3%
8. Ogden, UT	10.2%
9. Boise City, ID	10.1%
10. Reno, NV	9.8%
11. Port St. Lucie, FL	9.8%
12. Ocala, FL	9.5%
13. Vallejo, CA	9.2%
14. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	9.1%
15. Wilmington, NC	8.8%

Bottom Midsize Metros	Percentage*
1. Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	3.0%
2. Trenton-Princeton, NJ	3.0%
3. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	3.6%
4. Ann Arbor, MI	3.7%
5. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	3.8%
6. Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	3.9%
7. New Haven, CT	4.1%
8. Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	4.2%
9. Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA	4.3%
10. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	4.4%
11. Salinas, CA	4.6%
12. Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	4.6%
13. Springfield, MA	4.7%
14. Reading, PA	4.8%
15. Huntsville, AL	5.0%

Top Small Metros	Percentage*
1. St. George, UT	13.6%
2. Greeley, CO	13.4%
3. Bozeman, MT	12.4%
4. Wildwood-The Villages, FL	12.4%
5. Lake Charles, LA	12.2%
6. Punta Gorda, FL	11.1%
7. Coeur d’Alene, ID	11.0%
8. Farmington, NM	10.7%
9. Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA	10.5%
10. Fairbanks-College, AK	10.5%
11. Homosassa Springs, FL	10.3%
12. Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL	10.2%
13. Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ	10.0%
14. Cheyenne, WY	10.0%
15. Odessa, TX	9.9%

Bottom Small Metros	Percentage*
1. Ithaca, NY	2.2%
2. Rome, GA	2.2%
3. Eagle Pass, TX	2.3%
4. Dalton, GA	2.4%
5. Laredo, TX	2.4%
6. Hinesville, GA	2.9%
7. Springfield, OH	3.0%
8. Hanford-Corcoran, CA	3.3%
9. Utica-Rome, NY	3.3%
10. Kenosha, WI	3.4%
11. Boulder, CO	3.4%
12. Bloomington, IL	3.5%
13. Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT	3.5%
14. Anniston-Oxford, AL	3.6%
15. Elkhart-Goshen, IN	3.6%

States With the Most Construction Workers

Top States	Percentage*
1. Wyoming	11.0%
2. Utah	9.5%
3. Idaho	9.3%
4. Montana	8.7%
5. Louisiana	8.7%
6. North Dakota	8.2%
7. Arizona	8.1%
8. Nevada	8.0%
9. New Mexico	7.9%
10. Colorado	7.7%
11. South Dakota	7.7%
12. Hawaii	7.5%
13. Florida	7.4%
14. Maryland	7.3%
15. Nebraska	7.3%

Bottom States	Percentage*
1. Connecticut	4.3%
2. New Jersey	4.5%
3. Illinois	4.5%
4. New York	4.7%
5. Pennsylvania	4.9%
6. Rhode Island	5.1%
7. Michigan	5.1%
8. Ohio	5.2%
9. New Hampshire	5.3%
10. Massachusetts	5.3%
11. Mississippi	5.4%
12. Minnesota	5.4%
13. Georgia	5.5%
14. Kentucky	5.5%
15. Wisconsin	5.5%

*Percentage of employment in construction

Cities With the Most Construction Worker Growth

Top Large Metros	Change*
1. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	+34.2%
2. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	+31.1%
3. Raleigh-Cary, NC	+30.0%
4. Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	+28.3%
5. Columbus, OH	+27.9%
6. Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	+23.7%
7. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	+22.0%
8. Fresno, CA	+20.5%
9. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	+17.2%
10. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	+17.0%
11. Kansas City, MO-KS	+16.5%
12. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	+16.1%
13. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	+15.8%
14. Tucson, AZ	+15.5%
15. Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	+15.1%

Bottom Large Metros	Change
1. Pittsburgh, PA	-9.7%
2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	-6.3%
3. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	-4.2%
4. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	-2.4%
5. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	-0.7%
6. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	-0.6%
7. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	-0.1%
8. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	+0.1%
9. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	+0.9%
10. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	+1.4%
11. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	+2.3%
12. Memphis, TN-MS-AR	+3.2%
13. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	+3.5%
14. Urban Honolulu, HI	+4.0%
15. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	+4.1%

Top Midsize Metros	Change*
1. Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	+45.9%
2. Boise City, ID	+36.4%
3. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	+30.8%
4. Lafayette, LA	+29.9%
5. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	+28.4%
6. Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	+28.4%
7. Savannah, GA	+28.1%
8. Jackson, MS	+26.7%
9. Lansing-East Lansing, MI	+25.1%
10. Port St. Lucie, FL	+24.6%
11. Wilmington, NC	+24.6%
12. Reno, NV	+24.4%
13. Killeen-Temple, TX	+23.8%
14. Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	+23.5%
15. Greensboro-High Point, NC	+23.0%

Bottom Midsize Metros	Change*
1. Vallejo, CA	-10.8%
2. El Paso, TX	-5.7%
3. Toledo, OH	-3.6%
4. Syracuse, NY	-2.2%
5. Bakersfield-Delano, CA	-1.9%
6. Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	-1.7%
7. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	-1.3%
8. Fayetteville, NC	-0.7%
9. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	No change
10. Eugene-Springfield, OR	+0.8%
11. Colorado Springs, CO	+1.1%
12. Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	+2.1%
13. Corpus Christi, TX	+3.1%
14. Reading, PA	+3.2%
15. Springfield, MA	+3.3%

Top Small Metros	Change*
1. Eagle Pass, TX	+87.8%
2. Kokomo, IN	+68.9%
3. Elizabethtown, KY	+60.5%
4. Helena, MT	+43.3%
5. Warner Robins, GA	+42.4%
6. Paducah, KY-IL	+39.3%
7. Pocatello, ID	+37.8%
8. Twin Falls, ID	+36.5%
9. Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	+35.0%
10. Auburn-Opelika, AL	+34.9%
11. Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ	+34.5%
12. Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA	+33.2%
13. Clarksville, TN-KY	+32.9%
14. Sherman-Denison, TX	+32.2%
15. St. George, UT	+31.7%

Bottom Small Metros	Change*
1. Lake Charles, LA	-55.7%
2. Wheeling, WV-OH	-26.8%
3. Johnstown, PA	-22.2%
4. Niles, MI	-13.6%
5. Odessa, TX	-13.0%
6. Victoria, TX	-12.5%
7. Napa, CA	-11.2%
8. Ames, IA	-9.4%
9. Chico, CA	-8.9%
10. Muncie, IN	-8.5%
11. Williamsport, PA	-8.4%
12. Beckley, WV	-7.4%
13. Longview, TX	-7.2%
14. Ithaca, NY	-6.8%
15. Boulder, CO	-5.5%

States With the Most Construction Worker Growth

Top States	Change*
1. Idaho	+35.5%
2. Arizona	+32.3%
3. Arkansas	+27.3%
4. Utah	+26.3%
5. Tennessee	+25.6%
6. Montana	+24.5%
7. South Dakota	+23.8%
8. Maine	+17.7%
9. North Carolina	+17.4%
10. Indiana	+16.2%
11. Kentucky	+16.2%
12. New Hampshire	+15.9%
13. Missouri	+15.8%
14. Nebraska	+15.7%
15. Florida	+15.0%

Bottom States	Change*
1. West Virginia	-5.0%
2. New York	-4.3%
3. Louisiana	-1.3%
4. Maryland	-1.1%
5. Pennsylvania	-0.2%
6. New Jersey	+2.9%
7. Washington	+3.0%
8. California	+3.1%
9. Wyoming	+3.5%
10. Oklahoma	+3.9%
11. Illinois	+3.9%
12. North Dakota	+4.1%
13. Hawaii	+4.6%
14. Massachusetts	+4.6%
15. Colorado	+4.7%

*5-year change in construction employment

Full Results

Methodology

To determine the locations with the most construction workers, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. The researchers ranked locations by the percentage of total employment in the construction industry in 2024, the latest data available. In the event of a tie, the location with the greater total number of construction industry employees was ranked higher. The QCEW sometimes omits data to protect the identity, or identifiable information, of cooperating employers. Some metropolitan areas have “N/A” values that reflect these omissions or metropolitan boundary changes from prior years, and some metros were omitted entirely due to insufficient data.

To improve relevance, metros were grouped into cohorts based on population size: small (less than 350,000), midsize (350,000–1,000,000), and large (more than 1,000,000).

References

Associated Builders and Contractors (January 24, 2025). ABC: Construction Industry Must Attract 439,000 Workers in 2025. https://www.abc.org/News-Media/News-Releases/abc-construction-industry-must-attract-439000-workers-in-2025.
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) (January 11, 2021). COVID-19: Essential Workers in the States. https://www.ncsl.org/labor-and-employment/covid-19-essential-workers-in-the-states#trades.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (July 3, 2025). Unemployment Rate. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE.
Rogers, L., et al. (March 30, 2023). Domestic Outmigration From Some Urban Counties Slowed, Smaller Gains in Rural Counties. U.S. Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/03/domestic-migration-trends-shifted.html.
Fikri, K. (February 7, 2023). The Mountain West Is Winning Manufacturing’s New Build-Out. Economic Innovation Group. https://eig.org/mountain-west-leads-manufacturing-investment/.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. https://www.bls.gov/cew/.