Construction Employment Increases In Small Majority Of Metro Areas In February But Upcoming Highway Bill Deadline Puts Further Gains At Risk

Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, Texas and Eau Claire, Wis. Have Highest Number and Percentage of Job Gains Since February 2025; New York City. and Lawton, Okla. HaveLargest and Steepest Job Losses

Slightly more than half of metro areas added construction jobs between February 2025 and February 2026, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials called for the federal government to enact a new highway and transit funding law before the current one expires in a few months noting that the measure was needed to boost construction employment and support overall economic growth.

"Although a majority of metro areas added construction jobs in the latest 12-month period, it will become increasingly difficult to sustain job gains unless policy makers in Washington renew the highway and transit spending bill by September 30," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "If federal funding lapses, many good-paying jobs will disappear. Getting those workers back will be a major challenge."

Between February 2025 and February 2026, 187 out of 360 metro areas, or 52 percent, added construction employees. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, Texas added the most construction jobs (11,200 jobs or 4 percent), followed by St. Louis, Mo.-Ill. (4,700 jobs, 6 percent); Austin-Round Rock, Texas (4,700 jobs, 5 percent); Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C.-S.C. (4,500 jobs, 6 percent); and the Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine, Texas metro division (3,500 jobs, 4 percent). The largest percentage gain-17 percent-occurred in Eau Claire, Wis. (600 jobs), followed by 16 percent increases in Bloomington, Ind. (500 jobs) and Bloomington, Ill. (400 jobs), and 15 percent gains in Sandusky, Ohio (300 jobs) and Kenosha, Wis. (300 jobs).

Construction employment declined over the year in 135 metro areas and was unchanged in 38 areas. The largest decrease occurred in New York City (-6,600 jobs, -5 percent), followed by the Jersey City-White Plains, N.Y.-N.J. metro division (-5,200 jobs, -8 percent); the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale division (-4,800 jobs, -3 percent); and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. (-4,600 jobs, -4 percent). The largest percentage loss occurred in Lawton, Okla. (-18 percent, -300 jobs), followed by Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, La. (-14 percent, -900 jobs); and Fairbanks-College, Alaska (-300 jobs, -12 percent).

Association officials said they are launching a nationwide campaign to educate the public, and through them, Congress, about the many benefits of having a highway and transportation bill in place and on time. The America's Moving Forward campaign will use targeted digital and social media advertising to reach constituents in many key congressional districts across the country and direct them to a campaign website to learn more about the benefits of federal transportation funding and connect them with their member of Congress to show their support. The association plans to invest up to $2 million in the campaign.

"Investing in highways and transit systems doesn't just boost demand for infrastructure construction, it also stimulates broader economic growth and demand for a range of construction projects," said Jeffrey D. Shoaf, the chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America. "Delaying the transportation measure will only make it harder for many regions to add high-paying construction jobs."

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