Report shows Arkansas leading in construction job growth
by June 6, 2023 2:17 pm 1,607 views
Construction employment increased in 42 states from April 2022 to April 2023. Arkansas had the country’s most significant percentage increase (9.8%).
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) analysis of new government data showed that construction employment in Arkansas increased by 5,500 to 61,900 jobs in the 12 months that ended this past April.
Rhode Island (7.6%), which added 1,600 jobs, Indiana (7.3%), Nebraska (6.8%) and Idaho (6.3%) round out the top five in terms of most job gains as percentage.
Texas added the most jobs over the year (28,000 jobs, 3.6%), followed by New York (13,400 jobs, 3.5%), Indiana (11,200 jobs, 7.3%), and Florida (8,600 jobs, 1.4%).
For the month (March 2023 to April 2023), Arkansas ranked No. 3 in job gains as a percentage, adding 1,100 jobs to 61,900 (1.8%). Construction employment increased in 24 states and the District of Columbia and declined in 26 states.
“Contractors continue to report strong demand for projects and have added employees in all but a handful of states over the past year,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The fact that employment dipped in April in half the states may reflect an inability to find qualified workers at a time of record-low construction unemployment, not a slowdown in demand.”
In the most recent metro statistical area (MSA) report available, the Northwest Arkansas metro added 1,300 construction jobs (9%) from March 2022 to March 2023, up to 15,400. That ranked No. 41 among 358 MSAs in terms of percentage change and No. 48 in terms of jobs gained.
Fort Smith metro construction jobs ranked No. 90 with 6% growth in the same time period, from 5,000 to 5,300 jobs. Central Arkansas added 600 jobs, from 18,700 to 19,300.