PROVIDENCE – Construction employment in the Providence-Warwick-Fall River metropolitan area rose 6 percent between January 2017 and January 2018, according to data released by the Associated General Contractors of America Friday.
The Providence metro area ranked No. 110 for highest percentage growth among 358 metro areas in the country, with an increase of 1,200 in construction employment, rising to 21,900 in January 2018 from 20,700 in January 2017.
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The Norwich, Conn.-New London-Westerly metro area was ranked No. 337, as its construction, mining and logging employment decreased by 5 percent to 3,600 in 2018.
Nationally, 248 out of the 358 metro areas saw construction employment increases year-over-year, while 42 held steady and 68 declined, according to the release.
The largest employment increase percentage was seen in the Merced, Calif., metro area, with a 38 percent increase year over year, representing 800 new jobs, followed by Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, Mass.-N.H. with a 26 percent increase year over year, representing 700 new jobs. The largest nominal gain in construction jobs occurred in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif., which added 10,600 jobs over the year, a percentage increase of 12 percent.
The largest employment loss percentage was seen in Auburn-Opelika, Ala., with a 32 percent decrease, representing 1,200 jobs, followed by Monroe, Mich., with a 16 percent decrease year-over-year, representing 300 jobs. Baton Rouge, La., had the largest construction employment drop, 6,600, which was a decline of 13 percent.
Year-over-year construction, mining and lodging job changes in surrounding metro areas, with national rank:
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Mass., 3 percent gain, 2,000 jobs, No. 190
- Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Mass., 5 percent gain, 200 jobs, No. 135
- New Bedford, Mass, 4 percent gain, 100 jobs, No. 159
- Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, Mass., 3 percent gain, 100 jobs, No. 190
- Worcester, Mass., 5 percent gain, 500 jobs, No. 135
Lauren Aratani is a PBN contributing writer.
