PROVIDENCE – Construction employment in the Providence metro area increased 11 percent year over year, an uptick of 2,600 jobs to 26,400, according to a report released Wednesday by the Associated General Contractors of America.
The increase for the metro area is tied for No. 32 for largest percent growth in the nation.
Among the metropolitan areas tied with the Providence metro area’s construction growth is the Springfield, Mass., metro, which also grew 11 percent year over year, which accounts for 1,300 jobs, and the Barnstable, Mass., metro area, which added 700 construction jobs increasing to 7,100. These three metro areas are tied for the second-highest percent gain in New England only behind the Portsmouth, N.H., metro area construction growth, which rose 13 percent (300 jobs) to 2,700.
The New Bedford metro area added 200 construction jobs in June, an 8 percent increase year over year, increasing to 2,800.
The New London metro area added 200 construction, mining and logging jobs, a 5 percent year-over-year increase to 4,500 in June. (Construction-only employment data was not provided for this metro area.)
New England state construction employment:
Statewide, in Rhode Island, June construction employment rose 13 percent, accounting for a 2,400 increase in construction employment since June 2016. This was the largest percent gain year over year for any state in New England. Rhode Island had the third-largest nominal increase in construction employment of all the New England states.
New Hampshire construction employment rose 11 percent (an addition of 3,000 jobs) year over year, the second-highest percent increase in New England. New Hampshire was tied with Massachusetts for first for the largest nominal increase in construction employment year over year in June.
Connecticut construction employment rose 3 percent year over year in June (1,900 jobs) to 63,600 construction jobs. Connecticut had the fourth-largest nominal increase in construction employment of any New England state, behind Rhode Island.
Maine added 1,500 construction jobs year over year in June, increasing statewide construction employment to 30,500, a 5 percent increase.
Massachusetts construction employment increased 2 percent year over year in June, an increase of 3,000 jobs. This was tied for the largest nominal increase of construction employment in New England with New Hampshire.
Vermont was the only state in New England to see a decrease in construction employment year over year in June. Construction employment declined 1 percent (100 jobs) year over year to 16,400.
Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor.
