Amidst the numerous construction cranes dominating the skyline, it’s no surprise that the Dallas area outpaced all other U.S. metro regions in construction job growth last year.
According to a recent report by the Associated General Contractors, the Dallas area saw a remarkable increase of 12,300 building sector jobs in 2023, marking an 8% year-over-year rise.
Additionally, Fort Worth, a part of the same metro area, saw an additional 2,500 construction jobs added.
Phoenix followed as the second fastest-growing construction employment market with 10,400 new jobs, while Riverside, California, secured the third spot with 10,000 new building sector jobs.
Austin also made the top rankings, clinching the fifth position with an 8,100-job gain. Overall, construction industry employment experienced growth in 63% of the U.S. markets surveyed by the contractors’ association.
“Even more metro areas would have added workers if they were available,” said Ken Simonson, the contractor’s association’s chief economist, based on the report. “But there were 374,000 job openings in construction at the end of December, according to a separate government report, illustrating the difficulty contractors face in filling positions.”
DFW outpaced the nation in total job growth for 2023, with 134,200 more jobs by December compared to the previous year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The region initiated several major construction projects during the year, including the $500 million Wells Fargo regional office campus in Irving and Goldman Sachs’ expansive office complex north of downtown Dallas.
DFW leads the nation in constructing office spaces and apartments. Conversely, while DFW experienced robust construction growth, the Houston area saw declines, ending the year with 5,900 fewer construction jobs than in 2022. Other areas experiencing construction employment declines include suburban New York City and the Denver region.
Source: Associated General Contractors of America
