Construction employment up 9.2% in Fla.

WASHINGTON – March 21, 2014 – Florida added 32,700 construction jobs between January 2013 and January 2014, a 9.2 percent increase and the third-best total of all 50 states.

An Associated General Contractors of America analysis of Labor Department data finds that construction firms added jobs in 38 states year-over-year, while 27 states posted construction employment gains between December and January.

Kansas posted the biggest increase with a 10.7 percent rise (5,900 jobs). Oregon came in second with a 9.4 percent increase, or 6,600 jobs.

Meanwhile, nine states and the District of Columbia lost jobs between January 2013 and January 2014, with construction employment unchanged in three states. Wyoming had the greatest decrease at -5.9 percent, or the loss of 1,300 jobs, followed by West Virginia (-5.4 percent, -1,900 jobs), New Hampshire (-4.4 percent, -1,000 jobs) and Washington, D.C. (-4.3 percent, -600 jobs).

AGC officials said the fact that so many states added construction jobs for the year and month – despite harsh winter conditions in many areas – is a sign that demand appears to be recovering.

“Especially considering the fact many parts of the country experienced very harsh weather in January, these construction job figures are particularly robust,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Yet some of these gains will be at risk if federal transportation funding comes to halt this summer as predicted.”

© Florida Realtors

Construction employment up 9.2% in Fla.