Construction Strong Compared To Other Industries
Despite COVID and all its significant challenges, construction has performed better than other industries during the pandemic. In September, the U.S. unemployment rate was 7.7%, whereas for construction, the rate was only 7.1%. In many locations, construction is considered ‘essential,’ allowing projects to continue and keeping workers on the job.
Of course, many projects were cancelled, and layoffs have occurred, so construction has not been unaffected. According to the Associated General Contractors of America, employment in the construction industry fell in 58% of metro areas from October 2019 to October 2020. In the country’s 358 metro areas, jobs were lost in 209 and employment was stagnant in 40. However, construction jobs were added in 109 metro areas across the Unites States.
Weathering The Storm
Relative to other industries, job performance in construction has been good. Unemployment rates for construction are down in 20 states – the top 5 states with the lowest unemployment being South Dakota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, and Utah.
States with the highest construction unemployment include California, Nevada, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Hawaii. Many construction projects are considered essential and have been able to continue through the pandemic. Our industry has been able to weather some of the storm because construction companies were early adopters of COVID protection measures, such as check-in apps and safety protocols.
