The U.S. construction industry faces a high degree of uncertainty in 2025. On one hand, demand for new housing and infrastructure remains high, driven by a persistent housing shortage and a wave of federal investment. On the other hand, the sector is grappling with notable headwinds: labor shortages have tightened the market for skilled workers, while overall construction spending has slowed in recent months amid elevated interest rates and broader economic uncertainty. These conflicting trends have cast a spotlight on the construction workforce—both where it is growing and where it may be vulnerable.
Historically, construction employment has closely mirrored macroeconomic cycles, rising in times of expansion and contracting sharply during downturns. The recent post-pandemic boom brought millions of workers back into the industry, with employment reaching over 8 million in 2024 according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. But as economic momentum cools, there is growing interest in where construction activity remains most concentrated.
This report by Construction Coverage—a website that helps contractors and construction pros run better businesses—examines long-term trends in construction employment, identifies the most common construction industry occupations, and highlights the U.S. cities and states where construction workers make up the largest share of the local workforce. These high-concentration areas not only reflect where construction activity is most robust, but also where local economies may be most exposed should the sector contract.
How Many People Work in the U.S. Construction Industry?
There are approximately 8.1 million Americans employed in construction, accounting for 6.1% of private-sector employment
Source: Construction Coverage analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data | Image Credit: Construction Coverage
As of December 2024, about 8.1 million Americans work in construction, accounting for 6.1% of private-sector employment. While this marks a strong recovery from the lows of the Great Recession, the sector has yet to return to pre-2008 levels.
Construction employment declined sharply following the housing market crash, reaching a low point in early 2011 when it accounted for just 4.8% of private-sector jobs—the lowest level in over 30 years. Since then, the sector has gradually regained ground, supported by sustained demand for housing and infrastructure projects.
The COVID-19 pandemic briefly accelerated this trend. With construction classified as essential in many states, the industry avoided the widespread job losses seen in other sectors, and its employment share temporarily rose above 6.4%. While that surge was short-lived, construction’s share has held relatively steady in the years since, hovering between 6.0% and 6.3%.
The Most Popular Construction Industry Jobs
Laborers, supervisors, and carpenters are the most common construction jobs
Source: Construction Coverage analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data | Image Credit: Construction Coverage
While the construction industry is often associated with manual labor and skilled trades, the sector supports a broad mix of occupations, from on-site workers to project coordinators and administrative staff. The most common roles remain those at the core of physical construction: laborers (11.0%), first-line supervisors (7.7%), and carpenters (7.3%) collectively make up more than a quarter of the industry’s workforce. Other specialized trades like electricians (7.2%), plumbers (4.6%), HVAC technicians (3.7%), masons (2.4%), painters (2.2%), and roofers (1.6%) are also among the most popular construction jobs.
Beyond the jobsite, many roles support project planning, oversight, and business operations. Construction managers and general operations managers each represent 3.4% of total construction employment, while project managers account for 2.7%. Administrative roles—including bookkeepers (1.6%)—play a smaller but essential role in keeping projects and payrolls running smoothly.
Which States Rely Most Heavily on the Construction Sector for Jobs?
Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho have the highest concentration of construction workers
Source: Construction Coverage analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data | Image Credit: Construction Coverage
All eight Mountain West states rank among the top 10 nationally for construction employment as a share of total jobs. Wyoming leads the nation at 11.0%, followed closely by Utah (9.5%), Idaho (9.3%), Montana (8.7%), Arizona (8.0%), Nevada (7.9%), New Mexico (7.9%), and Colorado (7.7%). This regional concentration reflects both strong construction demand and a significant dependence on the sector for employment.
Construction activity in the Mountain West is being driven by a combination of rapid in-migration, expanding housing needs, and large-scale manufacturing and infrastructure projects. The region’s business-friendly environment and abundance of undeveloped land have made it a hub for both residential and industrial development, pushing construction employment to consistently high levels across state lines.
In contrast, states in the Northeast—such as Connecticut (4.3%), New Jersey (4.4%), and New York (4.7%)—along with several in the Midwest like Illinois (4.5%) and Michigan (5.1%), report the lowest shares of construction employment. These patterns suggest slower population growth, more mature housing markets, and possibly more diversified state economies where construction plays a less dominant role.
Below is a breakdown of the cities and states with the highest concentration of construction workers. For complete results, see the original version on Construction Coverage: Cities With the Most Construction Workers.
Cities With the Most Construction Workers
States With the Most Construction Workers
Methodology
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To determine the locations with the most construction workers, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. The researchers ranked locations by the percentage of total employment in the construction industry in 2024, the latest data available. In the event of a tie, the location with the greater total number of construction industry employees was ranked higher. To improve relevance, only metropolitan areas with complete data were included, and they were grouped into cohorts based on population size: small (less than 350,000), midsize (350,000–1,000,000), and large (more than 1,000,000).
For complete results, see Cities With the Most Construction Workers on Construction Coverage.
