May/June wasn’t a good time for the construction industry in Yuba — which saw the nation’s largest monthly decline percentage wise in employment, at 10 percent. The overall results in the state were better, as California rebounded from the initial COVID-19 lockdown, with a 4 percent overall growth. However the data doesn’t provide information about the current circumstances, with a resurgence of the virus and the reimposition of emergency measures.
These observations are based on an analysis of new government data, as reported by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA) on July 29.
Here is the most recent data for several California market areas. The numbers include employment figures in May, June, the change in numbers, the percentage change and the national ranking. In smaller communities the totals include mining and logging as well as construction.
- California Statewide Construction 826,800 857,300 30,500 4%
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine Div. Construction 102,600 105,100 2,500 2% 240
- Bakersfield Construction 16,400 16,200 -200 -1% 319
- Chico, Mining, Logging, and Construction 4,400 4,600 200 5% 126
- El Centro Mining, Logging, and Construction 1,900 1,800 -100 -5% 354
- Fresno Construction 18,100 17,900 -200 -1% 319
- Hanford-Corcoran Mining, Logging, and Construction 900 1,000 100 11% 45
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Div. Construction 141,900 145,700 3,800 3% 201
- Madera Mining, Logging, and Construction 1,900 2,000 100 5% 126
- Merced Mining, Logging, and Construction 2,700 2,800 100 4% 156
- Modesto Mining, Logging, and Construction 8,900 9,800 900 10% 52
- Napa Mining, Logging, and Construction 4,500 4,700 200 4% 156
- Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley Div. Construction 62,400 67,400 5,000 8% 63
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura Construction 16,800 16,900 100 1% 263
- Redding Mining, Logging, and Construction 3,900 4,000 100 3% 201
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Construction 101,000 104,300 3,300 3% 201
- Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade Construction 65,100 66,000 900 1% 263
- Salinas Construction 6,500 6,300 -200 -3% 346
- San Diego-Carlsbad Construction 77,300 81,400 4,100 5% 126
- San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco Div. Construction 39,000 41,800 2,800 7% 85
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara Construction 44,800 51,100 6,300 14% 20
- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande Mining, Logging, and Construction 7,300 6,900 -400 -5% 354
- San Rafael Div. Construction 7,100 7,400 300 4% 156
- Santa Cruz-Watsonville Mining, Logging, and Construction 4,500 4,700 200 4% 156
- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara Construction 9,300 9,600 300 3% 201
- Santa Rosa Construction 16,700 16,400 -300 -2% 334
- Stockton-Lodi Construction 12,500 12,800 300 2% 240
- Vallejo-Fairfield Construction 12,300 12,100 -200 -2% 334
- Visalia-Porterville Mining, Logging, and Construction 6,700 6,600 -100 -1% 319
- Yuba City Mining, Logging, and Construction 3,100 2,800 -300 -1
Nationally, construction employment decreased in 225, or 62 percent, out of 358 metro areas between June 2019 and last month despite widespread increases from May to June. Association officials urged government officials to enact liability reform, boost infrastructure investments and extend tax credits to help the industry recover and rebuild.
“It’s troubling to see construction employment lagging year-ago levels in most locations, in spite of a strong rebound in May and June,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Those gains were not enough to erase the huge losses in March and April. Many indicators since the employment data were collected in mid-June suggest construction employment will soon decline, or stagnate at best, in much of the country.”
Simonson noted that construction employment was stagnant in 39 metro areas and increased in only 94 areas (26 percent) over the past 12 months. Eighteen metros had all-time lows for June construction employment, while 28 areas had record highs for June, in data going back to 1990 for most areas.
Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Mass. had the largest percentage decline: -37 percent (-2,200 jobs). Austin-Round Rock, Texas added the most construction jobs from June 2019 to June 2020: 4,100 jobs (6 percent). Walla Walla, Wash. had the highest percentage increase: 27 percent (300 jobs).
From May to June—a month when construction employment typically increases in most metro areas, 291 metros added construction employees; 42 areas had a decrease; and employment was unchanged in 25 areas. New York City added the most construction jobs between May and June: 22,100 or 22 percent. The largest percentage increase occurred in Monroe, Mich.: 31 percent (500 jobs). New Orleans-Metairie La. lost the most jobs during the month: -1,500 jobs (-6 percent). The largest percentage loss was in Yuba City, Calif.: -10 percent (-300 jobs).
Association officials noted that Senate Republican leaders released a new coronavirus recovery measure recently that includes provisions that can help construction firms rebuild their payrolls. These include liability reforms so construction firms that are protecting workers from the coronavirus will not be subject to needless litigation. The proposal also includes improvement to the Paycheck Protection Program and an expansion of the Employee Retention Tax Credit the association supports.
“While the measure also addresses unemployment insurance and workforce development, it fails to include the kind of infrastructure funding needed to rebuild our economy” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “That new funding is needed to address state transportation funding shortfalls, fix aging public facilities and help retrofit structures to protect students and others from the coronavirus.”
View the metro employment 1-month data, rankings, top 10, map and 12-month data, rankings, top 10, and map.
