Statewide Florida construction employment declines
modestly in past year despite COVID-19 crisis
Florida Construction News staff writer
Despite the pain and economic
crisis caused by COVID-19, espe-
cially for the tourism and hospitality
sectors, Florida’s construction em-
ployment levels for the 12 months
ending in August have not fared so
badly. Data compiled from the US De-
partment of Labor by the Associ-
ated General Contractors of
America (AGCA) indicates that
statewide employment declined by
only about one percent, or 2,900,
and that several metropolitan areas
experienced a net growth in con-
struction jobs in the year.
For example, the small market
area of Panama City showed a 12
percent gain, causing it to rank as
the sixth most healthy construction
market in the nation, with a gain of
800 construction, mining and log-
ging jobs to 7,700. (In smaller mar-
kets, mining and logging are
lumped in with construction in the
overall totals.)
Conversely, some markets such
as Fort Lauderdale fared poorly —
that market area experienced an 11
percent decline to 44,600 jobs, a
loss of 5,400 jobs.
Nationally, construction employ-
ment decreased in 241, or 67 per-
cent, out of 358 metro areas
between August 2019 and last
month, AGC reported on Oct. 1. As-
sociation officials urged Congress
to pass new coronavirus relief
measures before leaving town.
“Although residential construc-
tion is picking up in many areas,
public and nonresidential construc-
tion are shrinking,” said Ken Simon-
son, the association’s chief
economist. “Project cancellations
are spreading, and fewer new proj-
ects are starting up. That combina-
tion makes further employment
declines inevitable unless the fed-
eral government steps up support
for infrastructure.”
4 – FALL 2020 — Florida Construction News
Here is the data by metropolitan area listed by area, industry, employ-
ment numbers for August 2019, numbers for Aug. 2020, the 12-month gain
or loss, the percentage change and the area’s ranking nationally.
Aug. 2019 Aug. 2020 GAIN/LOSS
RANK Statewide Construction
569,100 566,200 -2,900 -1%
Statewide Mining, Logging, and Construction
574,800 571,800 -3,000 -1%
Cape Coral-Fort Myers Mining, Logging, and Construction 32,800 33,700
900 3%
43 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin Mining, Logging,
6,900 7,000
100 1%
67 and Construction
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach Mining, Logging, 14,300 14,500
200 1%
67 and Construction
Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield
50,000 44,600 -5,400 -11%
278 Beach Div.Construction
Gainesville Mining, Logging, and Construction
6,100 6,300
200 3%
43 Jacksonville Construction
46,600 46,800
200 0%
85 Lakeland-Winter Haven Mining, Logging, and Construction 14,500 15,500 1,000 7%
18 Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall Div. Construction
53,900 54,600
700 1%
67 Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island Mining, Logging,
17,600 18,500
900 5%
27 and Construction
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton Mining, Logging,
26,400 26,200 -200 -1%
118 and Construction
Ocala Mining, Logging, and Construction
8,600 9,200
600 7%
18 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Construction
87,100 84,300 -2,800 -3%
147 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Mining, Logging,
15,600 16,600 1,000 6%
22 and Construction
Panama City Mining, Logging, and Construction
6,900 7,700
800 12%
6 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent Mining, Logging,
12,400 12,400
0 0%
89 and Construction
Port St. Lucie Mining, Logging, and Construction
12,200 13,200 1,000 8%
14 Punta Gorda Mining, Logging, and Construction
4,300 4,300
0 0%
89 Sebastian-Vero Beach Mining, Logging, and Construction
4,500 4,400 -100 -2%
133 Tallahassee Mining, Logging, and Construction
9,100 9,400
300 3%
43 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Construction
81,100 82,500 1,400 2%
55 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach
39,300 38,800 -500 -1%
118 Div. Construction
Mass. had the largest percentage
decline (-38 percent, -2,200 jobs),
followed by Johnstown, Pa. (-34
percent, -1,000 jobs).
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Ind. added the most construction
jobs from August 2019 to August
2020 (4,800 jobs, 9 percent), fol-
lowed by Baltimore-Columbia-Tow-
son, Md. (4,300 jobs, 5 percent).
Niles-Benton Harbor, Mich. had the
highest percentage increase (16
percent, 400 jobs), followed by
Fond du Lac, Wisc. (15 percent, 500
York City (-21,700 jobs, -13 percent).
Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, jobs) and Walla Walla, Wash. (15
percent, 100 jobs).
© CAN STOCK PHOTO / KADMY
Simonson noted that construc-
tion employment was stagnant in
29 metro areas and increased in
only 88 areas (25 percent) over the
past 12 months. Nineteen metros
had all-time lows for August con-
struction employment, while 33
areas had record highs for August,
in data going back to 1990 for most
areas. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar
Land, Texas lost the most construc-
tion jobs over 12 months (-22,800
jobs, -10 percent), followed by New
Association officials urged Con-
gressional leaders to not leave town
until after the election without pass-
ing much-needed new coronavirus
relief measures. In particular, the
construction officials called on Con-
gress to pass new liability protec-
tions for firms that are taking steps
to protect workers from the coron-
avirus. They also urged Congres-
sional leaders to boost investments
in infrastructure and pass measures
designed to preserve payrolls.
“The coronavirus and efforts to
mitigate its spread have left our
economy deeply wounded, de-
pressing demand for many types of
commercial construction projects,”
said Stephen E. Sandherr, the asso-
ciation’s chief executive officer.
“Congress can end the downward
economic slide and help create
needed new construction jobs by
passing measures to boost demand
and protect honest employers.”
View the metro employment 12-
month data, rankings, top 10, and
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90 McDONALD’S (2:1) 192 SF
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These drawings and designs are the
exclusive property of Stellar Sign and
Design LLC. Use or duplication in any
manner including but not limited to
electronic transfer without express
permission of Stellar Sign and Design LLC
is prohibited. ©2017 Stellar Sign and
Design LLC.
PROJECT :
NONA COVE
SITE ADDRESS:
SH RM
KEY PLAN: NTS
9301 PROJECT #
AM: Designer:
PM Date:
Sheet Size - 11" X 17"
- 4-17-20
No. DATE
REVISIONS Approved
DESCRIPTION Approved as noted
Revise and resubmit
Approved: SHEET :
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Date: Florida Construction News — FALL 2020 – 5