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Oregon Fourth in the U.S. for Construction Job Growth
According to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), Oregon ranked No. 4 in the nation for seasonally adjusted construction job growth, adding 8,000 new workers from May 2022 to May 2023, reported the Portland Business Journal.
The statewide spree represented a 7% gain year-to-year, and the third-highest percent increase out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, AGC reported. The Oregon statistics, with statewide construction employment rising from 114,500 in 2022 to 122,500 in 2023, come as several key projects are underway to increase affordable housing options.
Forty-two states and the nation’s capital added jobs on the year, led by Texas for sheer number (21,100 but only 2.7%) and Arkansas by percent growth (10.2% with 5,800 jobs), according to AGC. Employment fell in seven states and stayed the same in Vermont.
The AGC numbers don’t differentiate between residential and nonresidential construction workers, and that’s an important distinction. In 2022, construction workers in general, had a roughly 10% wage premium compared to the state’s average wage, according to the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis.
