Construction employment in Massachusetts rose 4 percent in June compared to the same time last year, with 13 out of 14 metropolitan areas in the commonwealth experiencing increases, according to a recent report from The Associated General Contractors of America.
The Springfield and Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury metro areas ranked sixth in the nation, with a 14 percent increase in construction employment year-over-year. Other metro areas in the state that had increased construction employment in June include:
- •Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, 4 percent
- Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, 2 percent
- Framingham, 5 percent
- Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, 5 percent
- Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, 5 percent
- New Bedford, 9 percent
- Peabody, 3 percent
- Pittsfield, 7 percent
- Springfield, 14 percent
- Worcester, 4 percent
- Nashua, N.H.-Mass., 2 percent
- Providence-Fall River-Warwick, R.I.-Mass., 5 percent
The only metro area in Massachusetts where construction employment fell in June was Barnstable Town by 8 percent.
Construction employment increased in 149 out of 337 metropolitan areas nationwide in June, declined in 141 and stayed level in 47, according to a statement.
"A lot of metro areas appear to be benefitting from growing demand from the private sector for new construction," said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. "Declining public sector demand is clearly taking a toll on just as many metro areas, however."
