Construction employment on Long Island saw another year-over-year drop in May, the fifth straight month of declines, according to a new report from the Associated General Contractors of America.
Nassau and Suffolk counties lost 3,400 construction jobs from July 2024 to July 2025, a 4 percent year-over-year decline, falling from 84,300 to 80,900, the AGCA reports.
Regionally, the number of construction jobs in New York City was down 1 percent, losing 2,000 jobs from July 2024 to July 2025, falling from 145,300 to 143,300.
Nationally, construction employment rose in 184 of 360 metro areas between July 2024 and July 2025, while it declined in 120 metro areas and was unchanged in 56 areas, according to AGCA and new government employment data.
Association officials said a survey of their members to be released on Thursday shows many contractors want to hire more workers but cannot find enough applicants with adequate training or credentials.
“Construction employment has stalled or retreated in many areas for a variety of reasons,” Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, said in an AGCA statement. “But contractors report they would hire more people if only they could find more qualified and willing workers and tougher immigration enforcement wasn’t disrupting labor supplies.”
Metro areas adding the most construction jobs over the last year include the
Arlington-Alexandria-Reston, Va. Area, which added 7,900 jobs for a 9 percent increase; followed by the Houston area, which added 6,600 jobs for a 3 percent gain; and the Cincinnati, Ohio area gaining 5,100 jobs for a 9 percent rise.
The metro areas seeing the largest drops in construction employment from July 2024 to July 2025 include the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. area which lost 7,200 jobs for a 6 percent drop; the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. area dropping 6,200 jobs for a 6 percent decline; and the Baton Rouge, La. area, which was down 3,900 jobs in an 8 percent decline.
David Winzelberg
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