B.R. ranks 36th for construction job gains in August

The Baton Rouge metro area was supporting 2,900 more construction jobs in August—a total of 42,900—than it did a year previous, making it the 36th–best-performing metro in America for job growth by percentage, according to a new analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Baton Rouge was among 130 of 337 metro areas AGCA tracks that posted a year-over-year increase in construction jobs in August. Baton Rouge led Louisiana’s metros. The New Orleans area showed a 12% loss in jobs on the month, off 3,700 to 27,200 total; while Lafayette’s addition of 700 jobs was an 11% increase to its 7,300 total. The AGCA August jobs report shows the industry is still struggling across the country. Construction employment fell in 164 of the metros the association tracks and was stagnant in another 43. Officials say many in the construction industry continue to struggle as government and business officials delay projects in the face of federal tax and funding uncertainty. “The looming fiscal cliff is already contributing to construction employment declines in many parts of the country,” says CEO Stephen Sandherr in a statement. “We are just not seeing the kind of private sector momentum that the industry experienced earlier this year.” You can check out how every metro performed in August and see the full rankings here.