The high number of Tucson construction jobs lost during the last year places the city among the worst in the nation for employment in the industry.
A recent report from the Associated General Contractors of America ranked Tucson 326th in the country for construction employment, tied with Phoenix for the lowest ranking among cities in Arizona. From October 2008 to October 2009, Tucson lost 5,400 construction jobs, or 25 percent of employment in the industry.
During October, Tucson’s construction industry employed 15,800 workers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is down from 16,200 workers during September. The Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale area’s construction industry employed 101,400 workers during October, which is down from 103,100 workers during September.