The Tri-Cities has seen no growth in construction jobs since April 2024, and that’s a lot better than the rest of Washington state. 

The state lost more than 14,000 construction jobs over the past year, according to a data analysis recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). All but three of the metro areas – Tri-Cities, Kelso-Longview and Walla Walla – saw losses. 

Nationally, slightly more than half of U.S. metro areas saw construction employment increase, aided by demand for certain types of construction, such as infrastructure. 

“But that demand has not been enough to offset labor shortages and broader economic uncertainty in many other parts of the country,” said Macrina Wilkins, AGC’s senior research associate, in a statement. 

The Tri-Cities, with more than 11,000 construction workers, is the fifth largest construction market in the state. Seattle-Bellevue-Kent is the largest with 68,200 jobs, which is 4,400 fewer than the prior year. 

Tacoma-Lakewood has 2,300 fewer construction jobs. Everett lost 1,400 positions, and Spokane dropped to 14,700, about 1,300 fewer roles than 12 months before.