Welcome to BostonJobs.com

Work Closer. Work Happier.

Boston Construction Jobs Crumbling

Posted on January 8, 2009

While Boston is currently faring better than most areas, many Boston construction jobs have been lost during the past year.

During November 2008, the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy area had a total non-farm employment of 2,522,800 workers, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 2,519,700 workers during October 2008 and a .3 percent increase from last year. However, the area had an unemployment rate of 5 percent during November, up from 4.6 during October but lower than the national unemployment rate of 6.7 percent.

Boston’s construction industry employed 96,400 workers during November, down from 98,900 workers during October and a 5.3 percent decrease from last year. This means the area’s construction industry saw the greatest over-the-year decline in jobs.

Other industries that saw an over-the-year decline in jobs during November include:

  • manufacturing by 1.4 percent
  • trade, transportation and utilities by .7 percent
  • information by 1.1 percent
  • financial activities by 1.5 percent
  • other services by .8 percent

    • The industries that saw an over-the-year increase in employment during November include:

  • professional and business services by 1.9 percent
  • education and health services by 2.2 percent
  • leisure and hospitality by 1 percent
  • government by 1.3 percent

    • The natural resources and mining industry employed 1,100 workers during November, the same as during October.

    Massachusetts     as a whole had a total non-farm employment of 3,275,200 workers during November, down from 3,283,200 workers during October and a .3 percent decrease from last year. The state had an unemployment rate of 5.9 percent during November, up from 5.5 percent during October but lower than the national unemployment rate of 6.7 percent.