The population of the Atlanta metropolitan area reached 5.9 million people in 2018, making Atlanta the nations’ 9th largest metro area. That’s a one-year population change of over 75,000 people, keeping this metro area a top growth market for the foreseeable future.

Employment rose by 58,500 from 2017 to 2018, and unemployment continues to drop, averaging 3.8% in 2018. With a diverse industry base and large number of tech jobs, employers are attracted to Atlanta’s business-friendly environment and deep talent pool.

Great, sounds like there are no downsides! Oh, wait…all that growth has outpaced infrastructure growth and all those jobs have pushed up housing prices…but hey, these are just common problems of being successful!

And what about Atlanta construction you ask? Well, in 2018, total Atlanta construction starts hit $15.5 billion, making the Atlanta metro the 8th largest in the nation. In fact, in terms of residential construction, the metro area ranked #4 in the country with $8.8 billion in starts.

So, are you looking for plenty of employment opportunities in a fast-growing, business-friendly environment? Want plenty of culture in a warm climate and don’t mind spending a bit of time in the car catching up on your favorite podcasts? We’ll see you in Atlanta.

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Transcript:

Chicago. The windy city. And the third largest metropolitan area in the U.S., with 4.7 million people employed there in 2018, which is up 44,700 jobs from a year earlier…but back to windy, honestly, the weather’s not the greatest… but the food more than makes up for it, with local eats like deep dish pizza, Italian sausage and hot dogs!

Unemployment in the Chicago area continues to fall, averaging 4% in 2018. That’s likely because Chicago is a major business center, fed by the talent pool graduating from the area’s small number of well-regarded institutes of higher learning… ok, medium number of well-regarded institutions… ok, they have a ton of great schools like Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and more, so the talent pool is very impressive.

In terms of Chicago construction, in 2018 the Chicago area ranked #7 in the nation by dollar value of total construction started, at $15.8 billion. Nonresidential building grew 11% in 2018, hitting $7 billion, while residential represented $5.2 billion.

So what does all this mean? Well, if you’re looking to catch some rays in February… maybe look elsewhere. If you’re looking for top talent in an established business hub? Pretty great! And did we mention the food?

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Transcript:

Denver, Colorado. It’s true what they say – it’s the mile-high city, and it’s growing! Denver’s population grew by 35,000 residents in 2018, reaching 2.9 million people, making Denver the 19th largest metro in the country.

And that’s not all that’s growing. Denver’s economy added 28,000 new jobs in 2018, including 1300 jobs in construction. Unsurprisingly, their unemployment rate is also low at 3.7%.

Speaking of the Denver construction economy, total building construction hit $9.5 billion in 2018, up 19% from 2017, and making Denver construction the 14th largest metro area for building activity.

Denver Airport Construction
Residential building was up 10% in 2018, and nonresidential building was up a whopping 32%! Why such a jump? Well two big factors were the $2 billion Denver International Airport renovation and upgrade and the $200 million Market Station mixed use development.

So if you like being outdoors, breathing clean air, spectacular rocky mountain views, and a great construction economy, we’ve just answered two questions for you. How do you get there? You can fly into the upgraded Denver International Airport. Where can you live? You can grab a coffee and then head on up to your new apartment at Market Station. You’re welcome…and welcome to Denver.

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Transcript:

What comes to mind when you hear Dallas-Fort Worth? Longhorn Cattle? Cowboys? Whatever you think of, add growth to that list – in 2018 the Dallas-Fort Worth area grew more than any other metro area in the country, by 142,000 people, now totaling over 7.5 million – the fourth largest metro in the country.

What’s behind the fast pace of growth? Well, one big factor is the healthy economy. Year over year job growth was double the national average, unemployment is below average, and per capita personal income, at almost 54 thousand dollars, is above the U.S. average.

With all that growth, it’s no surprise that the Dallas construction economy is huge in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. According to Dodge Data & Analytics, Dallas construction ranked first in the nation for residential by number of units breaking ground, and fourth for total nonresidential construction by dollar value of construction started.

But 2018 actually wasn’t the best year for nonresidential building starts, as 2017 reached a peak of $11.4 billion. Still, at $8.3 billion, 2018 was still well above the first half of the decade, which averaged about $4.8 billion per year.

So remember, you can visit Dallas-Fort Worth for the Cowboys and Brisket, but beware; with all of its advantages, you may never leave!

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Tariffs and Construction Labor Shortage
This webinar looks at what the Q3 2018 Commercial Construction Index report reveals about contractors’ overall confidence in the construction market and their biggest concerns and challenges. In addition to looking at their responses about revenues and backlog of work, the webinar explores their concerns about the impact of new tariffs and construction labor shortages on their businesses and how they address the factors that create their biggest safety concerns, from the construction labor shortage to dealing with opioids and other substance abuse issues.

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