Written by Ed Dean
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data on construction employment across Florida counties from Q1 2024 to Q1 2025. The analysis looked at quarterly job growth rates to identify regions where job opportunities are shrinking the fastest.
Taylor County led Florida in construction employment, which decreased by 17.83% from 1,133 in the first quarter of 2024 to 931 in the first quarter of 2025.
Gulf County ranked second with a 15.70% decrease. Employment decreased from 1,210 in the first quarter of 2024 to 1,020 in the first quarter of 2025.
Suwannee County was in third place with a decrease of 12.21%. Employment in the construction industry decreased from 2,522 in the first quarter of 2024 to 2,214 in the first quarter of 2025.
Fourth place went to Brevard County along the Space Coast. The county has seen an increase in construction jobs over the past decade, as well as more contracts with the space industry. However, a decline of 8.96% was observed. Employment in the construction industry decreased from 52,204 in the first quarter of 2024 to 47,528 in the first quarter of 2025.
Holmes County ranked fifth with a 7.79% decrease. Construction employment decreased from 1,052 in the first quarter of 2024 to 970 in the first quarter of 2025.
On the West Coast, Hernando County, just north of Tampa, ranked sixth with a 5.36% decline. Charlotte County (7th place) at 5.30%. Calhoun (No. 8) had a decrease of 5.22%, DeSoto (No. 9) had a decrease of 5.05%, and Okaloosa (No. 10) had a decrease of 4.95%.
Most of Florida’s decline came from more rural areas, the data revealed.
Florida’s Taylor, Gulf and Suwannee counties are seeing the steepest declines in construction employment. These declines are indicative of industry-specific challenges, from declining project pipelines to changing local investment patterns,” said online HR platform Techr.
“While employment across the state remains relatively resilient, these regional contractions highlight vulnerabilities that could have knock-on effects on the housing market, infrastructure development, and overall economic stability,” the HR firm said.
