Employment in this key Sacramento job sector has nearly doubled in last 8 years

One of the Sacramento region’s most important job sectors is booming, playing a key role in the area’s historically low unemployment rate.

The construction industry in Sacramento took a major hit during the housing bust a decade ago, losing more than 30,000 workers between 2007 and 2011. By April 2011, just 35,100 local workers held construction jobs.

It’s come back strong. By April 2019, more than 64,000 Sacramento-area workers were employed in the construction industry, an increase of more than 80 percent from April 2011, according to the latest figures from the state Employment Development Department.

Construction employment usually peaks in the late summer, meaning that the region will likely add thousands more seasonal construction jobs in coming months before the typical winter lull.

Construction jobs generally pay well. Sacramento-area construction workers earn an average annual wage of about $57,400, according to the latest EDD estimates.

The growth in construction employment corresponds to growth in new development. The city of Sacramento added more new homes last year than any other place in California north of Los Angeles.