Nevada is experiencing a significant downturn in its construction sector, losing thousands of jobs as tourism slows and economic uncertainties persist. According to a report from The Associated General Contractors of America, construction employment in Nevada dropped by 6.4 percent year over year through August—a loss of 7,100 jobs. This places Nevada fifth nationally in construction job losses, with California, New York, and Georgia also reporting major declines.
Month-over-month data shows Nevada leading the nation in construction job losses from July to August, with a 4.1 percent decline (4,400 jobs), surpassing New York and Georgia in both percentage and total jobs lost. This trend is mirrored in the Las Vegas Valley, where 4,300 jobs were lost from July to August, and private-sector employment statewide fell by 6,000 jobs during the same period, according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.
Industry experts point to several factors driving the decline. Ken Simonson, Chief Economist for The Associated General Contractors of America, notes that both commercial and residential construction have been heavily impacted by a slowdown in tourism, ongoing economic uncertainty, rising construction and labor costs, increased materials prices, and elevated interest rates. Simonson highlighted that construction employment peaked two years ago, but the current climate—marked by more projects being delayed or canceled—has reversed that trend.
The slowdown is particularly acute in homebuilding, but commercial construction is also beginning to falter as developers face uncertainty over costs, tariffs, and retaliatory trade actions. The Trump administration’s policies on trade and immigration have contributed to fewer international visitors, further dampening Las Vegas’s tourism-dependent economy.
Nevada’s construction workforce is among the most reliant on immigrants in the nation, with approximately 48 percent of workers being foreign-born, just behind California (52 percent) and Texas (51 percent). The combined pressures of labor shortages, fewer visitors, and escalating costs are contributing to a challenging environment for the state’s construction industry.
