Buffalo ranks as hottest construction market east of the Rockies

"Only 15 major U.S. metropolitan areas increased the number of jobs in their construction sectors by at least 10 percent during 2015 -- and Buffalo was among them," according to Business First on January 4, 2016.

In fact, Buffalo is the third hottest construction market in the nation, and the top market east of the Rockies. "That’s according to the latest employment figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which show the number of local construction jobs soaring by 28.6 percent during the past five years."

"No other metro in the Northeast can match that growth rate. Boston is a close second at 28.4 percent, and New York City is a distant third at 20.2 percent. Every other market in the region has a five-year growth rate below 20 percent."

Business First compared construction statistics for twenty-one major Northeastern markets in October 2010 and October 2015. Erie and Niagara counties added 6,000 construction jobs over those five years, from 21,000 to 27,000 jobs in this important sector.

Grab your hard hat. Buffalo is building!