Industry employment between February 2011 and February 2012 increased in 171 of 337 metro areas surveyed by the Associated General Contractors of America.

The construction industry’s recovery may finally be under way.

Market employment between February 2011 and February 2012 increased in 171 of 337 metro areas surveyed by the Associated General Contractors of America.

AGC officials credited growing demand in the private sector for the increase.

“It is encouraging that the number of metro areas experiencing construction job gains outpaced the number of areas with losses,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The increases would be even more widespread if not for public sector budget woes and a shaky home building market.”

Areas adding the most construction jobs include Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J.; as well as Michigan City-La Porte, Ind.; Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, Colo.; and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif.

Association officials pointed out that the new statistics were not good for many construction workers. Job losses continue in many regions, including St. Louis; Tampa, Fla.; and Monroe, Mich.

“As great as it is to see construction jobs being added in so many parts of the country, construction employment remains well below peak levels in virtually every metro area,” said the association’s chief executive officer, Stephen E. Sandherr. “If public sector spending continues to decline, it will take a lot longer for most areas to see construction employment levels return to where they were in the middle of the last decade.”