Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Coverage.
The average American spends about 90% of their time indoors and sits for a significant portion of the day. Researchers attribute a wide range of health problems to predominantly indoor (and often sedentary) lifestyles.
For one, prolonged sitting is associated with obesity, increased blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels. Furthermore, indoor air quality tends to be worse than outdoor air quality. According to the EPA, the concentration of some pollutants can be two to five times higher indoors than in outdoor settings.
While working outdoors can help avoid these risks, the most common outdoor jobs are not without their own downsides, such as lower wages, physically demanding work, and higher risks of work-related injuries.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), just under 4% of Americans are employed in outdoor jobs — the most common of which include a variety of construction, maintenance, and delivery occupations.
To determine the U.S. metropolitan areas with the most outdoor jobs, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Occupational Information Network. The researchers ranked metros according to the percentage of workers in outdoor jobs, defined as the share of workers in jobs with Occupational Information Network outdoor exposure scores of 90 and above.
Here are the metros with the most outdoor jobs.
15. Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.6%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 34,860
- Most common outdoor job: Construction laborers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $52,199
- Average wage across all workers: $62,820
14. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.6%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 44,110
- Most common outdoor job: Construction laborers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $37,577
- Average wage across all workers: $55,330
13. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.6%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 91,430
- Most common outdoor job: Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $38,050
- Average wage across all workers: $52,970
12. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.7%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 77,060
- Most common outdoor job: Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $40,739
- Average wage across all workers: $54,870
11. Raleigh, NC
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.8%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 23,740
- Most common outdoor job: Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $37,569
- Average wage across all workers: $56,720
10. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.8%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 33,940
- Most common outdoor job: Construction laborers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $42,022
- Average wage across all workers: $49,960
9. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.8%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 49,900
- Most common outdoor job: Construction laborers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $37,002
- Average wage across all workers: $51,770
8. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.9%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 20,280
- Most common outdoor job: Construction laborers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $43,631
- Average wage across all workers: $50,020
7. Jacksonville, FL
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.9%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 26,800
- Most common outdoor job: Construction laborers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $36,596
- Average wage across all workers: $49,940
6. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.9%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 28,000
- Most common outdoor job: Construction laborers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $40,332
- Average wage across all workers: $52,170
5. Pittsburgh, PA
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.9%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 41,870
- Most common outdoor job: Construction laborers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $46,150
- Average wage across all workers: $54,300
4. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 3.9%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 58,260
- Most common outdoor job: Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $50,549
- Average wage across all workers: $53,640
3. Oklahoma City, OK
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 4.0%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 24,220
- Most common outdoor job: Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $41,060
- Average wage across all workers: $50,010
2. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 4.5%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 53,300
- Most common outdoor job: Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $36,503
- Average wage across all workers: $48,530
1. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Percentage of workers in outdoor jobs: 4.5%
- Total workers in outdoor jobs: 132,520
- Most common outdoor job: Construction laborers
- Average wage for outdoor jobs: $44,099
- Average wage across all workers: $55,950
Methodology
To determine the U.S. metropolitan areas with the most outdoor jobs, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Survey and Occupational Information Network’s Occupational Outdoor Exposure data.
The researchers ranked metros according to the percentage of workers in outdoor jobs, defined as the share of workers in jobs with Occupational Information Network outdoor exposure scores of 90 and above. In the event of a tie, the metro with the higher total number of workers in outdoor jobs was ranked higher.
Researchers also calculated the most common outdoor job, the average wage for outdoor jobs and the average wage across all workers.
To improve relevance, only metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 people were included in the analysis.
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