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Texas and Alaska Top Lists of Numerical and Percentage 12-Month Gains, While New York and Oregon Lag; Texas and Ohio Post Highest Monthly Increases, While Tennessee and North Dakota Have Worst Losses

Construction employment increased in 40 states in September from a year earlier, while 24 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between August and September, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials said even more states would have added workers if contractors could find enough qualified applicants.

“It is great that four out of five states have added construction jobs over the past year,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Even more states would be seeing gains if there were enough qualified workers available to fill job openings.”

Between September 2023 and September 2024, 40 states added construction jobs, while 10 states and D.C. shed jobs. Texas added the most construction employees (42,300 jobs or 5.1 percent), followed by Florida (37,100 jobs, 5.9 percent), Ohio (16,400 jobs, 6.9 percent), and Michigan (12,600 jobs, 6.6 percent). Alaska had the largest percentage gain over 12 months (21.1 percent, 3,700 jobs), followed by Hawaii (11.8 percent, 4,500 jobs), Oklahoma (9.4 percent, 7,800 jobs), and Nevada (8.8 percent, 10,000 jobs).

New York lost the most construction jobs during the past 12 months (-6,900 jobs, -1.8 percent), followed by Oregon (-4,800 jobs, -4.1 percent), Maryland (-4,600 jobs, -2.9 percent), Pennsylvania (-2,900 jobs, -1.1 percent), and Maine (-900 jobs, -2.6 percent). The largest percentage loss was in Oregon, followed by Maryland, Maine, Vermont (-1.9 percent, -300 jobs), and New York. 

For the month, industry employment increased in 24 states and D.C., it declined in 23 states, and was unchanged in Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Texas added the most jobs (8,100 jobs or 0.9 percent), followed by Ohio (6,700 jobs, 2.7 percent), Florida (3,600 jobs, 0.5 percent), and South Carolina (2,900 jobs, 2.4 percent). Ohio had the largest percentage gain, followed by South Carolina, Nebraska (1.9 percent, 1,200 jobs), and Alaska (1.9 percent, 400 jobs).

Tennessee lost the most construction jobs from August to September (-1,600 jobs or -1.0 percent), followed by Louisiana (-1,500 jobs, -1.1 percent), Oregon (-1,500 jobs, -1.3 percent), and Illinois (-1,300 jobs, -0.6 percent). North Dakota lost the highest percentage of jobs for the month (-2.1 percent, -600 jobs), followed by Oregon, West Virginia (-1.2 percent, -400 jobs), and Louisiana.

Association officials urged Congress to increase funding for construction workforce training and education programs to help address workforce shortages that are likely holding back employment growth in the sector. The two best opportunities for Congress to boost funding are in the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act that funds workforce training programs and the Carl. D. Perkins Technical Career and Technical Education Act that funds in-school career and technical education programs.

“Enabling more people to learn about construction as a career opportunity is essential for filling the openings created by the many infrastructure, power, and manufacturing projects under way,” Jeffrey D. Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer, said. “Added funding for construction education and training will put more people into high-paying construction careers.”

View September 2024 state employment data and 1-month and 12-month rankings.