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Texas and Alaska Top Lists of Numerical and Percentage 12-Month Gains, While Maryland and Maine Lag; Texas and Wyoming Post Highest Monthly Increases, While California and Tennessee Have Worst Losses

Construction employment increased in 39 states in August from a year earlier, while 27 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between July and August, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials said that tight labor market conditions are making it hard for firms to find enough workers to hire.

“Construction employment keeps growing in most states despite month-to-month fluctuations,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But contractors everywhere are reporting difficulty filling a wide variety of positions.” He noted that 94 percent of contractors reported having a hard time finding workers to hire in a survey the association and Arcoro released last month.

Between August 2023 and August 2024, 39 states added construction jobs, 10 states and D.C. shed jobs, and employment was unchanged in Georgia. Texas added the most construction employees (36,600 jobs or 4.4 percent), followed by Florida (36,200 jobs, 5.7 percent), Michigan (15,100 jobs, 7.9 percent), and Nevada (12,700 jobs, 11.2 percent). Alaska had the largest percentage gain over 12 months (17.8 percent, 3,100 jobs), followed by Hawaii (12.4 percent, 4,700 jobs), Nevada, and Montana (10.1 percent, 3,700 jobs).

Maryland lost the most construction jobs during the past 12 months (-4,800 jobs, -3.0 percent), followed by New York (-4,700 jobs, -1.2 percent), Oregon (-2,400 jobs, -2.1 percent), Colorado (-2,400 jobs, -1.3 percent), and Minnesota (-2,000 jobs, -1.5 percent). The largest percentage loss was in Maine (-4.7 percent, -1,600 jobs), followed by Vermont (-3.1 percent, -500 jobs), Maryland, D.C. (-2.7 percent, -400 jobs), and Oregon.

For the month, industry employment increased in 27 states and D.C., declined in 20 states, and was unchanged in Alaska, Kansas, and Maine. Texas added the most jobs (8,300 jobs or 1.0 percent), followed by Virginia (2,300 jobs, 1.0 percent), Wisconsin (2,300 jobs, 1.6 percent), and Illinois (2,200 jobs, 0.9 percent). Wyoming had the largest percentage gain (2.3 percent, 500 jobs), followed by West Virginia (1.8 percent, 600 jobs), Wisconsin, and Montana (1.5 percent, 600 jobs).

California lost the most construction jobs from July to August (-3,300 jobs or -0.4 percent), followed by Tennessee (-2,500 jobs, -1.6 percent), New Jersey (-1,600 jobs, -1.0 percent), and Minnesota (-900 jobs, -0.7 percent). Tennessee lost the highest percentage of jobs for the month (-1.6 percent, -2,500 jobs), followed by New Mexico (-1.1 percent, -600 jobs), New Jersey, and Rhode Island (-0.9 percent, -200 jobs).

Association officials urged Congress to boost funding for construction workforce training and education programs to help address workforce shortages that are likely undermining 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.

“Exposing more people to construction as a career opportunity will boost employment in many parts of the country,” Jeffrey D. Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer, said. “Boosting funding for construction education and training will put more people into high-paying construction careers.”

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