Thirty-eight US states added construction jobs between March 2018 and March 2019, while construction employment increased in 29 states between February and March, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data.
Texas added the most construction jobs over the year (28,300 jobs, 3.9 percent), while West Virginia added the highest percentage of construction jobs over 12 months (15,800 jobs, 44.6 percent).
Eleven states and the District of Columbia shed construction jobs over the latest 12 months, while construction employment was unchanged in Nebraska. The largest job loss took place in Louisiana (-7,900 jobs, -5.2 percent), while Vermont had the steepest percentage loss of construction jobs over the 12-month span (-7.8 percent, -1,200 jobs).
Among the 29 states with one-month construction job gains between February and March, Washington added the largest number and percentage (14,800 jobs, 6.6 percent).
Construction employment decreased from February to March in 18 states and D.C. and was unchanged in Maine, Montana and New Hampshire. Pennsylvania lost the most construction jobs for the month (-1,800 jobs, -0.7 percent), while Vermont had the largest percentage loss (-2.1 percent, -300 jobs).