Forty-three US states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between December 2017 and December 2018, while 36 states added construction jobs between November and December, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America.
Among the 36 states with one-month job gains between November and December, Florida had the largest pickup (6,100 jobs, 1.1 percent), while South Dakota added the highest percentage of construction jobs for the month (4.9 percent, 1,200 jobs). Construction employment decreased from November to December in 11 states and was unchanged in Alaska, Idaho, New Hampshire and D.C. Iowa lost the largest number and percentage of construction jobs (-1,900 jobs, -2.3 percent).
As for full-year 2018 results, Texas added the most construction jobs in 2018 (46,800 jobs, 6.4 percent), while Connecticut added the highest percentage of construction jobs in 2018 (16.9 percent, 9,700 jobs). Six states shed construction jobs in 2018, while construction employment was unchanged in Mississippi. The largest number and percentage decline occurred in South Carolina (-5,100 jobs, -5.0 percent).