Construction Sector Gains 11,000 Jobs in September

A closer look at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Nonfarm Payroll Report for September, with a focus on the US construction sector and additional analysis provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), reveals that employment in the construction sector increased by 11,000 positions in September, on the heels of a 36,000 job gain in August. Residential construction added 12,600 jobs, while non-residential construction employment shed 1,300 jobs.

The NAHB says residential construction employment as of September 30th was 3.3 million, broken down as 933,000 builders and 2.4 million residential specialty trade contractors. The moving 6-month average of job gains for residential construction was 8,367 per month. Over the last 12 months, home builders and remodelers added 55,300 positions on a net basis. Since the low point following the Great Recession, residential construction has gained 1,314,200 jobs.

The unemployment rate for construction workers in September increased by 0.2 percentage points to 5.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis. The unemployment rate for construction workers remained at a relatively lower level, after peaking at 14.2% in April 2020 due to the housing demand impact of the pandemic.