State-Level Analysis of Construction Employment for May 2021

A deeper look into the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) nationwide total of nonfarm payroll employment for May, with analysis provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), reveals that nonfarm payroll employment increased in 33 states and the District of Columbia in May, when compared to April, while 16 states lost jobs. North Dakota was unchanged. According to the BLS, nationwide total nonfarm payroll increased in May by 559,000, following an upwardly revised increase of 278,000 jobs in April. Year-over-year, construction sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 419,000, which is a 6.0% increase compared to the May 2020 level. Across the 48 states which reported construction sector jobs data — which includes both residential as well as non-residential construction — eight states reported an increase in May compared to April, while 38 states lost construction sector jobs. Two states reported no change. Florida added 3,700 construction jobs while New York lost 5,900. Overall, the construction industry lost 20,000 jobs in May when compared to the previous month. In percentage terms, Oklahoma increased by 1.3% while Vermont reported a decline of 3.9% between April and May.