State-Level Construction Sector Employment Situation for January

A closer look at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Nonfarm Payroll Report for January, with a specific focus the construction sector and additional analysis provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), reveals that across the 48 states that report construction sector job data—which includes both residential as well as non-residential construction—40 states reported an increase in January when compared to December 2022. Conversely, 7 states reported jobs sector losses. Mississippi remained unchanged.

Indiana led the sector higher, adding 6,700 construction jobs, while California lost 7,300 jobs. Overall, the construction industry added a net 35,000 jobs in January when compared to December 2022. In percentage terms, Iowa increased by 4.7% month-over-month, while West Virginia reported a 1.8% decline.

Year-over-year, construction sector jobs in the US grew by 304,000, which a is a 4.0% increase compared to January 2022 levels. Texas added 34,800 jobs, which was the largest gain of any state, while West Virginia lost 1,600 construction sector jobs. In percentages, Montana had the highest annual growth rate in the construction sector of 12.7%. Over the same period, West Virginia posted a 4.8% decline.