State-Level Review of Construction Sector Employment for April

A closer look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics nonfarm payroll report for April, with a focus on the construction sector employment at the state level and further analysis provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), reveals that across the 48 states which reported construction sector data (both residential and non-residential), 24 states reported an increase in April compared to March, while 24 states reported losing construction sector employment during the same period.

Compared to March, the overall construction industry added a net 15,000 jobs in April. In percentage terms, South Dakota led the way with an increase of 2.7%, while Alaska reported a 4.2% decline during the time period.

Year-over-year, construction sector jobs have increased by 205,000, or an increase of 2.7% compared to April 2022. Texas led the way by adding 28,000 new construction sector jobs, while California shed 5,100 jobs. Arkansas had the highest annual growth rate in the construction sector, increasing by 9.8%, while during the same time period West Virginia reported a 3.7% decline.