US Construction Employment Falls in December

A closer look at Friday’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) nonfarm payroll report for December 2025, with analysis from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), shows that overall US construction employment fell by 11,000 jobs during the month, following a downwardly revised gain of 22,000 in November.

Within the industry, residential construction shed 3,100 jobs, while nonresidential employment declined by 7,800. As of December, residential construction employment stood at 3.3 million, including 952,000 builders and remodelers and approximately 2.4 million residential specialty trade contractors.

The six-month moving average for job gains in residential construction remained negative in December, with an average monthly loss of 3,017 jobs. This reflects job losses in four of the past six months. Over the past year, residential construction recorded a net loss of 41,400 jobs, marking the eighth consecutive annual decline and the longest stretch of annual losses since the Great Recession. Since the post–Great Recession low, the sector has added 1,336,100 jobs.

The construction unemployment rate rose to 5.3% in December on a seasonally adjusted basis. While higher than in recent months, NAHB noted that the rate remains relatively low by historical standards.