US Nonfarm Payroll Data for Construction Sector by State for November

A closer look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Nonfarm Payroll report for November (released on 12-2-22), with focus on the construction sector and additional analysis provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), reveals that of the 48 states that do report construction sector job data—which includes both residential and non-residential construction—36 states reported an increase in November when compared to October. Eight states reported losing construction sector jobs, while four states (Arkansas, Arizona, Maine, and Tennessee) reported no change at all.

According to the NAHB, Florida reported adding 5,400 construction jobs, while Texas reported losing 3,900 jobs. Overall, the construction industry added a net 20,000 jobs in November compared to October. In percentage terms, Rhode Island increased by 3.6%, while Colorado reported a 1.8% decline in the same time period.

Year-over-year, the number of construction jobs in the US increased by 248,000, which is a 3.3% increase when compared to November 2021. Year-over-year, California added 37,000 construction sector jobs, which was the largest gain of any state, while South Carolina shed 4,700 construction sector jobs. In percentage terms, North Dakota had the highest percentage in the construction up 15.6%, while South Carolina posted a 4.5% decline in the same year-over-year time period.