US Nonfarm Payroll Data for the Construction Sector by State for March

A closer look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Nonfarm Payroll report for March (4-7-23), with a 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 (including both residential and non-residential construction), 19 states reported an increase in March when compared to February. Twenty-six reported losing construction sector jobs, while three states reported no change at all.

According to the NAHB, Texas reported adding 5,800 construction jobs, while California reported losing 8,200 jobs. Overall, the construction industry shed a net 9,000 jobs in March compared to February. In percentage terms, Kentucky increased by 3.1%, while Connecticut reported a decline of 2.9% during the same time period.

Year-over-year, the number of construction jobs in the US increased by 196,000, or 2.5%. Year-over-year, Texas added 41,200 jobs—the largest gain of any state. Conversely, California lost 7,3000 construction sector jobs. In percentage terms, Rhode Island had the highest annual growth rate in the construction sector with a 11.9% increase. Over the same time period, West Virginia reported a 7.5% decline.