Thirty-eight states and Washington, D.C., added construction jobs from November 2018 to November 2019, and 18 states added construction jobs from October 2019 to November 2019, according to www.agc.org.
“It is encouraging that so many contractors were able to add employees even with overall unemployment at a 50-year low and construction job openings at a record high,” says Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America. “Our survey found that contractors in all parts of the country remain optimistic about demand for projects, and they intend to increase headcount in 2020, but finding workers is a major challenge.”
Texas added the most construction jobs—56,000—between November 2018 and November 2019. California and Florida also added a large number of construction jobs. Additionally, Nevada added the highest percentage of new construction jobs during the past year, followed by New Mexico and New Hampshire.
Texas added the most construction jobs from October 2019 to November 2019—5,800—followed by Georgia, Nevada and Oregon. Nevada added the highest percentage of construction jobs for the month, followed by Oregon and Montana.
Twelve states lost construction jobs between November 2018 and November 2019. Louisiana lost the highest number of construction jobs—9,200—followed by Ohio, Tennessee and Illinois. Construction employment fell in 30 states from October 2019 to November 2019, and Minnesota lost more than any other state—4,900.
