Thirty-nine states and Washington, D.C., added construction jobs from May 2018 to May 2019, and 31 states and Washington, D.C., added construction jobs from April to May, according to www.agc.org.
“Construction demand remains strong, and contractors increased their workforce in most states over the past year, yet the record number of job openings at the end of April implies contractors would add even more workers if they could,” says Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America. “With the unemployment rate now near a 50-year low, it is more challenging than ever for contractors to hire and retain qualified employees.”
Texas added the most construction jobs—35,200—between May 2018 and May 2019. California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada also added a large number of construction jobs. Additionally, West Virginia added the highest percentage of new construction jobs during the past year, followed by Nevada, Arizona, North Dakota, Wyoming and Alaska.
California added the most construction jobs from April to May—12,800—followed by Florida, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin and Nevada. North Dakota added the highest percentage of construction jobs for the month.
Ten states lost construction jobs between May 2018 and May 2019. Louisiana lost the highest number of construction jobs—9,100—followed by South Carolina, Maryland, Mississippi, Maine and Missouri. Construction employment fell in 17 states from April to May, and New York lost more than any other state—5,500.
