Texas and New Mexico Have Highest 12-Month Gains, While Washington Has the Worst Yearly Losses; California and Virginia Top Lists of Monthly Gainers While Washington and Alaska Have the Worst Monthly Losses
Construction employment increased in 32 states and the District of Columbia in April from a year earlier, but only 24 states added construction jobs between March and April, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials said that questions about the potential impact of tariffs and market uncertainty appear to have limited construction employment growth to fewer than half the states.
“Construction employment continued to expand in many parts of the country, but uncertainties about the impacts of tariffs and the direction of the economy appear to be affecting hiring in many other places,” said Macrina Wilkins, the association’s senior research analyst. “It is too early to tell, however, whether this is just a bump in the road or the start of a more troubling trend.”
Between April 2024 and April 2025, 32 states and D.C. added construction jobs, 17 states shed jobs, and employment was unchanged in Arkansas. Texas added the most construction employees (32,000 jobs or 3.8 percent), followed by Ohio (20,500 jobs, 8.4 percent), Florida (12,400 jobs, 1.9 percent), Virginia (10,500 jobs, 4.8 percent), and South Carolina (8,500 jobs, 7.3 percent). New Mexico (14.6 percent, 7,700 jobs) had the largest percentage gain over 12 months, followed by Idaho (8.8 percent, 6,200 jobs), Ohio, Kentucky (7.4 percent, 6,900 jobs), and South Carolina.
Washington lost the most construction jobs during the past 12 months (-15,000 jobs, -6.6 percent), followed by California (-13,300 jobs, -1.5 percent), New York (-7,700 jobs, -2.0 percent), Massachusetts (-4,400 jobs, -2.6 percent), and New Jersey (-3,300 jobs, -2.0 percent). The largest percentage loss was in Washington, followed by Montana (-4.8 percent, -1,800 jobs), Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey.
For the month, industry employment increased in 24 states, declined in 24 states and D.C., and was unchanged in New York and Indiana. California added the most construction jobs (6,300 jobs or 0.7 percent), followed by Texas (4,900 jobs, 0.6 percent), Virginia (4,300 jobs, 1.9 percent), Michigan (1,900 jobs, 1.0 percent), and Maryland (1,700 jobs, 1.1 percent). The largest percentage gain occurred in Virginia, followed by West Virginia (1.7 percent, 600 jobs), Iowa (1.5 percent, 1,300 jobs), Maryland (1.1 percent, 1,700 jobs), and Utah (1.1 percent, 1,600 jobs).
Washington experienced the largest decline in construction jobs from March to April, (-3,300 jobs or -1.5 percent), followed by Pennsylvania (-1,800 jobs, -0.7 percent), Nevada (-1,400 jobs, -1.3 percent), and Alabama (-1,400 jobs, -1.3 percent). Alaska lost the highest percentage of jobs for the month (-3.1 percent, -600 jobs), followed by Vermont (-1.8 percent, -300 jobs), Rhode Island (-1.7 percent, -400 jobs), Washington, and Nevada (-1.3 percent, -1,400 jobs).
Association officials said recent announcements about progress toward trade deals with the United Kingdom and China appear to have removed some of the immediate uncertainty about tariffs. “Federal officials can help ensure continued strong demand for construction by boosting investments in construction education and training, allowing more people to lawfully enter the country to work in construction, and eliminating questions about future tax rates and federal spending levels,” said Jeffrey Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer.
View April 2025 state employment data and 1-month, 12-month rankings, and peak comparison.