Updated October 12, 2026. Data: U.S. Labor Department, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, first quarter 2026 (preliminary, released September 2026), compared with the first quarter of 2025. The second-quarter figures are scheduled for early December 2026.
Private construction employment averaged 8.04 million jobs in January–March 2026, +1.4% (+112,134) compared with the same months of 2025. Of the 34 states with published figures, jobs rose in 25 and fell in 9. The biggest increases were in West Virginia (+11.9%), Iowa (+8.6%) and Idaho (+7.0%). The biggest decreases were in Oregon (-4.2%), Florida (-2.3%) and New York (-2.2%). Contractors who add crews to chase this work often need small business loans for trucks and equipment.
Change by state
Context
Construction jobs depend on home building, commercial projects, public works and big projects like data centers and factories. Higher mortgage rates slow home building in some places, while big infrastructure and data center projects add jobs in others. See housing permits vs. builder jobs by state and construction materials prices in 2026.
State-by-state table
Click a column to sort. “n/a” means the government withheld the figure to protect the privacy of individual employers.
| State | Jobs, Q1 2026 | Jobs, Q1 2025 | Change | Percent change | Workplaces | Avg. weekly pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | 8,040,984 | 7,928,850 | +112,134 | +1.4% | 953,703 | $1,634 |
| Alabama | 111,920 | 107,440 | +4,480 | +4.2% | 13,354 | $1,479 |
| Arizona | 222,138 | 225,844 | -3,706 | -1.6% | 18,660 | $1,638 |
| Arkansas | 66,021 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 8,873 | $1,275 |
| California | 862,934 | 877,471 | -14,537 | -1.7% | 99,318 | $1,801 |
| Colorado | 178,109 | 181,108 | -3,000 | -1.7% | 21,738 | $1,694 |
| Connecticut | 58,947 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 9,715 | $1,715 |
| Florida | 639,967 | 655,174 | -15,207 | -2.3% | 88,586 | $1,450 |
| Georgia | 235,307 | 230,227 | +5,080 | +2.2% | 28,859 | $1,672 |
| Hawaii | 39,166 | 39,074 | +92 | +0.2% | 4,521 | $1,805 |
| Idaho | 72,176 | 67,461 | +4,715 | +7.0% | 12,964 | $1,399 |
| Illinois | 223,508 | 216,546 | +6,962 | +3.2% | 32,496 | $1,803 |
| Indiana | 172,530 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 17,424 | $1,614 |
| Iowa | 80,983 | 74,602 | +6,381 | +8.6% | 9,289 | $1,500 |
| Kentucky | 91,242 | 87,634 | +3,608 | +4.1% | 12,167 | $1,420 |
| Louisiana | 139,083 | 140,250 | -1,167 | -0.8% | 13,166 | $1,612 |
| Maine | 33,241 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 6,322 | $1,388 |
| Maryland | 161,564 | 160,397 | +1,168 | +0.7% | 16,346 | $1,687 |
| Michigan | 191,634 | 182,436 | +9,198 | +5.0% | 24,540 | $1,564 |
| Minnesota | 123,259 | 120,642 | +2,618 | +2.2% | 18,339 | $1,873 |
| Mississippi | 53,118 | 52,809 | +308 | +0.6% | 7,386 | $1,397 |
| Missouri | 149,063 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 18,045 | $1,644 |
| Montana | 34,921 | 33,050 | +1,871 | +5.7% | 7,876 | $1,426 |
| Nebraska | 61,403 | 59,252 | +2,151 | +3.6% | 7,843 | $1,369 |
| Nevada | 112,153 | 108,319 | +3,833 | +3.5% | 7,190 | $1,671 |
| New Hampshire | 31,027 | 30,688 | +339 | +1.1% | 5,476 | $1,577 |
| New Jersey | 156,762 | 156,474 | +288 | +0.2% | 21,959 | $1,731 |
| New Mexico | 54,164 | 54,674 | -510 | -0.9% | 5,416 | $1,322 |
| New York | 360,508 | 368,464 | -7,957 | -2.2% | 48,801 | $1,757 |
| North Dakota | 26,673 | 25,002 | +1,671 | +6.7% | 3,964 | $1,524 |
| Ohio | 248,281 | 239,798 | +8,483 | +3.5% | 26,110 | $1,654 |
| Oklahoma | 91,590 | 87,050 | +4,540 | +5.2% | 11,401 | $1,360 |
| Oregon | 105,384 | 110,016 | -4,632 | -4.2% | 16,794 | $1,681 |
| South Carolina | 126,250 | 121,326 | +4,923 | +4.1% | 16,396 | $1,568 |
| Tennessee | 165,000 | 161,884 | +3,116 | +1.9% | 17,751 | $1,524 |
| Texas | 918,940 | 879,834 | +39,105 | +4.4% | 66,436 | $1,698 |
| Utah | 137,722 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 15,756 | $1,438 |
| Virginia | 231,788 | 219,584 | +12,204 | +5.6% | 23,026 | $1,632 |
| Washington | 199,967 | 202,839 | -2,872 | -1.4% | 27,183 | $1,698 |
| West Virginia | 35,107 | 31,379 | +3,728 | +11.9% | 4,723 | $1,394 |
| Wisconsin | 140,333 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 16,631 | $1,571 |
| Wyoming | 21,935 | 21,657 | +278 | +1.3% | 3,666 | $1,375 |
| Alaska | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Delaware | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| District of Columbia | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Kansas | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Massachusetts | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| North Carolina | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Pennsylvania | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Rhode Island | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| South Dakota | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Vermont | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
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About the data
- Source: U.S. Labor Department, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, which counts jobs reported by employers covered by unemployment insurance, nearly every paying employer in the country.
- Industry: the construction sector (home and commercial builders, heavy and civil engineering, and specialty trade contractors), private employers only.
- Jobs are the average of January, February and March employment. Change compares the same three months a year earlier, as published.
- Preliminary: first-quarter 2026 figures may be revised. States marked n/a had figures withheld for privacy: Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin.
Sources
Cite this data
Reporters and bloggers may use these numbers and charts. Please credit StartBusinessByState and link to this page.
Source: StartBusinessByState, “Construction Jobs by State: Where Building Employment Is Growing (Q1 2026),” https://startbusinessbystate.com/construction-jobs-change-by-state/ (updated October 12, 2026).
FAQ
Are construction jobs growing or shrinking?
Nationally, private construction employment was +1.4% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with a year earlier (+112,134 jobs). It rose in 25 states and fell in 9 of the 34 states with published figures.
Which state added the most construction jobs?
By percent, West Virginia (+11.9%), Iowa (+8.6%) and Idaho (+7.0%).
Which states lost construction jobs?
The largest percent declines were in Oregon (-4.2%), Florida (-2.3%) and New York (-2.2%).
How many construction jobs are there in the U.S.?
About 8.04 million private construction jobs in early 2026, at 953,703 workplaces.
Where is this data from?
The U.S. Labor Department’s Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, based on employer unemployment insurance reports.
Last updated October 12, 2026 by StartBusinessByState.