Construction employment increased in 34 states and the District of Columbia between December 2024 and December 2025, according to an analysis of federal data by the Associated General Contractors of America. In the same period, 20 states and D.C. added construction jobs between November and December.
Texas led all states in the number of construction jobs added over the year with an increase of 15,700 positions, followed by North Carolina, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. Hawaii recorded the highest percentage gain at 8.7 percent. Other states with notable percentage increases included Iowa, Idaho, West Virginia, and New Mexico.
Conversely, California experienced the largest loss in construction jobs over the past twelve months with a decline of 19,800 positions. Nevada also saw significant losses both numerically and as a percentage of total employment in the sector.
For monthly changes from November to December, Arizona had the largest numerical gain while Montana had the highest percentage increase. Minnesota saw both the largest numerical and percentage decline during this period.
Ken Simonson, chief economist for the association, said: “Although a majority of states added construction employees over the year, employment has stalled in the latest month. Too many projects have been postponed or canceled due to lack of funding, financing costs, or policy uncertainty about tariffs and immigration enforcement.”
The association attributed some stagnation or declines to reduced funding for highway projects. They urged federal policymakers to ensure continued support for transportation infrastructure before current authorization expires on September 30.
Jeffrey D. Shoaf, chief executive officer of Associated General Contractors of America stated: “Contractors need to know that highway funds will keep flowing before they can commit to hiring or retaining essential workers. It’s imperative that the Trump administration and Congress provide that certainty by working now on the specifics of the next surface transportation bill.”
Additional state-by-state employment data is available for further review.
