North Carolina added no new construction jobs between April 2016 and April 2017, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA) reports in its analysis of Labor Department data. Overall, the state ranks 40th among U.S. states for the percentage construction jobs added in the past year and 44th for one-month gain or loss between March 2017 and April 2017.
AGC says the states with the greatest percentage increase in construction jobs in the past year are Nevada, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Oregon and New Mexico. In the Southeast, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina are all adding jobs faster than North Carolina.
NC State Construction Employment (seasonally adjusted), 4/16-4/17
April 2016 199,200
February 2017 206,400
March 2017 202,800
April 2017 199,200
One-month gain or loss
Number -3,600
Percentage -1.8%
Rank 44
12-month gain or loss
Number 0
Percentage 0.0%
Rank 40
Overall, 39 states added construction jobs between April 2016 and April 2017 amid growing demand for construction services, yet more than half the states lost construction jobs between March and April amid tight labor market conditions. AGCA officials said firms in many parts of the country are having a hard time finding qualified workers, which is likely holding back broader employment gains in some states.
“Demand for construction remains robust, so it is likely that a number of the monthly employment declines are being caused by a lack of workers instead of a lack of work,” said the association’s chief economist Ken Simonson in a statement. “If the labor market remains tight, firms may have to adjust their business practices as they shift limited personnel from one project to the next.”
National data by state
