Construction Jobs Regionally by Level and Change, U.S. and Canada

Tables 1 through 3 accompanying this article detail the latest (October 2018) statistics on construction employment regionally in the U.S. and Canada. Table 1 is a ranking of states, D.C. and Puerto Rico for the U.S. and provinces and territories for Canada by construction employment levels.

Construction Jobs Regionally by Level and Change, U.S. and Canada Graphic

Table 2 is a ranking of states, D.C. and Puerto Rico for the U.S. and provinces and territories for Canada according to year-over-year (y/y) nominal changes in construction employment levels.

Table 3 is a ranking of states, D.C. and Puerto Rico for the U.S. and provinces and territories for Canada by y/y percentage changes in number of construction jobs.

With respect to number of construction jobs (Table 1), the four most populous states in America are the frontrunners. California (874,000) is in first place, followed by Texas (774,000), Florida (553,000) and New York (415,000).

After New York, there’s a sizable step down to fifth-place Pennsylvania (266,000).

There are six other states with construction levels exceeding 200,000 – Illinois (243,000); Ohio (238,000); North Carolina (222,000); Washington (218,000); Georgia (+207,000); and Virginia (206,000).

(By the way, how populous are California, Texas, N.Y. and Florida? Combined, they account for the residences of one out of every three Americans.)

In Canada, Ontario (529,000 construction jobs) leads the pack by a wide margin. There is little separation, however, between the next three highest-ranking provinces – Quebec (253,000); Alberta (249,000) and British Columbia (237,000).

If one were to compare states and provinces, Ontario would be positioned in fourth spot, a little behind Florida but considerably ahead of New York.

Table 1: U.S. and Canadian Construction Employment


U.S. States – Construction Employment
Oct. 2018 – Not Seasonally Adjusted (NSA) data (3-month moving averages placed in latest month)

Rank	State	No. of Workers

1	California	874,067
2	Texas	774,267
3	Florida	552,767
4	New York	415,033
5	Pennsylvania	265,600
6	Illinois	243,333
7	Ohio	238,400
8	North Carolina	221,567
9	Washington	218,433
10	Georgia	206,700
11	Virginia	206,067
12	Michigan	186,433
13	Colorado	176,167
14	Massachusetts	169,333
15	Maryland	166,000
16	Arizona	165,900
17	New Jersey	153,633
18	Indiana	152,500
19	Louisiana	149,600
20	Minnesota	136,700
21	Wisconsin	132,733
22	Missouri	127,500
23	Tennessee	125,333
24	Oregon	112,567
25	Utah	105,200
26	South Carolina	98,900
27	Nevada	94,533
28	Alabama	88,333
29	Iowa	86,100
30	Kentucky	79,067
31	Oklahoma	78,967
32	Connecticut	66,633
33	Kansas	62,933
34	Nebraska	53,933
35	Arkansas	53,733
36	Idaho	50,133
37	New Mexico	49,767
38	Mississippi	43,600
39	West Virginia	36,833
40	Hawaii	36,433
41	Montana	31,400
42	North Dakota	30,867
43	New Hampshire	30,800
44	Maine	30,633
45	South Dakota	25,433
46	Delaware	23,833
47	Wyoming	22,300
48	Rhode Island	20,300
49	Puerto Rico	19,833
50	Alaska	17,267
51	Vermont	16,733
52	District of Columbia	16,267

Canadian Provinces – Construction Employment
Oct. 2018 – Seasonally Adjusted (SA)

Rank	Province	No. of Workers

1	Ontario	528,800
2	Quebec	252,800
3	Alberta	248,500
4	British Columbia	237,400
5	Atlantic Region	80,900
6	Saskatchewan	50,700
7	Manitoba	46,400

Figures for Delaware, D.C. and Hawaii include mining & logging as well as construction.
Data for Canada’s northern territories is not available.

Data sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics & Statistics Canada (14-10-0355-01).
Table: ConstructConnect.

Moving on to Table 2, Texas (+54,000) has managed the biggest increase in number of construction jobs y/y, followed by Florida (+49,000) and California (+36,000). But Georgia (+21,000) and Arizona (+17,000) have surpassed New York (+15,000).

Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina and Kentucky have experienced minor drops of less than one thousand in construction employment. New Jersey, though, has seen a substantial decline (-6,900).

In Canada, Quebec (+6,500) has been the winner in nominal jobs creation, with B.C. (+5,400) in hot pursuit. Ontario’s performance (+1,200) has been relatively anemic.

Table 2: U.S. and Canadian Nominal Change in Construction Employment


U.S. States – Nominal Change in Construction Employment
OCT. 2018 vs OCT. 2017 – Based on NSA Data

Rank	State	+/- No. of Workers

1	Texas	53,500
2	Florida	49,400
3	California	36,200
4	Georgia	21,300
5	Arizona	16,933
6	New York	14,800
7	Michigan	11,967
8	Washington	10,833
9	Oregon	10,167
10	North Carolina	9,800
11	Nevada	9,467
12	Indiana	9,267
13	Virginia	9,133
14	Massachusetts	9,067
15	Ohio	8,467
16	Wisconsin	8,333
17	Illinois	8,233
18	Colorado	7,567
19	Minnesota	6,700
20	Iowa	5,867
21	Connecticut	5,000
22	Pennsylvania	4,167
23	Utah	3,533
24	Tennessee	3,100
25	New Hampshire	3,067
25	New Mexico	3,067
27	Idaho	2,400
28	Alabama	2,300
29	Louisiana	2,200
30	Montana	2,033
31	West Virginia	1,933
32	Kansas	1,633
33	Delaware	1,567
34	Arkansas	1,533
35	South Dakota	1,433
35	Wyoming	1,433
37	North Dakota	1,400
38	Nebraska	1,300
39	Rhode Island	933
40	Maine	900
41	Maryland	833
42	District of Columbia	633
43	Missouri	467
44	Vermont	333
45	Alaska	200
46	Oklahoma	133
47	Hawaii	67
48	Mississippi	-67
49	Puerto Rico	-300
50	South Carolina	-700
51	Kentucky	-800
52	New Jersey	-6,900

Canadian Provinces – Nominal change in Construction Employment
oct. 2018 vs oct. 2017 – Based on SA Data

Rank	Province	+/- No. of Workers

1	Quebec	6,500
2	British Columbia	5,400
3	Alberta	2,700
4	Ontario	1,200
5	Saskatchewan	-500
6	Atlantic Region	-1,200
7	Manitoba	-1,600

Figures for Delaware, D.C. and Hawaii include mining & logging as well as construction.
Data for Canada’s northern territories is not available.

Data sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics & Statistics Canada (14-10-0355-01).
Table: ConstructConnect.

From Table 3, there have been four states with double-digit y/y percentage jumps in construction employment – Georgia (+11.5%); Arizona (+11.4%); Nevada and New Hampshire (each +11.1%).

Table 3 includes a couple of extra features, − two horizontal lines, one dashed and the other solid. The jurisdictions lying above the dashed line have recorded percentage increases faster than for the whole construction sector nationwide (+4.7%).

The jurisdictions ‘north’ of the solid line have achieved percentage-change construction jobs growth that has been more rapid than the country-wide all-jobs advance of +1.7%. (‘All jobs’ is for construction, manufacturing and a multitude of services-related activities.)

To better see the dichotomy between jurisdictions above and below the solid vertical line, click on the following link, which will lead you to two maps – "Maps – Georgia Best and New Jersey Worst for Construction Jobs Growth".

In Canada, the regional percentage increases in construction employment have been nowhere near as outsized as in the U.S. Quebec (+2.6%) has done best, followed by B.C. (+2.3%) and Alberta (+1.1%).

Ontario (+0.2%), apparently wishing to take a breather, has stepped out of the parade. Manitoba (-3.3%) has packed up its gym bag and gone home for a nap.

Table 3: U.S. and Canadian % Change in Construction Employment


U.S. States – % Change in Construction Employment
oct. 2018 vs oct. 2017 – Based on NSA Data

Rank	State	% change No. of Workers

1	Georgia	11.5%
2	Arizona	11.4%
3	Nevada	11.1%
3	New Hampshire	11.1%
5	Oregon	9.9%
6	Florida	9.8%
7	Connecticut	8.1%
8	Texas	7.4%
9	Iowa	7.3%
10	Delaware	7.0%
11	Michigan	6.9%
11	Montana	6.9%
11	Wyoming	6.9%
14	Wisconsin	6.7%
15	New Mexico	6.6%
16	Indiana	6.5%
17	South Dakota	6.0%
18	Massachusetts	5.7%
19	West Virginia	5.5%
20	Minnesota	5.2%
20	Washington	5.2%
22	Idaho	5.0%
23	North Dakota	4.8%
23	Rhode Island	4.8%
25	North Carolina	4.6%
25	Virginia	4.6%
27	Colorado	4.5%
28	California	4.3%
29	District of Columbia	4.1%
30	New York	3.7%
30	Ohio	3.7%
32	Illinois	3.5%
32	Utah	3.5%
34	Maine	3.0%
35	Arkansas	2.9%
36	Alabama	2.7%
36	Kansas	2.7%
38	Nebraska	2.5%
38	Tennessee	2.5%
40	Vermont	2.0%
41	Pennsylvania	1.6%
42	Louisiana	1.5%
43	Alaska	1.2%
44	Maryland	0.5%
45	Missouri	0.4%
46	Hawaii	0.2%
46	Oklahoma	0.2%
48	Mississippi	-0.2%
49	South Carolina	-0.7%
50	Kentucky	-1.0%
51	Puerto Rico	-1.5%
52	New Jersey	-4.3%

Canadian Provinces – % change in Construction Employment
oct. 2018 vs oct. 2017 – Based on SA Data

Rank	Province	% change No. of Workers

1	Quebec	2.6%
2	British Columbia	2.3%
3	Alberta	1.1%
4	Ontario	0.2%
5	Saskatchewan	-1.0%
6	Atlantic Region	-1.5%
7	Manitoba	-3.3%

In the U.S. table, numbers above dashed line are higher than U.S. total construction jobs change of +4.7%.Numbers above solid horizontal line are higher than U.S. ‘all-jobs’ change of +1.7%.
Figures for Delaware, D.C. and Hawaii include mining & logging as well as construction.
Data for Canada’s northern territories is not available.

Data sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics & Statistics Canada (14-10-0355-01).
Table: ConstructConnect.