State-by-State Employment Data for February
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 43 states and the District of Columbia in February compared to the previous month, while seven states saw a decrease. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nationwide total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 275,000 in February, following a gain of 229,000 jobs in January.
Across the nation, construction sector jobs data — which includes both residential and non-residential construction — showed that 31 states reported an increase in February compared to January, while 17 states lost construction sector jobs. The remaining three ‐ South Carolina, Vermont and the District of Columbia — reported no change on a month-over-month basis.
Overall, the construction industry added a net 23,000 jobs in February compared to the previous month. Texas added the most construction jobs (7,800), while California lost 9,600 jobs. In percentage terms, Alaska reported the highest increase at 4.9% and Minnesota reported the largest decline at 2.3%.
Year over year, construction sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 215,000, which is a 2.7% increase compared to the February 2023 level. Texas added 32,200 jobs, which was the largest gain of any state, while New York lost 19,000 construction sector jobs. In percentage terms, Alaska had the highest annual growth rate in the construction sector at 15.6%. Over this period, North Dakota reported the largest decline of 5.7%.
Danushka Nanayakkara-Skillington, NAHB assistant vice president for forecasting and analysis, provides more details on the overall job market in this Eye on Housing post.
Latest from NAHBNow
Legal
Nov 11, 2026
Persistence and NAHB Support Deliver Victory in Michigan Permit Fee Case
For more than 15 years, the Home Builders Association of Michigan (HBAM) has been battling the city of Troy, Mich., in court over the city’s shift to a privatized permit fee process. The case was finally decided in HBAM’s favor.
Advocacy
Nov 11, 2026
Widespread U.S. Housing Ballot Wins; Two Key NAHB-Backed Defeats
Although housing ballot measures fared well nationwide in the midterm elections, two NAHB-backed initiatives were defeated: one to streamline environmental reviews in California and another to address minimum lot sizes for single-family homes in Massachusetts.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Nov 10, 2026
Consumer Credit Growth Picks Up in the Third Quarter of 2026
Consumer credit growth accelerated in the third quarter of 2026, with both revolving and nonrevolving credit increasing at their fastest quarterly rates since 2022. Total outstanding consumer credit reached $5.22 trillion, continuing an upward trend that has strengthened over the past year.
Economics
Nov 10, 2026
Inflation Persists in October
Inflation remained elevated in October even as energy prices eased, raising expectations of another Fed rate hike. Shelter returned as the largest driver of headline inflation, accounting for over 30% of the monthly increase. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy components, rose by 0.3% for the third consecutive month, suggesting broad-based price pressures across the economy.
Economics
Nov 09, 2026
Residential Building Worker Wage Growth Rebounds, but Real Wages Continue to Decline
Wage growth for residential building workers showed signs of a modest rebound in September 2026 following a sharp slowdown earlier in the year. According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nominal wage growth picked up from its June pace, although it remained relatively modest.