State-by-State Employment Data for April

Labor
Published

Nonfarm employment increased in 38 states and the District of Columbia in April compared to the previous month, while 11 states saw a decrease. Alaska reported no change during this time. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nationwide total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 175,000 in April, following a gain of 315,000 jobs in March.

Across the nation, construction sector jobs data — which includes both residential and non-residential construction — showed that 28 states reported an increase in April compared to March, while 19 states and the District of Columbia lost construction sector jobs. The three remaining states — Mississippi, Rhode Island and South Carolina — reported no change on a month-over-month basis.

Overall, the construction industry added a net 9,000 jobs in April compared to the previous month.

Year over year, construction sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 258,000, which is a 3.2% increase compared to the April 2023 level. Texas added the most jobs (30,500) of any state, while New York lost 7,100 construction sector jobs. In percentage terms, Alaska had the highest annual growth rate in the construction sector at 18%, while Maryland reported the largest decline of 4%.

Danushka Nanayakkara-Skillington, NAHB assistant vice president for forecasting and analysis, provides more insights in this Eye on Housing post.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Material Costs

Oct 30, 2025

Senate Approves 3 Resolutions to Limit President’s Tariff Authority

The Senate has voted to approve three resolutions that would rescind President Trump’s authority to impose tariffs on foreign imports based on national security considerations.

Sponsored Content

Oct 30, 2025

Avoiding Lender Failure: 4 Costly Lessons from a Real Builder's Story

Financing isn’t just about funding — it’s about trust. Even experienced teams can get blindsided when the wrong lender sits across the table. Here are four costly lessons every spec builder should learn before signing their next loan.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Oct 30, 2025

Which Local Markets Track National Trends the Most: 2024 Single-Family MAI

The National Association of Home Builders developed the Single-Family Market Association Index (MAI) to measure how closely single-family building permits in metro areas follow national patterns. By comparing local and national trends, the MAI helps industry leaders and forecasters better understand and predict housing market activity.

Economics

Oct 29, 2025

The Fed Cuts amid Partly Cloudy Conditions

With the government shutdown limiting the quantity of economic data available to markets and policymakers, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) enacted a widely anticipated 25 basis point cut for the short-term federal funds rate.

Economics

Oct 28, 2025

Home Price Growth Slows

Home prices in August grew at the lowest annual rate in over two years, according to the recent release of the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Index (seasonally adjusted – SA).