Construction Jobs Market Remains Weak

More states lost construction jobs in May than at any point since June 2011, as 30 states experienced annual job losses and 27 states and Washington, D.C., lost jobs during the past month, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America.

The weak state construction employment figures come as public investments in construction decline and the federal transportation program is at risk of shutting down on June 30.

AGC reports only 19 states plus the District of Columbia added construction jobs between May 2011 and May 2012, while construction employment was stagnant in Kansas for the year.

Montana added the highest percentage of new construction jobs for the year (15.2%, 3,400 jobs), followed by North Dakota (13.7%, 3,200 jobs) and Nebraska (10.6%, 4,400 jobs). Texas added the most new construction jobs (15,600 jobs, 2.8%), followed by California (11,700 jobs, 2.1%), Arizona (11,000, 10%) and Indiana (8,800 jobs, 7.5%).

For an additional breakdown of the results, please go here.