The number of construction jobs increased in 27 states in May, on a monthly basis, according to employment data released by the Bureau of Labor statistics. Year-over-year, employment increased in 33 states and Washington, D.C.

“Construction has been in a holding pattern for several months, with gains in a small majority of states,” Ken Simonson, chief economist at the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), said in a statement. “Uncertainty over tariffs, immigration, federal funding, taxes and other policy shifts is causing many types of projects to be put on hold across the country.”

In the past year, Texas added 28,000 construction jobs—the most of any state—while Ohio and Michigan, added 17,000 and 10,400, respectively. California lost 13,800 construction employees, the highest number, with Washington losing 11,200 jobs. The state New York ranked third on the list, down 6,800 construction employees since May 2024.

On a monthly basis, since April 2025 the state of Michigan has added the largest number of construction employees, with 4,300 jobs. However, over the same time period, Virginia and California each lost an estimated 19,000 construction jobs, the largest amount of any state.