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U.S. construction employment increased by a net 11,000 jobs in September, according to a National Association of Home Builders analysis of state employment data. Twenty-five states added construction jobs, 21 lost jobs, and four states plus Washington, D.C., reported no change. The sector was up 109,000 jobs, or 1.3%, from September 2025.
U.S. construction employment increased by a net 11,000 jobs in September, with 25 states adding construction jobs and 21 recording losses, according to a state-level data analysis by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Four states and Washington, D.C., reported no change, leaving the national gain alongside markedly different results across the country.
Oregon recorded the largest monthly increase, adding 2,000 construction jobs between August and September. Wisconsin had the largest decline, losing 3,300. Measured as a percentage of employment, Rhode Island had the strongest increase at 2.2%, while Alaska had the steepest decrease at 3.3%.
The annual figures showed a broader increase: construction employment was up 109,000 jobs nationwide compared with September 2025, a rise of 1.3%. Louisiana had the largest state-level annual gain, with 18,800 additional construction jobs, and the strongest percentage growth, at 13.9%. Georgia recorded the largest annual loss, down 4,900 jobs; Alaska had the steepest percentage decline, at 5.3%.
The broader labor market also produced a mixed state picture in September. Nonfarm payroll employment rose in 23 states and Washington, D.C., compared with August, while 25 states recorded declines. New York led monthly gains across all industries with 19,600 jobs, followed by New Jersey with 14,900 and South Carolina with 12,500. The states with declines collectively lost 100,100 jobs, with Wisconsin shedding the most, 13,700.
Construction Gains Vary by State
The national construction gain offers a snapshot of hiring across residential and non-residential building work, but the state totals show that the increase was not shared evenly. Twenty-five states gained jobs while 21 lost them, and the gap between Oregon’s 2,000-job increase and Wisconsin’s 3,300-job decline highlights the variation behind the national figure.
For contractors, building-material suppliers and other businesses tied to construction, employment changes can help describe where the sector is adding or shedding workers. These figures do not, by themselves, explain the reasons behind a state’s result or establish what hiring will look like in the coming months. The 1.3% year-over-year national increase provides a longer comparison than the one-month change, while Louisiana’s growth and Alaska’s decline illustrate how different state trajectories can be.
The broader employment figures also counsel against treating a single national number as a complete account of labor-market conditions. Although overall nonfarm payrolls rose nationally by 29,000 jobs in September, state results ranged from gains to losses. Construction’s net increase was therefore one part of a mixed state-level picture, rather than evidence of uniform growth across industries or locations.
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September’s Mixed State Employment Picture
The figures come from an NAHB analysis of state-level employment data reported for September. The analysis separates month-over-month changes from August from comparisons with September 2025. Those time frames measure different things: a state can lose jobs in a single month while remaining above its employment level a year earlier, or gain in a month while still posting an annual decline.
Across all nonfarm industries, the national payroll total increased by 29,000 jobs in September, after increasing by 133,000 in August, according to the source report. State results differed: 23 states and D.C. gained nonfarm jobs, while 25 states lost them. South Carolina recorded the strongest percentage gain in total employment, at 0.5%; Wisconsin had the largest percentage decline, at 0.4%.
Construction figures cover both residential and non-residential construction. The reported state counts for the month account for all states and D.C.: 25 recorded gains, 21 recorded losses, and four states plus D.C. were unchanged. The source provides employment changes and rankings, but does not break the results down by construction subsector.
Limits of the September State Data
The source material does not specify the year of the September figures used for the month-over-month results. It does identify the year-over-year comparison as September 2025, but the reporting period for the current September data is not expressly stated in the supplied text. The figures should not be assigned a year beyond what the source confirms.
The analysis reports job-count changes but does not explain what drove them. It also does not provide state-level construction employment totals, detail by residential versus non-residential work, or information about wages, vacancies or hours. The monthly results describe changes between August and September; they do not establish whether gains or losses will continue.
The reported totals and state rankings are attributed to the NAHB analysis as summarized by Hardware Retailing. The source material does not include a separate underlying data table or additional commentary from state officials, employers or labor-market researchers. The figures therefore support a description of employment changes, not conclusions about their causes.
Next Employment Data Updates
The next useful comparison will be subsequent state and national employment data, which can show whether September’s construction gain persists or changes direction. Readers can also compare revised or later releases with these figures to see whether the monthly totals or state rankings change.
Until those updates are available, the confirmed picture is limited to the September results in the NAHB analysis: a net national construction gain of 11,000 jobs, state-level increases in 25 states, and a year-over-year rise of 1.3%. The source does not state a release date for the next report or forecast future employment.
Key Questions
How many construction jobs did the U.S. add in September?
The U.S. construction sector recorded a net gain of 11,000 jobs in September, according to the NAHB analysis.
How many states gained construction jobs?
Twenty-five states added construction jobs between August and September. Twenty-one states lost jobs, while four states and Washington, D.C., reported no change.
Which states had the largest monthly construction changes?
Oregon had the largest monthly gain, with 2,000 jobs added. Wisconsin had the largest loss, with 3,300 jobs removed.
How did construction employment change over the year?
Nationwide construction employment rose by 109,000 jobs, or 1.3%, compared with September 2025. Louisiana led state gains, while Georgia had the largest decline by job count.
What is not known from the report?
The source does not identify the year for the September month-over-month figures or explain the causes of state-level changes. It also does not separate residential from non-residential construction results.
Source: rss
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