Every State Had Construction Unemployment Rate Below 10% in June

The national June not seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rate was 4.7%, a 1.3% increase from June 2025, according to a state-by-state analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released by Associated Builders and Contractors. The analysis found that every state had a construction unemployment rate below 10% and all but three states (Connecticut, New Jersey and Rhode Island) had a rate below 7%. National NSA payroll construction employment was 59,000 higher than in June 2025, its 14th straight month of year-over-year increases below 100,000. Seasonally adjusted payroll construction employment was 8.3 million, or 9.5% above its pre-pandemic peak of 7.6 […]

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AGC: Construction Employment Increases in 33 States and D.C.

Construction employment increased in 33 states and the District of Columbia from June 2025 to June 2026, while 28 states and D.C. added jobs between May and June, according to an analysis of new federal data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned, however, that several policy developments, including uncertainty surrounding tariffs, highway funding and data center development, could undermine future construction demand. Between June 2025 and June 2026, 33 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs, 14 states shed jobs, and employment was unchanged in Delaware, Mississippi and North Dakota. Texas added the most construction jobs […]

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Uneven Growth Persists Across Nonresidential Construction as Economic Uncertainty Lingers

The nonresidential construction market continued to face headwinds during the first five months of 2026 as spending fell 7 percent in nominal dollars compared to the same period a year earlier. Reflecting this softer market performance, the AIA Consensus Construction Forecast Panel lowered its 2026 projection from a 1.0 percent increase in spending, forecast in January, to a 0.3 percent decline. Despite near-term challenges, panelists expressed greater confidence in a rebound next year, increasing their 2027 spending forecast from 2.2 percent to 3.0 percent. Manufacturing construction experienced the most significant downward revision in the current forecast. Spending in the sector […]

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ABC: Construction Materials Costs Fall With Oil Prices in June

Construction input prices decreased 1.1% in June compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices also decreased 1.1% for the month. Overall construction input prices are 7.6% higher than one year ago, while nonresidential construction input prices are 7.4% higher. Prices decreased in 2 of the 3 energy subcategories last month. Crude petroleum prices declined 12.1%, and unprocessed energy materials fell 8.1%. Natural gas prices were up 16.6% in June. “Aggregate construction input prices receded in June due to the steep decline […]

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ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator Slips, Contractors Remain Confident in June

Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator fell to 8.8 months in June, according to an ABC member survey conducted June 22 to July 8. The reading is down 0.3 months from May but up 0.1 months from June 2025.  View ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index for June. View the full Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index data series. Only the Middle States region experienced backlog growth on a monthly basis in June. In the Northeast region, backlog contracted sharply in June and is down by over a month from a year ago.  ABC’s Construction Confidence Index readings […]

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