The not seasonally adjusted national construction unemployment rate dropped 2.6% in March 2022 from a year ago, down from 8.6% to 6%, while 45 states had lower unemployment rates over the same period, according to a state-by-state analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data recently released by Associated Builders and Contractors. This considerable improvement occurred as cases of the omicron variant fell and many states began lifting some or all of their COVID-19 restrictions.

National NSA construction employment was 230,000 higher in March 2022 than in March 2021. For the first time since the pandemic hit the United States, seasonally adjusted construction employment in March 2022 edged above its pre-pandemic peak in February 2020 (up 4,000). That’s even as national seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment, despite continuing to improve, was 1% below its February 2020 peak.

Residential construction employment rebounded more strongly than nonresidential construction employment. March SA residential construction employment was 83,000 above its pre-pandemic peak while nonresidential construction employment was 79,000 below its pre-pandemic peak, for a net gain of 4,000 in construction employment.

The national NSA construction unemployment rate of 6% was up 0.8 in March 2022 from its March 2019 reading. Over that same period, 23 states had lower construction unemployment rates, 26 states had higher rates, and one (Oklahoma) was unchanged.

The Top Five States

The five states with the lowest March 2022 estimated NSA construction unemployment rates were:

1. South Dakota, 1.3%
2. Nebraska, 1.8%
3. Utah, 2%
4. Arizona, 2.8%
5. Georgia and Idaho (tie), 3.2%

Arizona, Georgia, South Dakota, and Utah each posted their lowest March estimated NSA construction unemployment rate on record. Meanwhile, Idaho and Nebraska turned in their second lowest March rates on record. Both were only 0.1% above their lowest rate.

The Bottom Five States

The states with the highest March 2022 estimated NSA construction unemployment rates were:

1. New Jersey, 8.9%
2. Michigan, 9.3%
3. Illinois, 9.8%
4. West Virginia, 9.9%
5. New York, 10.3%

New Jersey and New York had the fourth and fifth largest year-over-year decrease, respectively, among the states.

Click here to view graphs of overall unemployment rates and construction unemployment rates showing the impact of the pandemic.