47 states experienced improvement in year-over-year construction unemployment rates in June

June not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates improved in 47 states and the nation on a year-over-year basis according to analysis released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). The national construction unemployment rate of 4.6 percent was 1.7 percent lower than a year ago according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Further, the industry boasted its lowest June rate since 2000 when it matched this June’s 4.6 percent rate. BLS data also showed that the industry employed 229,000 more people than in June 2015.

“Starting in 2000, when the BLS data for this series begins, the June national NSA construction unemployment rate has fallen from May every year except 2010 when it was unchanged. This is not surprising given that this is not seasonally adjusted data and that construction activity normally continues to rise nationwide as the weather improves throughout the country. This year’s decrease of 0.6 percent from May continues this pattern,” says economist Bernard M. Markstein, Ph.D., President and Chief Economist of Markstein Advisors, who conducted the analysis for ABC.

The five states with the lowest estimated NSA construction unemployment rates in order from lowest rate to highest were:

1. Vermont
2. Colorado
3. Idaho and Iowa (tie)
5. Nebraska

Three states—Iowa, Nebraska and Vermont—were also among the top five in May.

The five states with the highest estimated NSA construction unemployment rates (from lowest to highest) were:

46. Mississippi
47. Connecticut
48. Rhode Island
49. New Mexico
50. Alabama

Alabama, New Mexico and Rhode Island were also in the bottom five in May.

View states ranked by their construction unemployment rate, their year-over-year improvement in construction employment and monthly improvement in construction employment.