PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island construction employment rose 300 jobs year over year to 18,700 workers, seasonally adjusted, in March, a 1.6 percent year over year increase, according to the Associated General Contractors of America Friday.
The year-over-year growth rate ranked as the No. 32 highest growth rate of all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., and No. 4 among New England states.
West Virginia had the highest year-over-year construction employment growth in the nation, rising 11.2 percent.
In New England, Massachusetts had the highest construction employment growth rate, rising 7.7 percent, an 11,500-job growth to 160,700 jobs in March, ranking No. 4 in the country. New Hampshire had the second-highest New England growth rate at 3.4 percent growth, No. 21 in the nation, to 27,600 jobs. Connecticut ranked No. 3 in New England and No. 30 in the nation with a 1.7 percent construction employment growth year over year, increasing to 59,400 jobs.
Vermont construction employment, ranked No. 5 in New England and No. 37 in the country, grew at 0.7 percent year over year in March (a 100-job gain) while Maine construction employment’s growth rate ranked last in New England and No. 44 in the country with a decline of 1.8 percent, a 500-job loss.
While year-over-year Rhode Island construction employment increased, the Ocean State’s construction employment declined 500 jobs month to month, a 2.6 percent decline, the largest percent decline in the country in March. Month to month, Alaska job construction grew at the fastest rate at 2.6 percent in March.
Massachusetts and Connecticut tied for the highest percent gain month to month in New England in March at 0.8 percent, for which both ranked No. 7 in the nation.
Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor.
