The Blog

The national March 2025 not seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rate was 5.4%, unchanged from March 2024, 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 19 states had lower estimated construction unemployment rates over the same period, 25 had higher rates and six states had the same rates. All states except for Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey and Rhode Island had construction unemployment rates below 10%.

The construction industry added 11,000 jobs in April, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has grown by 143,000 jobs, an increase of 1.7%.

Construction input prices increased 0.5% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.6% for the month.

The construction industry added 13,000 jobs on net in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has risen by a mere 143,000 jobs, an increase of 1.8%.

Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts has enjoyed a good relationship with Governor Maura Healey. So we were taken aback last month when, at the Massachusetts Building Trades Convention, the Governor announced an executive order calling on state agencies to conduct an analysis “to determine whether using a PLA [project labor agreement] is in the best interest of the Commonwealth or agency” for all projects valued at $35 million and above.

The construction industry had 264,000 job openings on the last day of February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting.

National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.3% in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.255 trillion.

ABC MA representatives met last week with Governor Maura Healey about her recent Executive Order on PLAs.

Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator fell to 8.3 months in February, according to an ABC member survey conducted Feb. 20 to March 5. The reading is up 0.2 months since February 2024.

The construction industry added 19,000 jobs on net in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has increased by 174,000 jobs, an increase of 2.1%.