Florida has led the nation in added construction jobs during the past year, according to Associated General Contractors (AGC), which reported that 43 states added construction jobs between February 2016 and February 2017.
Florida led the list with 34,700 jobs added, a 7.5 percent increase. Other states with significant job increases included by California (16,500 jobs), Texas (14,200 jobs) and Louisiana (13,500 jobs).
Rhode Island added the highest percentage of new jobs at 12.2 percent and 2,200 jobs. Georgia added 7,000 jobs in the past year, a 4.1 percent increase.
“A combination of solid demand and unseasonably mild weather added to construction employment in more states than usual in February,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the association. “But conditions vary widely. Five states set new records for construction employment, while more than half the states are still at least 10 percent below their all-time highs.