Census ACS 5-Year · 52 states
States With Most Construction Jobs
Construction employment reflects where building activity is most intense, new homes, commercial developments, infrastructure projects, and renovations. States with rapidly growing populations (Texas, Florida, Nevada) and states with large energy infrastructure needs (North Dakota, Wyoming, Louisiana) tend to have the highest construction workforce shares. Construction is one of the highest-paying industries for workers without a college degree, with skilled trades like electricians, plumbers, and welders commanding strong wages. The industry is cyclical, rising and falling with housing demand and government infrastructure spending. A persistent shortage of skilled construction workers has pushed wages higher and created bottlenecks in housing supply, one reason home prices have risen so sharply. States with more construction workers tend to be building more housing, which helps moderate price increases compared to supply-constrained markets.
Key Findings
- 1Idaho leads with a construction employment share of 9.3%, followed by Montana (9.0%) and Wyoming (8.7%).
- 2The gap between #1 Idaho and #52 District of Columbia (2.6%) is 6.7 percentage points.
- 3The national median across all states is 7.0% (Tennessee at the midpoint).
- 4The top 10 states are: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Colorado, Utah, Vermont, Arizona.
Full Ranking: States With Most Construction Jobs
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
| # | State | Construction % | Median Home | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 8.7% | $285,100 | 579,761 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 6.2% | $247,400 | 5,892,023 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 6.9% | $155,600 | 1,784,462 |
| 4 | Washington | 7.2% | $519,800 | 7,740,984 |
| 5 | Virginia | 6.5% | $360,700 | 8,657,499 |
| 6 | Vermont | 7.8% | $290,500 | 645,254 |
| 7 | Utah | 7.9% | $455,000 | 3,331,187 |
| 8 | Texas | 8.6% | $260,400 | 29,640,343 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 7.0% | $256,800 | 6,986,082 |
| 10 | South Dakota | 7.3% | $236,800 | 899,194 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 7.2% | $236,700 | 5,212,774 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 6.4% | $368,800 | 1,095,371 |
| 13 | Puerto Rico | 6.3% | $124,600 | 3,254,885 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 6.1% | $240,500 | 12,986,518 |
| 15 | Oregon | 6.7% | $454,200 | 4,238,714 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 7.2% | $185,900 | 3,995,260 |
| 17 | Ohio | 5.9% | $199,200 | 11,780,046 |
| 18 | North Dakota | 7.2% | $241,100 | 779,361 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 7.5% | $259,400 | 10,584,340 |
| 20 | New York | 5.7% | $403,000 | 19,872,319 |
| 21 | New Mexico | 7.4% | $232,200 | 2,114,768 |
| 22 | New Jersey | 6.1% | $427,600 | 9,267,014 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | 7.1% | $367,200 | 1,387,834 |
| 24 | Nevada | 7.6% | $406,100 | 3,141,000 |
| 25 | Nebraska | 7.2% | $223,800 | 1,965,926 |
| 26 | Montana | 9.0% | $338,100 | 1,105,072 |
| 27 | Missouri | 6.8% | $215,600 | 6,168,181 |
| 28 | Mississippi | 6.8% | $161,400 | 2,951,438 |
| 29 | Minnesota | 6.3% | $305,500 | 5,713,716 |
| 30 | Michigan | 5.8% | $217,600 | 10,051,595 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | 6.1% | $525,800 | 6,992,395 |
| 32 | Maryland | 7.4% | $397,700 | 6,170,738 |
| 33 | Maine | 7.7% | $266,400 | 1,377,400 |
| 34 | Louisiana | 8.3% | $208,700 | 4,621,025 |
| 35 | Kentucky | 6.3% | $192,300 | 4,510,725 |
| 36 | Kansas | 6.4% | $203,400 | 2,937,569 |
| 37 | Iowa | 6.9% | $195,900 | 3,195,937 |
| 38 | Indiana | 6.5% | $201,600 | 6,811,752 |
| 39 | Illinois | 5.4% | $250,500 | 12,692,653 |
| 40 | Idaho | 9.3% | $376,000 | 1,893,296 |
| 41 | Hawaii | 7.3% | $808,200 | 1,445,635 |
| 42 | Georgia | 6.9% | $272,900 | 10,822,590 |
| 43 | Florida | 8.2% | $325,000 | 21,928,881 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | 2.6% | $724,600 | 672,079 |
| 45 | Delaware | 7.1% | $326,800 | 1,005,872 |
| 46 | Connecticut | 6.1% | $343,200 | 3,598,348 |
| 47 | Colorado | 8.0% | $502,200 | 5,810,774 |
| 48 | California | 6.7% | $695,400 | 39,242,785 |
| 49 | Arkansas | 7.3% | $175,300 | 3,032,651 |
| 50 | Arizona | 7.7% | $358,900 | 7,268,175 |
| 51 | Alaska | 7.2% | $333,300 | 733,971 |
| 52 | Alabama | 7.0% | $195,100 | 5,054,253 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
More Industry Rankings
Explore Other Rankings
Related Rankings & Top Entities
Ranked #1 by construction employment share
Ranked #2 by construction employment share
Ranked #3 by construction employment share
More industry rankings
More industry rankings
More industry rankings
Frequently Asked Questions
Idaho has the highest construction employment share at 9.3%, according to latest Census ACS data. Montana and Wyoming round out the top three.
District of Columbia has the lowest construction employment share at 2.6%. Illinois is second-lowest at 5.4%.
The median across all 52 states is 7.0%. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently, the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.
This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.
Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS 5-Year estimates. The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.