The construction industry added 28,000 jobs on net in December, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has risen by 231,000 jobs or 3.1%.

Only 18 states and the District of Columbia have added construction jobs since just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020, despite a pickup in most states from October to November, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America.