The majority Midwest of builders closed out the first quarter with better employment news than a year earlier, though key states, including Illinois and Indiana, continued to show tepid improvement, according to year-over-year data compiled by Arlington, Va.-based Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).
Ohio (+7,800 jobs, 4.3%) led the region in March employment gains, followed by Michigan (+5,400 jobs, 4.1%), Missouri (3,800 job, 3.6%), Wisconsin (3,500 jobs, 3.6%) and Illinois (1,600, 0.8%). Indiana (-1,600, -1.3%) posted declines in year-over-year comparisons.