Construction Jobless Rate Drops in February
Construction's February unemployment rate of 21.8% showed improvement over January's 22.5% rate and was a substantial drop from February 2010's 27.1%.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics latest monthly employment snapshot, released on March 4, reports that construction gained 33,000 jobs last month.
But the bureau also note that the industry's February gain followed a loss of 22,000 jobs in January, which it says "may have reflected severe winter weather."
Construction's 21.8% jobless rate also remains the worst among major U.S. industry sectors. Agriculture posted the second-highest rate last month, with 18.4%.
The BLS rates for construction and other industries are not adjusted for seasonal variations. Construction's rate peaks in winter months, when building slows in much of the country.
The February 2010 construction rate of 27.1% was the industry's highest monthly level since at least 2001.
The overall national unemployment rate last month was 8.9%, which BLS notes was "little changed" from January's 9.0%.
| 2011 | |
|---|---|
| February | 21.8 |
| January | 22.5 |
| 2010 | |
| December | 20.7 |
| November | 18.8 |
| October | 17.3 |
| September | 17.2 |
| August | 17.0 |
| July | 17.3 |
| June | 20.1 |
| May | 20.1 |
| April | 21.8 |
| March | 24.9 |
| February | 27.1 |
| January | 24.7 |
| 2009 | |
| December | 22.7 |
| November | 19.4 |
| October | 18.7 |
| September | 17.1 |
| August | 16.5 |
| July | 18.2 |
| June | 17.4 |
| May | 19.2 |
| April | 18.7 |
| March | 21.1 |
| February | 21.4 |
| January | 18.2 |
| Note: Rates are not seasonally adjusted. Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics | |
