Washington and Oregon both experienced solid monthly employment growth in the construction industry in both October and November, according to seasonally-adjusted numbers from the Associated General Contractors of America. The states were two of only 23 states and Washington, D.C. that added construction jobs between September and October. They joined 27 other states and Washington, D.C. in adding jobs month over month in November as well.

 

The yearly trend in employment was positive in both states as well as they joined 32 other states that posted construction job gains between November 2015 and November 2016.

 

Construction in Alaska continued to face challenges as the state faced yearly jobs losses in both October and November and failed to see significant monthly growth.

 

Washington continues to post positive construction employment numbers as the industry added 1,900 jobs in October and 2,400 jobs in November, according to seasonally-adjusted month-over-month numbers from the Associated General Contractors of America. The state’s 1.3% employment growth rate between October and November ranked 14th nationally.

 

Growth in the specialty trades bolstered the monthly numbers in November to help offset job losses in heavy civil engineering. Building construction played a major role in the October employment growth as the subsector accounted for 1,200 of the 1,900 jobs added that month, according to the state’s monthly employment report.

 

Construction posted the second largest job growth in Washington in both of the past two months, trailing only Leisure and Hospitality in October and Education and Health Services in November.

 

The construction industry continues to show growth on a yearly basis as well. The industry ranked in the top four nationally in both of the last two months with a 10% year over year growth rate in October (+17,300 jobs) and a 9.4% rate in November (+16,500 jobs).

 

Overall, Washington added 10,600 non-farm jobs between September and October followed by 3,600 jobs between October and November. The gains in construction helped offset losses in November in Leisure and Hospitality, Retail, Government, and Financial Activities. Washington’s unemployment rate fell from 5.4% in October to 5.3% in November. That rate is 0.7% above the national average of 4.6%.

 

Construction employment was also a bright spot in Oregon as the state added 1,800 jobs between September and October and added another 1,000 jobs in November, according to seasonally-adjusted month-over-month numbers from the Associated General Contractors of America. The state’s construction employment growth rate of 1.1% in November ranked 15th nationally.

 

October and November marked an upward shift in the trend for construction employment growth in Oregon, which had stayed largely stagnant between February and September. November’s construction employment total of 92,500 is the highest mark for the industry since August of 2008, according to the state’s monthly employment release.

 

Oregon ranked in the top six nationally in year over year construction employment growth in October and November. The grew construction employment at a 7.5% rate (+6,200 jobs) in October and a 8.4% rate (+7,000 jobs) in November.

 

Overall, Oregon added 2,500 non-farm jobs in November. Construction posted the second largest employment gain behind Professional and Business Services (+2,700 jobs) and helped offset losses in Retail. The state’s unemployment rate dropped from 5.3% in October to 5.0% in November. That rate is 0.6% lower than the rate in November 2016.

 

Alaska lost 100 construction jobs between September and October before gaining 700 jobs between October and November, according to to seasonally-adjusted month-over-month numbers from the Associated General Contractors of America. The state’s construction employment growth rate of 4.3% in November ranked fourth nationally.

 

Despite that slight November bump in the seasonally-adjusted figures, the state’s monthly employment report shows that construction employment actually fell from 16,500 total jobs in October to 14,600 jobs in November. Construction employment also lost 1,500 jobs between November 2015 and November 2016, according to unadjusted numbers from the state.

Construction was one of the hardest hit industries in Alaska over the past year, contributing to the state’s November unemployment rate of 6.8%, which is 2.2% above the national average.