Analysis: California tops in new construction jobs, 15,000 added in February (Orange: general contractor, building)

[18Montclair]

Thanks to a good February, we've at least broken even and now have a modest net gain for the 12-month period.

20 more months of this and we may have a reason to celebrate.

Has the building freeze finally ended? California had the largest construction gain in the nation in February – adding 15,500 jobs, or 2.7 percent, from January, says an Associated General Contractors of America analysis of state employment data from the U.S. Labor Department.

Following California in fast-growing construction jobs was Georgia (5,000 jobs, 3.7 percent); North Carolina (4,500 jobs, 2.7 percent); and Florida (4,400 jobs, 1.3 percent). Construction employment jumped in 30 states between January and February; 18 states lost jobs; three were unchanged.

Curiously, Texas lost the most construction jobs in February (4,300, or an 0.7 percent drop). Next came New York (4,100 jobs, or 1.4 percent); Colorado (2,700 jobs, or 2.4 percent); and Arizona (2,600 jobs, or 2.4 percent).

Calif. tops in new construction jobs | construction, jobs, ended - The Orange County Register