How did we rank the states?
This ranking uses the U.S. Census Bureau’s Building Permits Survey, a monthly federal count of new construction authorized in every state. A permit is issued before work starts, so permit counts are one of the earliest public signals of the construction to come.
The survey covers residential buildings, including apartment and condo buildings with five or more units, which are commercial construction work. Because it leaves out offices, plants, hospitals, and data centers, we also compare construction employment by state and the largest nonresidential projects under way in each state.
Which states have the most construction in 2026?
Ranked by housing units permitted from January to September 2026, with construction employment for September 2026:
| Rank | State | Units permitted, Jan to Sep 2026 | Change vs. 2025 | Units in 5+ unit buildings | Construction jobs, Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 150,609 | -7.8% | 36,504 | 921,600 |
| 2 | Florida | 124,411 | -9.4% | 36,681 | 657,000 |
| 3 | California | 83,850 | +8.8% | 36,615 | 883,800 |
| 4 | North Carolina | 70,904 | +2.4% | 21,839 | 295,800 |
| 5 | Georgia | 46,564 | +0.3% | 12,099 | 231,800 |
| 6 | South Carolina | 37,483 | +4.8% | 5,873 | 130,200 |
| 7 | New York | 34,665 | +41.9% | 25,859 | 384,700 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 33,214 | -0.3% | 8,099 | 167,600 |
| 9 | Arizona | 31,873 | -13.6% | 7,920 | 227,600 |
| 10 | Virginia | 31,315 | +20.0% | 14,467 | 228,500 |
The U.S. as a whole permitted 1,083,662 housing units from January to September 2026, 0.5% fewer than a year earlier. Permit figures are Census Bureau estimates; job figures are seasonally adjusted, from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) analysis of federal data.
Why does each state rank where it does?
Texas
- Units permitted: 150,609
- Change: -7.8%
Texas leads on housing permits and has more construction workers than any other state, even though its apartment permits fell 17.2%. Its industrial pipeline is deep: SpaceX announced a $16.8 billion-plus chip fab in Grimes County in August 2026, and Eli Lilly broke ground on a $6.5 billion plant in Houston in September.
Florida
- Units permitted: 124,411
- Change: -9.4%
Florida stays second despite a sharp apartment slowdown: permitted units in buildings with five or more units fell 23.7%. Construction employment held steady at 657,000 in September 2026, up 0.5% in a year. Our guide to multifamily construction leads covers how to find the projects still moving.
California
- Units permitted: 83,850
- Change: +8.8%
California posted the largest permit gain in the top five (8.8%), and its apartment permits rose 23.9%. Public and institutional work adds to it: the high-speed rail segment from Merced to Bakersfield is estimated at $35.7 billion, and a $336 million medical campus in Fairfield entered planning in October 2026. See our guide to hospital construction projects.
North Carolina
- Units permitted: 70,904
- Change: +2.4%
North Carolina’s apartment permits rose 35.1%, and it added 15,900 construction jobs in the year to September 2026, the second-largest gain of any state. Amazon’s $10 billion data center campus in Richmond County is under construction, and JetZero broke ground on a $4.7 billion aircraft plant in Greensboro in June 2026.
Georgia
- Units permitted: 46,564
- Change: +0.3%
Georgia’s permits were flat, and it lost 4,900 construction jobs over the year, the largest drop of any state. Rivian’s roughly $5 billion vehicle plant east of Atlanta is under construction, with production planned for 2028.
South Carolina
- Units permitted: 37,483
- Change: +4.8%
South Carolina permitted 4.8% more units than in 2025, and units in larger apartment buildings rose 42.5%, one of the fastest gains in the top 10. Construction employment rose 4.4% in the year to September 2026.
New York
- Units permitted: 34,665
- Change: +41.9%
New York is the fastest-growing state in the top 10, and nearly three in four of its permitted units are in buildings with five or more units. Two megaprojects add to the pipeline: Micron’s $100 billion chip campus in Clay, which broke ground in January 2026, and the roughly $16 billion Hudson River rail tunnel.
Tennessee
- Units permitted: 33,214
- Change: -0.3%
Tennessee held steady: total permits dipped 0.3%, and apartment permits were unchanged from 2025. Construction employment edged up 0.5% in the year to September 2026.
Arizona
- Units permitted: 31,873
- Change: -13.6%
Arizona’s housing permits fell 13.6%, but the state is home to the largest project on our list of the biggest U.S. construction projects. TSMC plans $265 billion of chip plants in Phoenix and started building its fourth fab and first advanced packaging plant in early 2026. Construction employment rose 2.2% in the year to September 2026.
Virginia
- Units permitted: 31,315
- Change: +20.0%
Virginia’s permits rose 20.0%, and apartment permits rose 49.9%. Eli Lilly broke ground on a $5 billion manufacturing site in Goochland County in October 2026, though the state’s construction employment was 1.4% lower than a year earlier.
For the full list of megaprojects behind these rankings, see the largest construction projects in the U.S. by state.
Which states are adding construction jobs fastest?
Housing permits miss most nonresidential work, and construction employment helps fill the gap. From September 2025 to September 2026, construction employment rose in 34 states and the District of Columbia, according to AGC.
| State | Jobs added, Sep 2025 to Sep 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 18,800 | +13.9% |
| North Carolina | 15,900 | +5.7% |
| Ohio | 15,100 | +5.8% |
| Texas | 15,000 | +1.7% |
| Illinois | 14,300 | +6.0% |
Louisiana, Ohio, and Illinois sit outside the permit top 10, a reminder that large nonresidential projects can move a state’s market without many new homes.
Louisiana is home to Meta’s Richland Parish data center, a commitment of more than $50 billion. In Ohio, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $33.3 billion in funding for gas power plants that will serve a new data center campus.
Wyoming had the second-fastest percentage gain in jobs (8.4%), and Google announced a $17 billion data center there in November 2026.
How do construction markets differ by region?
- South: the most volume, with 579,453 units permitted from January to September 2026 (down 3.1%). Apartment permits are falling in Texas and Florida but rising in the Carolinas and Virginia.
- Northeast: the fastest growth, with permits up 9.2%, led by apartment buildings in New York.
- Midwest: permits up 2.4%, plus some of the largest job gains (Ohio and Illinois) and new data center campuses in Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Missouri.
- West: permits flat overall. California and Washington are rising; Arizona is falling.
Where is construction growing in Canada?
The value of Canadian building permits rose 8.8% in August 2026 to C$13.6 billion, according to Statistics Canada. Ontario led the gain in multi-unit residential permits, Alberta led industrial permits, and Quebec led institutional permits.
Over the 12 months to August 2026, Canada authorized 299,500 new dwellings, down from 305,500 a year earlier. Our report on construction industry trends covers Canada’s sectors in more detail.
How do you find early-stage projects in these states?
A state ranking tells you where to look. To win work, you need specific projects early, with a person to call.
- Check permits and public agendas. Our guide to construction reports and permit data shows where to look.
- Look before the permit. Learn how to find commercial construction projects before they go to bid, while the team and products are still being chosen.
- Build a steady pipeline. Combine these sources with the channels in our guide on how to find construction leads.
Construct-A-Lead’s research team confirms every project by phone, so each listing includes a named contact and phone number, plus stage, value, and materials, across the U.S. and Canada. Start your free test drive: 3 days or 5 projects, no credit card required.
Annual plans run from $1,195 (County) to $14,495 (National), with State or Province, Regional, Canada, and Vertical Market plans also available. Compare plans and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What state has the most construction work?
Texas. From January to September 2026, Texas issued permits for 150,609 housing units, more than any other state, and it had 921,600 construction jobs in September 2026, also the most. Florida and California rank second and third on permits, and California ranks second on construction jobs.
Which state has the most construction jobs?
Texas had 921,600 construction jobs in September 2026, followed by California (883,800) and Florida (657,000), according to AGC’s analysis of seasonally adjusted federal data. Louisiana added jobs fastest over the past year, up 18,800 jobs or 13.9%, followed by Wyoming (8.4%) and Nebraska (7.6%).
Which states are growing fastest in construction?
Among the 10 states with the most permits, New York (up 41.9%) and Virginia (up 20.0%) grew fastest from January to September 2026 compared with the same months of 2025. By construction jobs, Louisiana grew fastest in the year to September 2026, up 13.9%, and North Carolina added the second-most jobs.
How do construction markets differ across U.S. regions?
The South has the most volume, but apartment permits are falling in Texas and Florida. The Northeast is growing fastest, with permits up 9.2% from January to September 2026, led by New York. The Midwest is adding data center campuses and jobs in Ohio and Illinois, while the West is flat overall.
How can I find construction projects in a specific state?
Start with state and city permit portals and planning agendas, then add a project database you can filter by state, county, project type, and stage. Construct-A-Lead’s free test drive lets you search human-verified commercial projects with a named contact and phone number for 3 days or 5 projects, with no credit card required.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, state year-to-date data through September 2026, compared with year-to-date data through September 2025
- Associated General Contractors of America, construction employment by state, September 2026 (October 20, 2026), with state employment table
- Statistics Canada, Building permits, August 2026 (October 14, 2026)
- Office of the Texas Governor, Governor Abbott Announces SpaceX Expansion In Grimes County (August 6, 2026)
- Office of the Texas Governor, Governor Abbott Delivers Remarks At Lilly Groundbreaking In Houston (September 21, 2026)
- California High-Speed Rail Authority, 2026 Business Plan (June 2026)
- Dodge Construction Network, Dodge Momentum Index Falls 9% in October (November 6, 2026)
- WFAE, Many Richmond County residents are already sick. An Amazon data center could make it worse. (September 16, 2026)
- Office of the North Carolina Governor, Governor Stein Celebrates JetZero Groundbreaking (June 15, 2026)
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Rivian says construction progressing well at $5B Georgia factory site (August 5, 2026)
- Empire State Development, Governor Hochul Celebrates Major Milestone for Micron’s $100 Billion Investment (July 9, 2026)
- Associated Press via MyNorthwest, Powerful drill roars to life to dig Hudson River tunnel (September 29, 2026)
- TSMC, TSMC Arizona (accessed November 11, 2026)
- WWBT NBC12, Eli Lilly breaks ground on $5 billion Goochland manufacturing facility (October 22, 2026)
- Louisiana Economic Development, Meta Commits More Than $50 Billion for North Louisiana Project (July 13, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Department Announces Partnership to Ensure Affordable Energy and Power America’s AI Future (March 20, 2026)
- Google, Investing in Wyoming’s infrastructure, energy and workforce (November 5, 2026)
