New Jersey
Data through June 2026Published August 2026Digest g0.1 · Provisional
Compiled from BLS, Census, Indeed Hiring Lab. Government statistics publish on a lag, so the latest month shown trails the calendar; every figure carries its own “data through” date.
This is the most recent edition. Newer government data for this state has not been published yet.
This month
Hiring and the pipeline are moving in opposite directions: employment fell 1.8% while permits rose 6.5%. Employment is still contracting even as new permitted work builds up behind it. BLS · Census Solar is the tightest trade in New Jersey this month, with a Trade Demand Index of 71.2. TDI Construction employment in New Jersey reached 162,800 jobs in June 2026, down 1.8% from a year earlier. BLS
01 · Indicators
- Construction employment
- 162,800
- −1.8% YoY
- BLS · Jun 2026
- Building permits
- 2,731
- +6.5% YoY
- Census · Jun 2026
- Unemployment
- 4.5%
- −16.7% YoY
- BLS · Jun 2026
- Job postings index
- 92.4
- −4.4% YoY
- Indeed Hiring Lab · Jun 2026
02 · Tightest trades in New Jersey
Explore every trade and state →| # | Trade | Index | Vs. 50 states | Wage, COL-adj. | 10-yr growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solar | 71.2 | Balanced | $72k | +27% |
| 2 | Electrical | 64.9 | Surplus | $71k | +10% |
| 3 | General Contracting | 57.3 | Surplus | $127k | +7% |
| 4 | Flooring | 54.9 | Surplus | $55k | — |
| 5 | HVAC | 54.6 | Surplus | $68k | +7% |
| 6 | Plumbing | 53.5 | Surplus | $72k | +5% |
| 7 | Fire Protection | 53.2 | Surplus | $89k | +7% |
| 8 | Windows & Doors | 50.9 | Surplus | $65k | +5% |
| 9 | Garage Doors | 50.6 | Surplus | $62k | +11% |
| 10 | Roofing | 49.7 | Surplus | $70k | — |
| 11 | Concrete & Masonry | 40.2 | Surplus | $56k | -2% |
| 12 | Painting | 39.6 | Surplus | $54k | +4% |
| 13 | Appliance Repair | 36.3 | Surplus | $51k | +2% |
| 14 | Pool & Spa | 35.6 | Surplus | $50k | +3% |
| 15 | Insulation | 32.3 | Surplus | $48k | +5% |
| 16 | Landscaping | 31.3 | Surplus | $38k | +6% |
| 17 | Fencing | 29.2 | Surplus | $52k | +2% |
| 18 | Pest Control | 29.0 | Surplus | $45k | +6% |
| 19 | Cleaning & Restoration | 24.8 | Surplus | $35k | +3% |
| 20 | Locksmith | 24.1 | Surplus | $52k | -13% |
Index 0–100, methodology v0.2 · Band is this state’s percentile among the 50 states for that trade · Wages adjusted by BEA regional price parity
03 · Desks
Federal construction awards and permit activity.
Coming in a later edition