Employment in the construction industry declined on both sides of the state line in April, falling by 0.7 percent in Missouri and 1.6 percent in Kansas, according to an analysis of federal employment data from the Associated General Contractors of America.

During the month of April, Missouri lost 700 construction industry jobs, falling to 104,000 employed in April. In Kansas, the industry lost 900 jobs, with total employment falling to 53,900, the report said.

The states' performance was strictly average when compared to the 50 states and the District of Columbia surveyed in the report. Missouri ranked 23, while Kansas ranked 33.

Employment in both states was also lower than the same time last year.

Nationally, construction employment fell on a month-to-month basis in April, dropping by less than a percentage point to 5.73 million jobs compared to 5.75 million jobs in March. On a year-over-year basis, the country's construction hiring was up by 109,000 positions, or roughly 2 percent, according to AGC.