The construction industry, battered locally and nationally by the recession, is starting to recover, but the sector is still struggling in Rhode Island, according to new data.

Twenty-nine states reported increases in construction jobs in April. But Rhode Island lost 700 construction jobs from March to April and 1,800 in the last year. The state had 15,700 construction jobs in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In contrast, Massachusetts reported a gain of 3,900 jobs in April.

Also, construction spending nationwide in April increased 2.7 percent or $23 billion from March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $869 billion according to the latest analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. The trade group said the gains were primarily driven by private residential construction (up 4.4 percent) and public construction (up 2.4 percent), but that private nonresidential also increased significantly (up 1.7 percent).