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Twenty-Five $1 Billion-Plus Projects Lift Activity

BOSTON, MA — July 21, 2026 — Total construction starts popped 25.6% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.79 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts jumped 57.7%, residential starts increased 4.9% over the month, and nonbuilding climbed 2.2%. On a year-to-date basis, total construction starts were up 16.9% through July. Nonresidential starts were up 21.9%, nonbuilding starts improved by 29.8%, and residential starts were down 1.7% over the same period. For the 12 months ending July 2026, total construction starts were up 14.4% from the 12 months ending July 2025. Residential starts were down 2.7%, nonresidential starts were up 14.8% and nonbuilding starts were up 32.1%.  

“Megaproject driven volatility headlines a disjointed construction market,” stated Eric Gaus, Chief Economist at Dodge Construction Network. “There is strength in pockets, multifamily within residential, data centers within commercial, energy within non-building, but also verticals struggling to stabilize.”  

Nonresidential 

Nonresidential building starts jumped 57.7% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $917 billion. Commercial starts were up 70.0% over the month. Offices and data centers, more than doubled (+107.9% m/m), offsetting weaker warehouse growth (+1.0% m/m) and declining hotels (-51.5% m/m),  parking garages (-19.4% m/m), and retail stores (-9.5% m/m). Institutional starts improved 6.2% over the month, supported by a 4.5% m/m uptick in education and dormitory starts, as well as a 45.7% m/m gain in other institutional starts. Healthcare facilities doubled down on their losses, falling another 59.7% in July. Manufacturing construction starts bounced back with 277.8% m/m, continuing a volatile streak. On a year-to-date basis through July, nonresidential starts are up 21.9%. Commercial and industrial construction gained 44.2%, while institutional starts are down 3.5% over the same period.  

For the 12 months ending July 2026, total nonresidential starts were up 14.8% compared to the 12 months ending July 2025. Commercial starts were up 45.2%, institutional starts decreased 5.6%, and manufacturing starts were down 1.5% over the same period.  

The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in July were the $12.8 billion data center portion of the Project Jupiter Data Center and Microgrid Phase 1 in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, the $12.0 billion Micron Semiconductor Mega-Factory Fab 1 – Phase 1 in Clay, New York, and the $4.0 billion Amazon STACK Highway 3 Data Center in Benton, Louisiana.   

Nonbuilding  

Nonbuilding construction starts increased 2.2% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $485 billion. Continuing their slide, highway and bridge starts fell back 16.9% in July while environmental public works fell 7.8% and miscellaneous nonbuilding dropped 5.3% over the same period. Meanwhile, utilities improved 44.7% m/m. On a year-to-date basis through July, nonbuilding construction was up 29.8% alongside the 94.1% year-to-date growth in electric power/utilities, 31.8% in miscellaneous nonbuilding, and 6.8% growth in highways and bridges. Environmental public works are down 4.8% year-to-date.  

For the 12 months ending July 2026, total nonbuilding starts were up 32.1%. Environmental public works fell by 5.1% compared to the 12 months ending July 2025. Highway and bridge starts were up 5.6%, miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up 43.1% and utility/gas starts increased 105.6% over the same period.  

The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in July included the $2.4 billion CHSRA New Track & Systems (Two Sections) in Bakersfield, California, the $2.3 billion microgrid portion of the Project Jupiter Data Center and Microgrid Phase 1 in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and the $1.5 billion Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement Pipeline Expansion-SSE in Chatham, Georgia.  

Residential 

Residential building starts rose by 4.9% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $386 billion. Single family starts increased 4.3% m/m, and multifamily starts rose 5.7% m/m. On a year-to-date basis, residential starts are down 1.7%, with single family starts down 6.1% and multifamily starts up 6.4%. 

For the 12 months ending July 2026, total residential starts fell 2.7%. Single family starts fell 11.1% compared to the 12 months ending July 2025, and multifamily starts increased 13.0% over the same period. 

The largest multifamily structures to break ground in July were the $535 million NY Vue-Harbor Station South Residential Tower/Retail in Bayonne, New Jersey, the $343 million ICON Beach Waterfront Condominiums in Hollywood, Florida, and the $320 million 65 Franklin Mixed Residential & Commercial Building in New York, New York.  

Regionally, total construction starts in July rose in every region except the Midwest and South Central; the Northeast (117.7% m/m), the South Atlantic (28.7% m/m), and the West (61.4% m/m). The Midwest declined by 24.6% and South Central fell 9.3% between May and July.   

JULY 2026 CONSTRUCTION STARTS

About Dodge Construction Network

Dodge Construction Network leverages an unmatched offering of data, analytics, and industry-spanning relationships to generate the most powerful source of information, knowledge, insights, and connections in the commercial construction industry. The company powers five longstanding and trusted industry solutions—Dodge Construction Central, Principia Consulting, Blue Book Construction Network, Sweets, and IMS—to connect the dots across the entire commercial construction ecosystem. Together, these solutions provide clear and actionable opportunities for both small teams and enterprise firms. Purpose-built to streamline the complicated, Dodge Construction Network ensures that construction professionals have the information they need to build successful businesses and thriving communities.

With over a century of industry experience, Dodge Construction Network is the catalyst for modern commercial construction. To learn more, visit construction.com.

Media Contact: Alyssa Orender | Dodge Construction Network | pr@construction.com

 

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