KEY POINTS
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July 2026 Total Nonresidential Construction Starts — the sum of Nonresidential Building and Civil Construction — reached $84.4 billion, down $15.6 billion from June’s revised $100.0 billion.
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Nonresidential building starts ended July at $59.6 billion, down 10.4% from June but up 20.6% year to date from 2025; the category includes Offices, including Data Centers, Schools, Hospitals and Manufacturing plants.
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Civil Construction (also known as Heavy Engineering) fell to $24.9 billion, down 25.9% from June. Civil infrastructure includes Roads, Bridges, and Water systems. Year to date, Civil starts are 5.7% ahead of 2025.
New Semiconductor Plant Sends July Nonresidential Starts to $84 Billion Offsetting Soft Roads and Offices
ConstructConnect announced that July 2026 Total U.S. Nonresidential Construction Starts — the sum of Nonresidential Building and Civil Construction — reached $84.4 billion, down $15.6 billion from June’s revised $100.0 billion.
Despite the pullback, July’s total was 13.7% above the 12-month moving average of $74.2 billion.
Nonresidential Construction Starts Up Nearly 15% Year-to-Date Versus 2025
July 2026 total Nonresidential starts reached $84.4 billion, down $15.6 billion, or 15.6%, from June’s $100.0 billion — but 13.7% above the 12-month moving average of $74.2 billion, a benchmark that reflects a typical monthly pace.
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Year-to-date (YTD), total Nonresidential starts are 14.8% ahead of 2025.
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The month’s composition shifted sharply from June: gains were concentrated in a single industrial category rather than spread across sectors.
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This pattern limits what the headline total tells contractors about the breadth of available pipeline.
July 2026 Total Nonresidential Construction Starts — the sum of Nonresidential Building and Civil Construction — reached $84.4 billion, down $15.6 billion from June’s revised $100.0 billion. Despite the pullback, July’s total was 13.7% above the 12-month moving average of $74.2 billion. Image: ConstructConnect Construction Economy Snapshot
Nonresidential Building Starts Down in July, But 20.6% Ahead of 2025
Nonresidential Building (NRB) ended July at $59.6 billion, down 10.4% from June.
NRB covers structures such as Offices, including Data Centers, Schools, Hospitals, and Manufacturing plants. Year to date (YTD), NRB starts are 20.6% ahead of 2025.
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Manufacturing surged to $26.1 billion, causing it to account for nearly half of all July NRB starts; most of these dollars were accounted for in the $25 billion Micron chip fabrication plant. However, in the year through July, Manufacturing overall continues to drag on the sector.
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Other notable subcategories for the month included Junior and Senior High Schools which reached $3.3 billion, Elementary and Pre-Schools at $1.8 billion, and Sport and Convention Centers grew to $3.1 billion.
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The Offices category pulled back to $4.1 billion although supported by the $1.5 billion CyrusOne data center in Texas. The July result was well below the category’s 12-month moving average of $12.9B.
Michael Guckes, Chief Economist, ConstructConnect
Civil Construction Falls in July, Stays Up YTD
Civil Construction (also known as Heavy Engineering) fell to $24.9 billion, down 25.9% from June. Civil infrastructure includes Roads, Bridges, and Water systems.
Year to date, Civil starts are 5.7% ahead of 2025.
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Roads ended July at $7.6 billion, shedding $8.2 billion from June.
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In contrast, Bridges advanced by $4.2 billion in July to $6.7 billion thanks to the $4.05 billion Brent Spence Bridge Project.
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Water and Sewage work reached $5.5 billion. All Other Civil and Power Infrastructure together totaled $3.1 billion.
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