The Construction Economy Brief for December 2025

ConstructConnect Chief Economist Michael Guckes hosts a monthly video series where he breaks down the key issues impacting the North American construction economy in under three minutes.

In this month’s Construction Economy Brief, ConstructConnect’s Chief Economist, Michael Guckes, covers:

• The recovery in nonresidential construction starts from an early contraction that began in mid-2025, with major gains across non-residential, civil, and key subcategories shaping the year’s outlook.
• The $81B in nonresidential starts for October — the third-highest month ever recorded. Offices & data center construction starts with over $10.5B, representing half of commercial starts. Manufacturing construction starts at nearly $10.5B, about 25% above its 12-month average.
• When adjusting for inflation, expanding vs. contracting construction sectors are nearly even, highlighting how variable the year has been.

Watch the December 2025 Construction Economy Brief

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Read the Construction Economy Snapshot for more details on construction labor, trends, and regional analysis.

About ConstructConnect

At ConstructConnect, our software solutions provide the information construction professionals need to start every project on a solid foundation. For more than 100 years, our keen insights and market intelligence have empowered commercial firms, building product manufacturers, trade contractors, and architects to make data-driven decisions, streamline preconstruction workflows, and maximize their productivity. Our newest offerings—including our comprehensive, AI-assisted software—help our clients find, bid on, and win more projects.

ConstructConnect operates as a business unit of Roper Technologies (Nasdaq: ROP), a constituent of the Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Fortune 1000.  

For more information, visit constructconnect.com