Total construction starts were down 10.2 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.19 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network.
Nonresidential building starts declined by 30.1 percent, residential starts fell 3.1 percent and nonbuilding starts grew 20.4 percent over the month. Year to date through July, total construction starts were up 1.6 percent compared to the same time last year. Nonresidential starts were up 4.3 percent, residential starts were down 4.4 percent and nonbuilding starts were 5.3 percent higher over the same period.
For the 12 months ending July 2025, total construction starts were up 4.1 percent from the 12 months ending July 2024. Residential starts were down 0.7 percent, nonresidential starts were up 4.6 percent and nonbuilding starts improved 9.3 percent over the same period.
“Construction starts reversed course in July, offsetting the strong gains made in June,” says Eric Gaus, chief economist at Dodge Construction Network. “The latest data reinforced trends we have been watching since the beginning of the year: single-family building and manufacturing are struggling, but data centers continue to boom.”
Nonbuilding
Nonbuilding construction starts improved 20.4 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $395 billion. Utilities (up 127.2 percent in the month) and miscellaneous nonbuilding (up 50 percent) supported gains, while highway and bridge starts (down 2.5 percent) and environmental public works (down 17.7 percent) starts fell back.
Year to date through July, nonbuilding starts were up 5.3 percent, alongside gains in highways and bridges (8.4 percent) and miscellaneous nonbuilding (18.8 percent). Conversely, utilities are down 1 percent year-to-date and environmental public works are down 0.5 percent over the same period.
For the 12 months ending July 2025, total nonbuilding starts were up 9.3 percent. Environmental public works improved by 15.3 percent compared to the 12 months ending July 2024. Highway and bridge starts were up 9.9 percent, miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up 29.6 percent and utility/gas starts were down 7.7 percent over the same period.
The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in July were the $3 billion Empire Wind Offshore Wind Energy Project in New York, the $1.8 billion A’s Ballpark in Las Vegas and the $1.6 billion Boardman to Hemingway Power Transmission Line in Boardman, Oregon.
Nonresidential
Nonresidential construction starts fell 30.1 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $443 billion. Commercial starts were down 8.5 percent, due to normalizing office starts (down 33.1 percent in the month), which equaled the 2024 average in levels. Institutional starts fell 4.6 percent as education construction reversed June’s gains (down 13.3 percent), other institutional categories (down 5 percent) pulled back and healthcare rebounded (up 13.5 percent). The manufacturing rollercoaster plunged 84.7 percent over the month, following an unusually robust June, according to Dodge.
Year-to-date through July, nonresidential starts are up 4.3 percent compared to July 2024. Commercial and industrial starts are up 5.5 percent and institutional starts are up 3 percent over the same period.
For the 12 months ending July 2025, total nonresidential starts were up 4.6 percent compared to the 12 months ending July 2024. Commercial starts were up 12 percent, institutional starts improved 10.1 percent and manufacturing starts were down 27.8 percent over the same period.
The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in July were the $855 million UU West Valley Eccles Health Campus in West Valley City, Utah, the $650 million Mercy Hospital Campus in Wentzville, Missouri, and the $550 million Meta Data Center Campus in Bowling Green, Ohio.
Residential
Residential construction starts declined 3.1 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $356 billion. Single family starts increased by 1.2 percent, while multifamily starts fell 9.5 percent.
Year to date through July, residential starts are down 4.4 percent, with single-family starts down 10.1 percent and multifamily starts up 8.3 percent compared to July 2024.
For the 12 months ending July 2025, total residential starts fell 0.7 percent. Single-family starts fell 3.8 percent compared to the 12 months ending July 2024, and multifamily starts increased 5.5 percent over the same period.
The largest multifamily structures to break ground in July were the $552 million Rangel Houses Comprehensive Repair/Renovation in New York and the $365 million 20 Long Slip Apartment Tower-Pool in Jersey City, New Jersey.