Total U.S. construction starts saw a significant jump in May 2026, rising 34.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.78 trillion.
According to the Dodge Construction Network, this surge was primarily driven by several massive “megaprojects” in sectors like manufacturing, utilities and data centers.
Sector Performance
The overall growth was uneven across different areas of the industry:
- Nonbuilding Construction (+91.9%): The strongest performer, boosted by triple-digit growth in highway, bridge and utility projects.
- Nonresidential Building (+17.8%): Driven by significant gains in manufacturing (up 116.1%) and health-care construction (up 138.8%).
- Residential Building (-2.1%): The only major sector to see a decline, with both single-family and multifamily starts falling over the month.
Key Megaprojects
Several large-scale developments that broke ground in May contributed heavily to these figures:
- Nonbuilding: A $13.5 billion LNG Export Facility in Louisiana and the $4.1 billion Brent Spence Bridge project in Ohio.
- Manufacturing: The $5 billion Rivian Electric Vehicle Plant in Georgia.
- Data Centers: The $3 billion Nebius Data Center in Alabama.
Broader Context
While the monthly numbers were strong, the overall picture remains mixed. On a year-to-date basis, total construction starts are up 12.7%, but residential construction is down 4.9% for that same period. Regionally, construction starts rose in every area of the United States except for the Midwest, which experienced an 8.4% decline.