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Ҵýapp Starts Slow by 13% in February

 

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BOSTON,MA—March20, 2026—Total construction startsdeclined13.2% inFebruaryto a seasonally adjustedannual rate of$1.08trillion,according to.Nonresidential buildingstartsreboundedby17.8%,residential startsimproved8.3%,andnonbuilding startsdeclined49.4%over the month.On a year-to-datebasis, total construction starts weredown1.9%through February. Nonresidential starts were down2.0%, residential starts were down12.4%andnonbuilding startsimprovedby9.9% over the same period.For the 12 months endingFebruary2026, total construction starts were up5.2% from the 12 months endingFebruary2025. Residential starts were down 6.3%, nonresidential starts were up6.1%andnonbuilding was up17.0%.

“After a weak start to the year, nonresidential and residentialbuilding starts steadily reboundedthroughout February,”statedSarah Martin, Associate Director of Forecast at Ҵýapp. “Conversely, nonbuilding activity slowed down last month – normalizing from elevated levelsin January.”

Residential

Residential building startsgrewby8.3% inFebruaryto a seasonally adjusted annual rate of$374billion. Single family startsincreased4.0%m/m,andmultifamily startsexpandedby15.9%m/m.On a year-to-datebasis, residential starts are down12.4%,with single family startsdown17.5% and multifamily starts down2.8%.

For the 12 months endingFebruary2026, total residential starts fell 6.3%. Single family starts fell16.2% compared to the 12 months endingFebruary2025, and multifamily starts increased14.9% over the same period.

The largest multifamily structures to break ground inFebruarywere the $757 million Bay View Houses Renovation project in Canarsie, New York, the $311 million Universal BuildingNorthand $265 million Universal Building South within the Geneva Residential Conversion project in Washington, D.C.

Nonresidential

Nonresidential buildingstartsimproved17.8%inFebruarytoa seasonally adjusted annual rate of$442billion. Commercial starts wereup 48.5%, solely driven by the 159.6% m/m growth in offices and data centers. Meanwhile, stores (-4.7% m/m), parking garages (-23.1% m/m), hotels (-7.9% m/m) and warehouses (-12.1% m/m) all lost pace throughout February. Institutional starts also expanded 8.7% over the month,alongside steady growth in education (+19.6% m/m) and the remaining institutional categories (+56.4%). Healthcare construction continued to pullback, dropping 46.6% m/m. After a strong January, manufacturing construction also slowed down, pulling back 54.1% m/m. On a year-to-date basis through February, nonresidential starts are down 2.0%. Commercial and industrial construction is up 22.9%, while institutional starts are down 22.7% over the same period.

For the 12 months endingFebruary2026, total nonresidential starts were up6.1% compared to the 12 months endingFebruary2025. Commercial starts were up20.2%, institutional startsdecreased5.6%, and manufacturing starts wereup12.9% over the same period.

The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground inFebruarywerethe $3 billion Google Data Center Campus (Project Meitner) in Miami,Texas, the$3 billionPolaris Forge 2 AI Data Center in Harwood, North Dakota, and the$1.53 billionTampa International Airport Airside D project in Tampa, Florida.

Nonbuilding

NDzԲܾ徱Բconstructionstartsdecelerated49.4% inFebruaryto a seasonally adjusted annual rate of$265billion.Afternearly 200%growth in January, electric power/utilities construction normalized in February and dropped 90.1% m/m.Miscellaneous nonbuilding declined as well, falling back 12.3% over the month. Conversely, highways and bridges (+18.8% m/m)andenvironmental public works (+4.8% m/m)saw improvements.On a year-to-date basis through February, nonbuilding construction was up 9.9% alongside the 133.8% year-to-date growth in electric power/utilities. The remaining public works sectors, however, are seeing deeper year-to-date declines.

For the 12 months endingFebruary2026, total nonbuilding starts were up17.0%.Environmental public worksfellby6.4% compared to the 12 months endingFebruary2025.Highway and bridge starts weredown0.2%, miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up32.9%andutility/gas starts increased59.3% over the same period.

The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground inFebruaryincluded the$564 millionSR 400 (I-4) highway development in Celebration, Florida, the $389 million 1-94 reconstruction project in Romulus, Michigan and the $386 million Allegheny County Wet Weather Pump Station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Regionally,total construction starts inFebruaryroseintheMidwest(+41.0%m/m)and the West (+4.2% m/m). Meanwhile, starts receded in the Northeast (-38.1% m/m), the South Atlantic (-4.9% m/m) andthe South Central (-37.7% m/m).

Index Graph Feb

Monthly Chart Feb

Recent Chart Feb

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About Ҵýapp
Ҵýapp harnesses data, analytics, and industry connections to be the leading source of insights and opportunities in the commercial construction industry. With five trusted solutions-Dodge Ҵýapp Central, The Blue Book, Sweets, IMS, and Principia-Dodge connects construction professionals across all stages of the building process. Designed for both small teams and large enterprises, these tools simplify complexity, empowering you to build thriving businesses and communities. With over a century of experience, Ҵýapp is the catalyst for modern construction. To learn more, visit construction.com.

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