Starts Down 10.2% in July, Dodge Network Says
Date Posted: August 21, 2025
Posted In: Discussion, News,
From Dodge Construction Network: Total construction starts were down 10.2% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.19 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts declined by 30.1%, residential starts fell 3.1%, and nonbuilding starts grew 20.4% over the month. On a year-to-date basis through July, total construction starts were up 1.6% from last year. Nonresidential starts were up 4.3%, residential starts were down 4.4% and nonbuilding starts were 5.3% higher over the same period.
For the 12 months ending July 2025, total construction starts were up 4.1% from the 12 months ending July 2024. Residential starts were down 0.7%, nonresidential starts were up 4.6%, and nonbuilding starts improved 9.3% over the same period.
“Construction starts reversed course in July, offsetting the strong gains made in June,” stated 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% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $395 billion. Utilities (127.2% m/m) and miscellaneous nonbuilding (50.0%) supported gains, while highway and bridge starts (-2.5% m/m), and environmental public works (-17.7% m/m) starts fell back. On a year-to-date basis through July, nonbuilding starts were up 5.3%, alongside gains in highways and bridges (+8.4%) and miscellaneous nonbuilding (+18.8%). Conversely, utilities are down 1.0% year-to-date, and environmental public works are down 0.5% over the same period.