A wave of massive data centre and manufacturing developments pushed US construction starts sharply higher in October, with 10 projects exceeding the $1bn mark breaking ground during the month, according to new figures from Dodge Construction Network.

Overall, starts climbed 21.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.53tn. The surge extends the momentum seen in late summer, when similarly large-scale projects helped lift August and September activity.

Yet despite the strong headline numbers, growth across the broader sector remains uneven, noted Sarah Martin, Dodge’s associate director of forecasting.

“Much of the momentum we’re seeing is still concentrated in big-ticket, high-tech projects,” Martin said. “Outside those categories, the pace of expansion is noticeably steadier and more restrained.”

Nonresidential projects – spanning commercial and institutional developments – rose 17.9% in October.

Office and data centre projects soared 45.5%, while manufacturing activity more than doubled, leaping 107.2%.

Retail construction also logged a 15.1% increase. By contrast, hotel and warehouse starts dipped for the month.

Year-to-date through October, nonresidential work is up 5.6%. Commercial projects have expanded 13.6% so far in 2025, but institutional starts, including healthcare and education, have slipped 2.2%.

Dodge highlighted the following as the largest projects started during the month:

The number of projects within infrastructure, transportation and utilities jumped 59.4% in October. 

Much of that growth came from a staggering 384.5% spike in utility projects, while highway and bridge work fell 23.7%. Over the past 12 months, the number of projects in this area have seen growth of 22.9%.

Residential construction, meanwhile, moved in the opposite direction. 

Housing starts fell 15.4% for the month, driven by a steep 38.5% drop in multifamily work. Single-family starts edged up 2.2%. For the 12 months ending in October 2025, residential groundbreakings declined 3.1%.

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