Total construction spending during May 2026 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,210.2 billion, +0.1% above the revised April estimate of $2,207.1 billion. 
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the May figure is -1.5% below the May 2025 estimate of $2,244.4 billion. During the first five months of this year, construction spending amounted to $858.4 billion, -2.7% below the $882.2 billion for the same period in 2025.

Private construction

Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,669.0 billion, virtually unchanged from the revised April estimate of $1,668.5 billion. Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $930.2 billion in May, +0.3% above the revised April estimate of $927.1 billion. Nonresidential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $738.7 billion in May, -0.3% below the revised April estimate of $741.3 billion.
As expected, data center construction once again had the largest YOY increase with a +23% boost to $59.3 billion.

Public construction

In May, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $541.2 billion, +0.5% above the revised April estimate of $538.6 billion. Educational construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $113.4 billion, +0.6% above the revised April estimate of $112.8 billion. Highway construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $150.6 billion, +0.6% above the revised April estimate of $149.6 billion.