Total construction starts rose 3% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $945.8 billion, according to the Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building and residential starts rose 6%, and residential starts increased by 4%, while nonbuilding starts fell 4%.
Starts for highway and bridge projects fell 14%.
Total construction was 6% higher in the first four months of 2022 compared to the prior-year period. Nonresidential building starts rose 19%, residential starts gained 3%, while nonbuilding starts dropped 2%. For the 12 months ending April 2022, total construction starts were up 12%.
Nonbuilding starts fell 4% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $187.1 billion. Starts in the environmental public works category rose 8%, while utility/gas plants grew 10%. Miscellaneous nonbuilding starts fell 2%. Through the first four months, total nonbuilding starts were 2% lower than in 2021.
Highway and bridge starts gained 28% through the first four months and environmental public works projects were 2% higher. Miscellaneous nonbuilding and utility/gas plants starts dropped 37% and 39%, respectively.
For the 12 months ending April 2022, total nonbuilding starts were 1% lower than in the 12 months ending April 2021. Environmental public works and street/bridge starts were up 10% and 6%, respectively. Miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were 33% lower and utility/gas plant starts were down 3%.
Nonresidential building starts rose 6% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $295.9 billion. Commercial starts rose 2%; institutional starts, 8%; and manufacturing starts, 16%. Through the first four months, nonresidential building starts were 19% higher than during the prior-year period. Commercial and institutional starts advanced 11% and 1%, respectively, while manufacturing starts soared 189% on a year-to-date basis.
For the 12 months ending April 2022, nonresidential building starts were 24% higher than in the 12 months ending April 2021. Commercial starts grew 19%, institutional starts rose 11%, and manufacturing starts swelled 163%.
Residential building starts rose 4% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $462.9 billion. Single-family and multifamily starts gained 1% and 13%, respectively. Through the first four months, residential starts were 3% higher than the prior-year period. Multifamily starts were up 16%, while single-family housing slipped 2%.
For the 12 months ending April 2022, residential starts improved 11% from the same period ending April 2021. Single-family starts were 6% higher and multifamily starts were 27% stronger.
Regionally, total construction starts in April rose in the Northeast, South Atlantic, and South Central regions, but fell in the Midwest and West.