Commercial construction spending is surging across the U.S., with Texas leading the nation in total expenditures and smaller states like North Dakota and Idaho ranking high on a per-capita basis, according to a new report from Twisted Nail, a construction aggregate supplier in a piece by Sebastian Obando for Construction Dive. The piece was reported by Drywall & Interior Systems Contractors Association.

The report highlights how spending has concentrated in states fueled by industrial, infrastructure, and manufacturing projects. Nationally, construction outlays reached more than $740 billion by early 2025—the highest level in over two decades and a sharp rebound from the pandemic lows of 2020 and 2021.

Manufacturing construction has seen the most dramatic expansion, with inflation-adjusted spending up 135% since 2019, boosted by federal incentives supporting domestic production. Warehouse and automotive construction also grew strongly, posting gains of 42.7 and 47.6 percent respectively. By contrast, health care and food-related projects have expanded at a steadier pace, while office and lodging sectors continue to lag pre-pandemic levels.

Among states, Texas led all others with $89.7 billion in annual spending, also ranking third nationally on a per-capita basis. North Dakota and Idaho stood out for their high per-capita rankings, propelled by major semiconductor, data center, and other large-scale projects. Meanwhile, California, Florida and New York maintained high overall spending but dropped lower when adjusted for population size.

Not every state shared in the growth. Hawaii and Louisiana experienced sharp declines in commercial construction spending over the past five years, falling 52.1% and 33.8%, respectively.