U.S. Construction Market Remains Resilient as Key Sectors Drive Demand

Data centers, mission-critical facilities, semiconductors, industrial, and major public and campus projects drive demand across active regions.

Turner Construction Company announced that the Third Quarter 2026 Turner Building Cost Index—which measures costs in the non-residential building construction market in the United States—increased to the value of 1575. This represents a 1.48% quarterly increase from the Second Quarter 2026 and a 5.49% yearly increase from the Third Quarter 2025.

“The U.S. construction market continues to show resilience, with significant opportunities across key sectors and regions,” said Attilio Rivetti, Turner vice president responsible for compiling the Turner Building Cost Index. “Data centers, mission-critical facilities, semiconductors, industrial projects, and major public and campus programs continue to drive activity. At the same time, skilled labor, particularly Mechanical and Electrical, remains a persistent constraint, and we are seeing renewed pressure on material costs and lead times. These conditions make early planning and procurement increasingly important as project teams manage cost and schedule risk.”

Turner has prepared the construction cost forecast for more than 80 years. The building costs and price trends tracked by the Turner Building Cost Index may or may not reflect regional conditions in any given quarter. The Cost Index is determined by several factors considered on a nationwide basis, including labor rates and productivity, material prices and the competitive condition of the marketplace. This index does not necessarily conform to other published indices because others do not generally take all these factors into account.