And in the top 10 metro areas, commercial and multifamily construction starts were up 12% to $43.9 billion through six months, with only three metro areas – Washington DC, Los Angeles, Calif., and Austin, Texas – posting declines.

Data showed that the New York metropolitan area was the top market for commercial and multifamily starts through six months at $12.6 billion, an 8% increase from the first half of 2020.

Meanwhile, the Dallas metropolitan area was in second place for commercial and multifamily starts, totaling $4.5 billion through six months, a 12% gain over 2020. The Washington DC metro area was ranked third through six months but lost 7% to $4.3 billion.

The remaining top 10 metropolitan areas through the first half of 2021 were Boston, Mass., which was up 34% ($4.0 billion); Miami, Fla., up 26% ($3.5 billion); Los Angeles, Calif., down 22% ($3.4 billion); Philadelphia, Pa., up 86% ($3.3 billion); Seattle, Wash., up 61% ($3.2 billion); Atlanta, Ga., up 2% ($2.5 billion); and Austin, Texas, down less than one percentage point ($2.5 billion).

Overall, the top 10 metropolitan areas accounted for 40% of all commercial and multifamily starts in the United States – the same share as in the first six months of 2020.