Merlo Forecast Projects Growth in Construction, Agriculture and Data Centers

Merlo America, in collaboration with predictive sales intelligence firm BiltData.ai, has released a forecast projecting steady growth across the construction, agriculture and data center sectors over the next decade.

The report estimates U.S. construction spending will rise from $1.553 trillion in 2025 to $1.889 trillion by 2030, reflecting a 4% compound annual growth rate. Residential spending is projected at $756 billion, commercial at $567 billion, industrial at $377 billion and infrastructure at $189 billion by 2030.

Spending is expected to concentrate heavily in metropolitan areas. Just 35 cities are forecast to account for 64% of construction spending, with the New York-Newark-Jersey City region leading at $162 billion, followed by Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.

Data centers are emerging as a key driver of industrial demand. The top 12 markets are expected to hold nearly 73% of U.S. data center capacity by 2030, fueled by cloud computing, AI and 5G infrastructure.

The forecast also identifies agricultural regions as important growth areas, with 179 Bureau of Economic Analysis zones expected to sustain employment gains through 2029.