Merlo America Forecasts Growth in Construction, Agriculture, and Data Centers Through 2030

Merlo America, in collaboration with predictive sales intelligence firm BiltData.ai, has released a new economic forecast projecting significant growth in construction, agriculture, and data center demand by 2030.

The report anticipates U.S. construction spending will rise from $1.553 trillion in 2025 to $1.889 trillion by 2030, representing a 4% compound annual growth rate. According to the analysis, 35 metropolitan areas are expected to account for 64% of total spending, with the New York-Newark-Jersey City region leading at a projected $162 billion by 2030.

Breakdowns of projected 2030 spending include $756 billion in residential, $567 billion in commercial, $377 billion in industrial and $189 billion in infrastructure. Dallas-Fort Worth is forecast to reach $57.3 billion in construction, while Chicago and Atlanta are highlighted as industrial growth markets.

“This is about putting data in the hands of the people building the future,” said Cole Renken, general manager and president of Merlo America. “We are arming our dealers with intelligence from BiltData.ai to help them succeed in the places where demand is rising fastest — whether that’s in construction, agriculture or the booming data center sector.”

The report points to data centers as a major driver of industrial demand. By 2030, the top 12 markets are expected to represent nearly 73% of U.S. data center capacity, fueled by cloud computing, artificial intelligence and 5G infrastructure.

Agriculture also remains a key factor, with 179 Bureau of Economic Analysis areas identified as high-output regions. These areas are expected to contribute significantly to GDP while maintaining steady employment growth.

BiltData’s methodology combines public data, industry trends and geospatial modeling to generate market forecasts, which are made accessible through interactive dashboards and heat maps. Renken emphasized that the data serves as a practical tool: “This is not just a forecast — it’s a roadmap. Whether you’re a contractor, developer or dealer, this data empowers you to make smarter decisions.”

Merlo America said it plans to expand its dealer network in response to these insights, offering telehandlers, utility tractors and attachments to support demand across construction sites, farms and data campuses nationwide.

The full report and an interactive forecast tool are available through Merlo America’s new Resource Hub at Merlo.com.