The value of construction work in Puerto Rico rose 9.6% in fiscal 2026, up from a 5.9% increase the previous year, according to figures released by the Puerto Rico Planning Board.
The agency attributed the increase primarily to public investment and reconstruction. Construction activity under recovery programs grew 21.9%, up from 19.1% in fiscal 2025.
The results were uneven across categories. Public facilities rebounded from a decline, while private housing construction slowed and commercial and industrial building activity contracted.
“Reconstruction represents an opportunity to improve our infrastructure and, at the same time, boost economic activity,” said Héctor Morales-Martínez, the Planning Board’s president.
The value of work on public facilities, including water systems, electricity infrastructure and other improvements, increased 11.7% in fiscal 2026, reversing a 5.6% decline the previous year.
The category covering central government, municipal and recovery projects grew 11.5%, compared with 12.1% in fiscal 2025. Recovery programs are also presented separately in the board’s figures.
“The progress of the works allows us to address essential service needs and strengthens the infrastructure that supports the activity of businesses and communities,” Morales-Martínez said
Private construction shows uneven growth
The value of work in the private facilities and other projects category, which includes pharmaceutical, telecommunications and renewable energy investments, rose 17.5%. That compares with growth of 5.2% in fiscal 2025.
Housing construction grew 1%, slowing from 7.4% the previous year. Activity in housing developments, reported as a separate category, also increased 1%, down from 10.1%.
Commercial and industrial building construction declined 0.4%, following a 5.2% increase in fiscal 2025.
“To guide economic development, we need information that allows us to identify where investment is increasing and which areas require more attention,” Morales-Martínez
“These statistics help us monitor construction, evaluate its evolution and support public policy decisions aimed at strengthening the economy and accelerating Puerto Rico’s recovery,” he added.
What the figures measure
The construction figures are among the first fiscal 2026 releases from the Planning Board’s economic accounts.
Prepared by the agency’s Construction Unit, the survey-based statistics measure the value of construction work performed during the reporting period, including work on projects still underway.
The information is published annually, with quarterly and semiannual breakdowns, and contributes to calculations of investment in fixed assets in Puerto Rico’s economic accounts.
The fiscal 2026 figures remain preliminary. The Planning Board said additional economic reports for the fiscal year will follow.
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