Most leading U.S. metropolitan areas for commercial and multifamily construction starts showed sizeable gains in 2016 compared to 2015, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. However, New York City, the top metropolitan market by dollar amount, retreated 15 percent to $29.8 billion following its 67-percent surge to $35.2 billion in 2015.

Thanks to rising incomes and a strong demand for rental units, the multifamily sector continues to lead the U.S. housing market in its bounce back from the Great Recession. That’s according to The State of the Nation’s Housing report, recently released by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.