Single-Family Permits Higher in September 2024

Over the first nine months of 2024, the total number of single-family permits issued year-to-date (YTD) nationwide reached 763,990. On a year-over-year (YoY) basis, this is an increase of 10.1% over the September 2023 level of 693,908.

Year-to-date ending in September, single-family permits were up in all four regions. The range of permit increases spanned 15.8% in the West to 7.8% in the South. The Midwest was up by 11.8% and the Northeast was up by 10.1% in single-family permits during this time. For multifamily permits, three out of the four regions posted declines. The Northeast, driven by New York, was the only region to post an increase and was up by 30.1%. Meanwhile, the West posted a decline of 31.7%, the South declined by 20.7%, and the Midwest declined by 8.4%.

Between September 2024 YTD and September 2023 YTD, 46 states and the District of Columbia posted an increase in single-family permits. The range of increases spanned 43.6% in New Mexico to 0.4% in Oregon. Maryland (-1.5%), New Hampshire (-1.6%), Alaska (-4.3%), and Hawaii (-7.7%) reported declines in single-family permits. The ten states issuing the highest number of single-family permits combined accounted for 63.1% of the total single-family permits issued. Texas, the state with the highest number of single-family permits, issued 122,976 permits over the first nine months of 2024, which is an increase of 10.5% compared to the same period last year. The succeeding highest state, Florida, was up by 1.7%, while the third highest, North Carolina, posted an increase of 8.5%.

Year-to-date ending in September, the total number of multifamily permits issued nationwide reached 362,543. This is 16.4% below the September 2023 level of 433,862.

Between September 2024 YTD and September 2023 YTD, 17 states recorded growth in multifamily permits, while 32 states and the District of Columbia recorded a decline. Georgia reported no change. Rhode Island (+134.6%) led the way with a sharp rise in multifamily permits from 309 to 725, while the District of Columbia had the biggest decline of 70.5% from 2,600 to 766. The ten states issuing the highest number of multifamily permits combined accounted for 63.2% of the multifamily permits issued. Over the first nine months of 2024, Texas, the state with the highest number of multifamily permits issued, experienced a decline of 27.5%. Following closely, the second-highest state in multifamily permits, Florida, saw a decline of 27.0%. California, the third largest multifamily issuing state, decreased by 33.4%.

At the local level, below are the top ten metro areas that issued the highest number of single-family permits.

For multifamily permits, below are the top ten local areas that issued the highest number of permits.