Single-Family Permits Increase 19.2% Across the Country

The total number of single-family permits issued in January 2021 exceeded last year’s levels by 19.2%, for a total difference of 13,535 permits. Each region experienced a rise in single-family permits, with the Midwest reporting the strongest year-over-year increase of 21.5%, followed by the Northeast, and the South, with the West trailing behind. These increases are dramatically difference than multifamily permits, with the exception of the West, which issued more multifamily permits than single-family in January. The Midwest also noted the strongest decline in multifamily permits, with a year-over-year drop of 18.5%.

Except for the Western region (+18.6%), multifamily permits were sluggish across the rest of the country compared to January 2020; the Midwest saw a decline of 18.5% while the Northeast (+3.3%) and the South (+6.2%) reported modest increases.

Between January 2020 YTD and January 2021 YTD, 46 states and the District of Columbia saw growth in single-family permits issued, while four states registered a decline. South Dakota recorded the highest growth rate during this time at 104.0% from 99 to 202, while single-family permits in Montana declined by 15.8%, from 171 in 2020 to 144 in 2021. The 10 states issuing the highest number of single-family permits combined accounted for 64.1% of the total single-family permits issued.

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