Strong Single-Family Permit Gains to Start the Year
The total number of single-family permits issued year-to-date (YTD) nationwide reached 164,901— a 16.6% increase over February 2020. Single-family permits increased in all four regions, with the Midwest reporting the strongest increase (24%) and the West reporting the smallest increase (13.6%).
Growth in single-family permits occurred in 44 states and the District of Columbia, while six states registered a decline. The District of Columbia recorded the highest growth rate (308.3%), with an increase from 12 to 49, while single-family permits in Vermont declined by 17.7%, from 124 in 2020 to 102 in 2021.
The 10 states issuing the highest number of single-family permits combined accounted for 63.8% of the total single-family permits issued.
Here are top 10 metro areas that issued the highest number of single-family permits:
| Metropolitan Statistical Area | Single-Family Permits: February (Units # YTD, NSA) |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 8,204 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 7,605 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 5,906 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5,459 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 3,763 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 3,190 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 3,074 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 2,521 |
| Raleigh, NC | 2,383 |
| Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN | 2,348 |
Danushka Nanayakkara-Skillington, NAHB assistant vice president for forecasting and analysis, provides more in this Eye on Housing post.
Latest from NAHBNow
Member Benefits
Apr 16, 2025
Unlock Exclusive Savings on Intuit QuickBooks and Enterprise SuiteNAHB has officially launched a new Member Savings program with Baytek, a premier Intuit QuickBooks and Intuit Enterprise Suite (IES) provider, giving members access to unadvertised savings, exclusive rebates, and powerful business solutions.
Economics
Apr 16, 2025
Builder Confidence Levels Indicate Slow Start for Spring Housing SeasonBuilder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes was 40 in April, edging up one point from March, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Apr 17, 2025
Housing Starts Decline Amid Economic UncertaintyConstrained housing affordability conditions due to elevated interest rates, rising construction costs and labor shortages led to a reduction in housing production in March.
Economics
Apr 16, 2025
Builder Confidence Levels Indicate Slow Start for Spring Housing SeasonGrowing economic uncertainty stemming from tariff concerns and elevated building material costs kept builder sentiment in negative territory in April, despite a modest bump in confidence likely due to a slight retreat in mortgage interest rates in recent weeks.
Economics
Apr 14, 2025
Where Do Builders and Remodelers Buy Building Products?The most common sources for products used in home building and remodeling are specialty retailers, lumber yards, and wholesale distributors, according to two recent NAHB surveys. The surveys include one of single-family homebuilders in the October 2024 NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) and one of remodelers in the Q3 2024 NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI). Both surveys asked respondents where they purchase building products, regardless of who ultimately purchases them (themselves or subcontractors).