Single-Family Permits Hold Steady in April
Over the first four months of 2024, the total number of single-family permits issued year to date (YTD) nationwide reached 336,124. This is an increase of 25.3% on a year-over-year basis over the April 2023 level of 268,205.
Single-family permits were up in all four regions YTD in April. The range of permit increase spanned 36.4% in the West to 12.6% in the Northeast. The Midwest was up by 27.2%, and the South was up by 22.7% in single-family permits during this time.
For multifamily permits, three out of the four regions posted declines. The Northeast — the only region to post an increase — was up by 51.2%, while the West posted a decline of 36.4%, the South declined by 27.9%, and the Midwest declined by 11.6%.
At the local level, below are the top 10 metro areas that issued the highest number of single-family permits.
| Top 10 Largest Single-Family Markets | April 2024 - # of Units YTD, NSA | YTD % Change (Compared to April 2023) |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 18,828 | 22% |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 16,404 | 29% |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 11,056 | 68% |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 9,398 | 27% |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 6,746 | 9% |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 6,322 | 31% |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 5,369 | 27% |
| Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN | 4,873 | 9% |
| Jacksonville, FL | 4,519 | 29% |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 4,488 | -16% |
For multifamily permits, below are the top 10 local areas that issued the highest number of permits.
| Top 10 Largest Multifamily Markets | April 2024 - # of Units YTD, NSA | YTD % Change (Compared to April 2023) |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City-NY-NJ-PA | 18,811 | 85% |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 9,161 | 16% |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 6,003 | -17% |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5,237 | -10% |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,244 | -36% |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 4,225 | -45% |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,134 | -24% |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 4,128 | -32% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,875 | 3% |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria-DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,766 | 8% |
Danushka Nanayakkara-Skillington, NAHB’s assistant vice president for forecasting and analysis, provides more state-by-state analysis in this Eye on Housing post.
Latest from NAHBNow
Economics
Oct 01, 2026
Housing Headwinds Intensify Heading Into 2027
In his bi-weekly newsletter, Eye On the Economy, NAHB Chief Economist Dr. Robert Dietz summarized several notable headwinds for housing, and offered his insights on what those data points will mean for the industry in 2027.
Workforce Development
Oct 01, 2026
Promote the Trades During Careers in Construction Month
Every October, NAHB and the residential construction industry celebrate Careers in Construction Month, a time to raise awareness of the rewarding opportunities available in the skilled trades.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 01, 2026
Private Residential Construction Spending Posts Broad-Based Gains in August
Private residential construction spending rose in August 2026 following a series of declines during the second quarter of the year. According to the latest construction spending data from the U.S. Census Bureau, private residential construction spending came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $882.3 billion in August, up 1.1% from July but down 4.8% from a year ago.
Economics
Oct 01, 2026
AI Exposure Remains Relatively Low Across Most Construction Occupations
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how work gets done, but its impact varies considerably across occupations. For most construction occupations, near-term exposure to AI remains relatively low.
Economics
Sep 30, 2026
Economic Growth Continued Across Most States in the Second Quarter
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased in 44 states and the District of Columbia in the second quarter of 2026, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).