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
IBS
Nov 14, 2025
Last Chance to Apply for 2026 Best of IBS AwardsExhibitors at the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) have an opportunity to spotlight their innovative new products each year through the Best of IBS Awards. Don't miss your chance - apply by Friday, Nov. 21.
Fall Leadership Meeting | Membership
Nov 14, 2025
Watch Livestreams of Key Fall Leadership MeetingsNAHB leadership, including committee and council members, will gather Nov. 17-19 for the 2025 Fall Leadership Meeting in Denver.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Nov 13, 2025
Unchanged Lending Conditions for Residential Mortgages in Third QuarterLending standards for most types of residential mortgages were essentially unchanged, according to the recent release of the Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey (SLOOS). For commercial real estate (CRE) loans, lending standards for construction & development were modestly tighter, while multifamily was essentially unchanged. Demand for both CRE categories was essentially unchanged for the quarter.
Economics
Nov 12, 2025
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Applications RiseAll types of mortgage activity rose on a year-over-year basis in October, supported by recent declines in interest rates. Notably, adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) applications more than doubled from a year ago, and refinancing activity continued to strengthen.
Economics
Nov 12, 2025
Employment Loss and Post-COVID Recovery Across U.S. Metro AreasIn April 2020, total payroll employment in the United States fell by an unprecedented 20.5 million, following a loss of 1.4 million in March, as the COVID-19 pandemic brought the economy to a sudden halt. The unemployment rate surged by 10.4 percentage points to 14.8% in April. It was the highest rate effectively since the Great Depression.