The total number of single-family permits issued over the first four months of 2023 was 29% lower than year-to-date levels in 2022, according to the NAHB. Permit activity was lower in all four regions of the United States, with the steepest year-over-year decline occurring in the West region (-39.0%). Of the top ten metro areas that issued the highest number of single-family permits—which includes three Texas metros, two Florida metros, and two North Carolina metros—each recorded a year-over-year decline in permit activity of at least 20%.
The Northeast posted the lowest decline of 17.6%, while the West region reported the steepest decline of 39.0%. The Midwest declined by 27.3% and the South declined by 26.4% in single-family permits during this time. For multifamily permits, the South is the only region to post an increase of 6.0% while the other three regions posted declines. Multifamily permits in the West were down 7.1%, Midwest down 26.5%, and down in the Northeast by 31.6%.
Between April 2022 YTD and April 2023 YTD, except for New Jersey, all the other states and the District of Columbia reported declines in single-family permits. New Jersey posted a modest 1.1% increase while the other states posted declines ranging from 4.5% in Hawaii to 59.7% in Montana. The ten states issuing the highest number of single-family permits combined accounted for 65.0% of the total single-family permits issued. Texas, the state with the highest number of single-family permits declined 31.6% in the past 12 months while the next two highest states, Florida and North Carolina declined by 27.4% and 19.3% respectively.
