Housing completions lead residential in May

Permits and starts run level month over month.

The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for May 2016:

BUILDING PERMITS

Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,138,000. This is 0.7 percent (±1.3%)* above the revised April rate of 1,130,000, but is 10.1 percent (±1.8%) below the May 2015 estimate of 1,266,000.

Single-family authorizations in May were at a rate of 726,000; this is 2.0 percent (±0.9%) below the revised April figure of 741,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 381,000 in May.

HOUSING STARTS

Privately-owned housing starts in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,164,000. This is 0.3 percent (±14.0%)* below the revised April estimate of 1,167,000, but is 9.5 percent (±16.0%)* above the May 2015 rate of 1,063,000.

Single-family housing starts in May were at a rate of 764,000; this is 0.3 percent (±13.8%)* above the revised April figure of 762,000. The May rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 396,000.

By region, the Northeast led the field again in starts, with a 12.7 percent gain, followed by the South with 2.6 percent and the West with 1.9 percent. Only the Midwest faltered, dropping 14.7 percent month over month. 

HOUSING COMPLETIONS

Privately-owned housing completions in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 988,000. This is 5.1 percent (±15.5%)* above the revised April estimate of 940,000, but is 3.5 percent (±13.1%)* below the May 2015 rate of 1,024,000.

Single-family housing completions in May were at a rate of 717,000; this is 2.3 percent (±14.8%)* above the revised April rate of 701,000. The May rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 263,000.