Menu
Posted February 19, 2020

U.S. housing permits leap 9.2 percent in January

Single family permits surge 6.4 percent for month.


The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for January 2020:

Building Permits

Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,551,000.  

This is 9.2 percent (±2.1 percent) above the revised December rate of 1,420,000 and is 17.9 percent (±1.3 percent) above the January 2019 rate of 1,316,000.  

Single‐family authorizations in January were at a rate of 987,000; this is 6.4 percent (±2.5 percent) above the revised December figure of 928,000.  Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 522,000 in January.

Housing Starts

Privately‐owned housing starts in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,567,000.  This is 3.6 percent (±13.3 percent)* below the revised December estimate of 1,626,000, but is 21.4 percent (±12.2 percent) above the January 2019 rate of 1,291,000.  

Single‐family housing starts in January were at a rate of 1,010,000; this is 5.9 percent (±11.6 percent)* below the revised December figure of 1,073,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 547,000.  

Housing Completions

Privately‐owned housing completions in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,280,000.  This is 3.3 percent (±8.4 percent)* below the revised December estimate of 1,323,000, but is 1.5 percent (±11.7 percent)* above the January 2019 rate of 1,261,000.  

Single‐family housing completions in January were at a rate of 877,000; this is 3.5 percent (±6.8 percent)* below the revised December rate of 909,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 397,000.

SPONSORED ADS