According to data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common principal siding material on new single-family homes started in 2015 (27 percent), followed by stucco (25 percent), brick or brick veneer (22 percent each), and fiber cement siding (such as Hardiplank or Hardiboard) (19 percent). Wood or wood products accounted for 5 percent and stone, rock or other stone materials accounted for only 2 percent. The Census Bureau’s SOC data are available by the nine census divisions. Vinyl siding was the most widely used primary exterior material in five out of the nine census divisions. In both the Middle Atlantic and New England, 70 percent of the new homes started in 2015 used vinyl siding.  In the East and West North Central divisions, vinyl accounted for more than 50 percent, while in the South Atlantic, it was used in 30 percent of all new single family homes started last year.

Stucco was the top siding material in the Pacific and Mountain divisions in 2015: 57 percent and 55 percent, respectively, of the new single family homes started in those areas used it. Also, over 30 percent of the homes started in those two divisions used fiber cement siding. Brick or brick veneer was the top choice in the East and West South Central divisions, where at least 55 percent of the new single family homes started last year used it as the primary siding material.

Tags: Building Materials, economics, housing, single-family