According to data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common primary exterior wall material on new single-family homes started in 2016 nationwide (27.2 percent), followed by stucco (24.4 percent), brick or brick veneer (21.8 percent), and fiber cement siding (such as Hardiplank or Hardiboard) (20 percent). Wood or wood products accounted for 4.4 percent and stone, rock or other stone materials accounted for only 1.3 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 four out of the nine census divisions. In both the Middle Atlantic and New England, 72 percent of new homes started in 2016 used vinyl siding, while in the East and West North Central divisions, vinyl accounted for 53 percent and 63 percent respectively.

Stucco was the top siding material in the Pacific and Mountain divisions in 2016: 60 percent and 51 percent, respectively, of the new single family homes started in those areas used it. In the South Atlantic division, stucco was also the most popular exterior material—33 percent of new homes started in 2016 used it. Brick or brick veneer was the top choice in the East and West South Central divisions, where at least 54 percent of the new single family homes started last year used it as the primary siding material.

Primary&SecondaryExteriorWallMaterials

While vinyl was the most common principal siding material on new single-family homes started in 2016, stone, rock or other stone materials was the most commonly used secondary siding material (25.3 percent), followed by brick or brick veneer (11.4 percent), and fiber cement siding (6.7 percent). Less than 5 percent of new homes started in 2016 used vinyl, stucco, wood or wood products or concrete block as secondary siding materials. Stone, rock or other stone materials was the most commonly used secondary siding material in 7 out of 9 census divisions.

Tags: Building Materials, construction, economics, home building, single-family, starts