Year-over-Year Decline for Single-Family Permits in March 2023

Over the first three months of 2023, the total number of single-family permits issued year-to-date (YTD) nationwide reached 191,695. On a year-over-year (YoY) basis, this is 31.1% below the March 2022 level of 278,189.

Year-to-date ending in March, single-family permits declined in all four regions. The Northeast posted a decline of 20.5%, while the West region reported the steepest decline of 40.9%. The Midwest declined by 30.2% and the South declined by 28.4% in single-family permits during this time. The South posted an increase of 17.0% in multifamily permits and while the other three regions posted declines. Multifamily permits in the West were down 7.4%, Northeast down 28.4%, and down in the Midwest by 14.7%.

Between March 2022 YTD and March 2023 YTD, all the states and the District of Columbia reported declines in single-family permits ranging from 0.8% in New Jersey to 67.8% in Montana. The ten states issuing the highest number of single-family permits combined accounted for 65.7% of the total single-family permits issued. Texas, the state with the highest number of single-family permits declined 36.6% in the past 12 months while the next two highest states, Florida and North Carolina declined by 26.1% and 19.3% respectively.

Year-to-date, ending in March, the total number of multifamily permits issued nationwide reached 152,417. This is 0.8% below the March 2022 level of 153,720.

Between March 2022 YTD and March 2023 YTD, 25 states and the District of Columbia recorded growth, while 25 states recorded a decline in multifamily permits. North Dakota led the way with a sharp rise in multifamily permits from 25 to 429 while Hawaii had the largest decline of 78.0% from 626 to 138. The ten states issuing the highest number of multifamily permits combined accounted for 66.0% of the multifamily permits issued.

At the local level, below are the top ten metro areas that issued the highest number of single-family permits.

Top 10 Largest SF Markets Mar-23 (# of units YTD, NSA) YTD % Change
(compared to Mar-22)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX                                         11,036 -27%
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX                                           7,711 -41%
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA                                           5,315 -31%
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ                                           4,687 -53%
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC                                           4,533 -20%
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL                                           4,000 -19%
Austin-Round Rock, TX                                           3,428 -47%
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL                                           3,182 -15%
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN                                           3,177 -34%
Raleigh, NC                                           3,074 -23%
For multifamily permits, below are the top ten local areas that issued the highest number of permits. 
Top 10 Largest MF Markets Mar-23 (# of units YTD, NSA) YTD % Change
(compared to Mar-22)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA                                           8,478 -38%
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX                                           6,654 -10%
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX                                           6,235 22%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL                                           5,971 171%
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ                                           5,824 50%
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA                                           4,930 30%
Austin-Round Rock, TX                                           4,473 -18%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA                                           3,792 1%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA                                           3,258 -37%
Jacksonville, FL                                           3,173 8%



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2 thoughts on “Year-over-Year Decline for Single-Family Permits in March 2023

  1. Of course single family homes building is down, the economy is in recession and on total brink of collapse, inflation is at all time record high we haven’t seen since the disastrous Carter administration due to Governments irresponsible out of control spending and War on the Energy Sector thus causing record interest rate hikes which has now collapsed 4 of the largest banks with another 500 who are unable to pass their stress test. Now you have millions of illegal aliens pouring into the country with zero background checks zero medical checks, being shipped all over the United States and being dumped into communities that are completely unable to handle them all at TAXPAYER EXPENSE! This is purposefully being done to systematically destroy the Middle Class and Small Businesses these are the people who build Single Family Homes, now this administration is all about destroying the Market by forcing communities to rezone entire neighborhoods in order to build low income housing for millions of illegal aliens who have NO RIGHT to be here to begin with which is going to destroy entire neighborhoods and communities, their schools and their hospitals, we already have seen crime explode, housing values plummet as property taxes increase in communities these illegals have been dumped into.

    We are witnessing the collapse of our Civil Society, our Sovereignty and meaning of American Citizenship, the Rule of Law and the Constitution and eventually the country itself compliments of the Marxist Democrat Party!

  2. I wouldn’t say this is surprising. However, it is eye-opening to see some concrete numbers. I expect the bounce-back to be quick and steep. We’ll see. Appreciate the content.

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