2022 Single-Family Starts by Census Division

According to NAHB analysis of the Survey of Construction (SOC), new single-family starts decreased in 2022. Nationally, 1,018,495 new single-family units started construction in 2022, 10% fewer than the number of units started in 2021. It marked the first decrease since 2011 but was still the second highest count since the Great Recession.

Among all nine Census divisions, the South Atlantic, West South Central and Mountain Divisions led the way with the most new single-family units started in 2022. These three divisions represent 20 states and Washington, D.C., approximately 41% of United States, while the number of new single-family housing starts in these three divisions accounted for almost two thirds of the total new single-family housing starts.

In addition, single-family units started in the Pacific Division decreased to 94,158 in 2022, compared to 106,240 new single-family starts in 2021. There were 85,569 new single-family units started in the East North Central Division in 2022. While the Pacific Division accounted for 9% of the total new single-family housing starts, the East North Central Division accounted for 8%. The other four divisions, including East South Central, West North Central, Middle Atlantic and New England, accounted for the remaining 17% of the total new single-family housing starts.

In 2022, eight out of the nine divisions had negative growth rate. The East South Central Division was the only division that had positive annual growth rate. The Mountain Division reported the largest drop among the nine divisions, followed by the West South Central Division with a 12% decrease and the West North Central Division with a 12% decrease as well.

Compared to last year, none of the nine divisions had an acceleration in 2022.