Single-family permitting activity continued to soften through the first eight months of 2026, while multifamily permitting remained stronger compared with the same period last year. Regional and state-level trends show continued variation in permitting activity, reflecting differences in housing demand, affordability conditions, and local market dynamics.
Over the first eight months of the year, the number of single-family permits issued nationwide reached 620,558. Compared with the same period in 2025, this represents a 2.6% decline from the August 2025 total of 637,096. In contrast, multifamily permitting activity remained stronger, with 347,629 permits issued nationwide, marking a 5.1% increase compared with the same period last year.
Regionally, year-to-date single-family permitting declined in three out of the four regions through August. The Midwest was the only region to post an increase, with single-family permits rising 2.0%. The South declined 2.0%, the West fell 5.2%, and the Northeast posted the largest decline, at 9.4%. Multifamily permits increased in three of the four regions, led by the Northeast (31.0%), followed by the West (14.3%), and the Midwest (2.7%). The South was the only region to post a decline, with multifamily permits falling 5.6%, driven largely by reduced permitting activity in major metropolitan areas across the region.
At the state level, 23 states and the District of Columbia recorded increases in single-family permits compared with the same period last year, with gains ranging from 65.6% in the District of Columbia to 0.2% in Oklahoma. The remaining 27 states posted declines. Nevada recorded the steepest decline, with single-family permits falling 26.3%.
The ten states issued the highest number of single-family permits accounted for 62.4% of all single-family permits issued nationwide. Texas led the nation with 98,378 permits issued through August 2026, although this represented a 3.4% decline from the same period in 2025. Florida, the second-highest state, recorded a 1.3% decline, while North Carolina, ranking third, posted a 7.5% decrease.
Through August, 26 states and the District of Columbia recorded increases in multifamily building permits, while 24 states experienced declines. Alabama posted the largest percentage increase, with multifamily permits rising 76.3%, from 1,227 to 2,163 units. In contrast, Louisiana recorded the steepest decline, with permits falling 65.5%, from 2,400 to 829 units.
The ten states issued the highest number of multifamily permits accounted for 60.9% of all multifamily permits issued nationwide. Through the first eight months of 2026, Texas, which issued the largest number of multifamily permits, posted a 17.2% decline compared with the same period last year. California, the second-highest state, recorded a 25.5% increase, while Florida, ranking third, saw multifamily permits decrease by 28.1%.
At the local level, the following are the ten metropolitan areas with the highest number of single-family permits issued.
Below are the ten metropolitan areas with the highest levels of multifamily permitting activity.
