US Building Permits Revised Lower

US building permits fell 0.4% month-on-month in September 2026 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.398 million, slightly below the preliminary estimate of 1.4 million. This marked a second consecutive monthly decline and the lowest level since June, highlighting continued weakness in the housing market as elevated mortgage rates and rising inventories of unsold new homes weighed on construction activity. Permits for multifamily buildings with five or more units declined 0.5% to 552,000, while single-family permits edged up 0.1% to 846,000. Regionally, permitting activity fell sharply in the West (-9.5% to 285,000) and remained unchanged in the Midwest at 212,000. In contrast, the South recorded a 1.1% increase to 756,000, while the Northeast saw permits surge 13.3% to 145,000.

Building Permits in the United States decreased 0.2% month-over-month to 1.400 million units in September 2026, marginally above market expectations of 1.390 million. Single-family permits fell 4% to 845,000, while permits for buildings with five or more units rose 5.9% to 503,000. Regionally, permits fell in the West (-10.2% to 283,000), but rose in the Northeast (13.3% to 145,000), the Midwest (0.5% to 213,000), and the South (1.5% to 759,000).

Building Permits in the United States decreased 2.1% month-over-month to 1.403 million units in August 2026, compared to initial estimates of a larger 2.7% fall to 1.394 million. Permits for buildings with five or more units fell 1.5% to 475,000, and single-family permits decreased 1.6% to 880,000. Regionally, permits fell in the Northeast (-15.8% to 128,000), and the Midwest (-5.8% to 212,000), but rose in the West (2.3% to 315,000) and were unchanged in the South (at 748,000).