US Building Permits Fall Less than Expected

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).

US building permits fell by 2.7% month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.394 million in August 2026, below market expectations of 1.41 million. Permits for buildings with five or more units fell 3.1% to 467,000, and single-family permits decreased 1.8% to 878,000. Regionally, permits fell in the Northeast (-15.8% to 128,000), the Midwest (-7.6% to 208,000), the South (-0.4% to 745,000), but rose in the West (1.6% to 313,000).