US Housing Starts Surge to 15-Month High

2026-04-29 12:39 By Joana Ferreira 1 min. read

US housing starts rose 10.8% month-on-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.502 million in March 2026, the highest level since December 2024 and well above forecasts of 1.40 million, as builders scaled up construction despite ongoing affordability challenges.

Single-family starts surged 9.7% to a 13-month high of 1.032 million, while multi-family starts jumped 9.6% to 446,000.

Regionally, construction activity climbed sharply in the South (+9.1% to 794,000), the West (+7.2% to 311,000), the Midwest (+12.2% to 221,000), and the Northeast (+24.8% to 176,000).

Meanwhile, building permits, a leading indicator of future construction, fell to an annualized pace of 1.372 million, the lowest level since August.

The data suggests the housing market may be finding its footing, with builders using incentives to draw in buyers.

Yet, the Iran war has introduced fresh economic uncertainty, pushing material costs and mortgage rates higher.



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