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. source: U.S. Census Bureau

Housing Starts in the United States increased to 1502 Thousand units in March from 1356 Thousand units in February of 2026. Housing Starts in the United States averaged 1431.10 Thousand units from 1959 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 2494.00 Thousand units in January of 1972 and a record low of 478.00 Thousand units in April of 2009. This page provides the latest reported value for - United States Housing Starts - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. United States Housing Starts - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Housing Starts in the United States increased to 1502 Thousand units in March from 1356 Thousand units in February of 2026. Housing Starts in the United States is expected to be 1350.00 Thousand units by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the United States Housing Starts is projected to trend around 1290.00 Thousand units in 2027 and 1270.00 Thousand units in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-04-29 12:30 PM
Housing Starts
Feb 1.356M 1.398M 1.41M
2026-04-29 12:30 PM
Housing Starts
Mar 1.502M 1.356M 1.40M 1.4M
2026-05-21 12:30 PM
Housing Starts
Apr 1.502M



Components Last Previous Unit Reference
Housing Starts Multi Family 446.00 407.00 Thousand units Mar 2026
Housing Starts Single Family 1032.00 941.00 Thousand units Mar 2026

Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Building Permits 1363.00 1538.00 Thousand Mar 2026
Building Permits MoM -11.40 11.00 percent Mar 2026
Construction Spending MoM 0.60 -0.20 percent Mar 2026
Home Ownership Rate 65.30 65.70 percent Mar 2026
Housing Starts 1502.00 1356.00 Thousand units Mar 2026
Housing Starts MoM 10.80 -3.00 percent Mar 2026
New Home Sales 682.00 635.00 Thousand units Mar 2026
New Home Sales MoM 7.40 8.90 percent Mar 2026


United States Housing Starts
Housing Starts refer to the number of new residential construction projects that have begun during any particular month. Estimates of housing starts include units in structures being totally rebuilt on an existing foundation.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
1502.00 1356.00 2494.00 478.00 1959 - 2026 Thousand units Monthly
Volume, SA

News Stream
US Housing Starts Surge to 15-Month High
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.
2026-04-29
US Housing Starts Surge to Highest Level Since February
US housing starts rose 7.2% month-on-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.487 million in January 2026, up from a downwardly revised 1.387 million in December and well above forecasts of 1.35 million. This marked the third consecutive monthly increase, lifting starts to their highest level since February 2025. Multi-family starts jumped 29.1% to a four-month high of 406,000, while single-family starts slipped 2.8% to 935,000. Regionally, construction activity climbed sharply in the South (up 11.4% to 810,000) and the Northeast (47.4% to 196,000), but fell in the West (-7.5% to 307,000) and the Midwest (-10.8% to 174,000).
2026-03-12
US Housing Starts Jump to Five-Month High
US housing starts rose 6.2% month-on-month to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 1.404 million in December 2025, up from 1.322 million in November and well above forecasts of 1.33 million. The increase marked the second straight monthly gain, lifting starts to their highest level since July and further rebounding from October’s 15-month low. Single-family housing starts climbed 4.1% to 981,000, the strongest pace since February, while multi-family starts (five units or more) surged 10.1% to a three-month high of 402,000. Regionally, activity rose sharply in the West (up 37.4% to 334,000) and increased in the Northeast (5.6% to 152,000) and Midwest (2.3% to 177,000). In contrast, starts declined 2.8% in the South to 741,000. For the full year, an estimated 1,358,700 housing units were started in 2025, down 0.6% from 2024 and marking a fourth straight annual decline.
2026-02-18