County Level Permit Activity (June 12, 2014)
The Census Bureau recently released annual estimates of building permits issued at the county level. In 2013, 1,807 counties and county equivalents saw an increase in the number of single family permits issued over the prior year while 858 saw a decrease. County equivalents include the 64 parishes in Louisiana, 16 boroughs in Alaska, and 42 independent cities.
The map at the top of the post provides a visual of the change in annual permit estimates in 2013 for single family units. Counties in blue saw an increase in the number of permits issued for single family housing units while the counties in red saw a decrease in the number of permits issued for single family housing units. Counties that saw no change, no permit activity, or with insufficient data are white.
In 2013, 820 counties and county equivalents saw an increase in the number of multifamily permits issued over the prior year while 675 saw a decrease. One thousand four hundred and seventy-nine counties saw no multifamily permit activity in 2012 and 2013.
The map below provides a visual of the change in annual permit estimates in 2013 for multifamily units. Again, counties in blue saw an increase in the number of permits issued for multifamily housing units while the counties in red saw a decrease in the number of permits issued for single-family housing units. Counties that saw no change, no permit activity, or with insufficient data are white.
The issuance of housing permits is a key metric for the housing industry. The number of housing permits issued has risen in recent months and are over one million for the third consecutive month.The Census Bureau collects data on building permits issued for new privately-owned residential housing units. The statistics are compiled through the Building Permit Survey (BPS) which is sent to permit-issuing jurisdictions. NAHB makes the most recent data available to the public for the states, the District of Columbia, and metropolitan statistical areas in the Construction Statistics section of NAHB.org.
The map at the top of the post provides a visual of the change in annual permit estimates in 2013 for single family units. Counties in blue saw an increase in the number of permits issued for single family housing units while the counties in red saw a decrease in the number of permits issued for single family housing units. Counties that saw no change, no permit activity, or with insufficient data are white.
In 2013, 820 counties and county equivalents saw an increase in the number of multifamily permits issued over the prior year while 675 saw a decrease. One thousand four hundred and seventy-nine counties saw no multifamily permit activity in 2012 and 2013.
The map below provides a visual of the change in annual permit estimates in 2013 for multifamily units. Again, counties in blue saw an increase in the number of permits issued for multifamily housing units while the counties in red saw a decrease in the number of permits issued for single-family housing units. Counties that saw no change, no permit activity, or with insufficient data are white.
The issuance of housing permits is a key metric for the housing industry. The number of housing permits issued has risen in recent months and are over one million for the third consecutive month.The Census Bureau collects data on building permits issued for new privately-owned residential housing units. The statistics are compiled through the Building Permit Survey (BPS) which is sent to permit-issuing jurisdictions. NAHB makes the most recent data available to the public for the states, the District of Columbia, and metropolitan statistical areas in the Construction Statistics section of NAHB.org.
