Single-Family Building Permits

Best broad leading indicator for new residential construction demand.

876.0K units

Trend YoY growth is +4.6%, accelerating by 30 bps/year over the last 25Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 22 consecutive periods. Latest: -11.3%, 16.0 pp below trend, a 1.0σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 9.2 pp due to an easy comparison base from Jan 1. At current levels, YoY would rise to -5.1% by Apr '26 as comparisons ease.

Level

YoY %

y = −2.9% + 30 bps/yr · t

Deviation from trend

Forecast

Projected value by forecast vintage (K units)

Projected value (K units)

Forecast made inJun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26Dec '26Jan '27Feb '27MAPE
Jun '25866.0879.7895.0885.3884.9885.2894.7888.5886.8864.3815.8790.0756.4759.7740.4754.7748.5759.0741.8732.9737.313%
Jul '25875.0892.2882.1881.3881.1890.1883.5881.3858.5809.9783.8750.1753.0733.4747.1740.5750.5733.1723.9723.212%
Aug '25858.0869.3866.9865.0872.1863.9860.0836.2787.1760.2725.9727.1706.6718.2710.3718.2699.8689.3670.417%
Sep '25880.0869.3867.7875.0867.0863.3839.5790.5763.7729.4730.8710.4722.2714.5722.6704.3694.0677.715%
Oct '25878.0867.6874.7866.4862.5838.5789.3762.2727.7728.9708.3719.9711.9719.7701.3690.7673.517%
Nov '25896.0882.9875.4872.3848.9799.9773.3739.1741.1721.0733.6726.3735.2717.2707.3698.51%
Dec '25881.0874.6871.5847.9798.9772.3738.0740.0719.8732.3724.9733.6715.6705.6696.01%
Jan '26876.0872.9849.6800.7774.3740.2742.4722.3735.1727.9737.0719.1709.3701.1
Feb '26872.9849.6800.7774.3740.2742.4722.3735.1727.9737.0719.1709.3701.1

YoY change forecast

Forecast made inJun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26Dec '26Jan '27Feb '27MAPE
Jun '25-8.4%-6.9%-7.4%-8.0%-8.5%-9.0%-9.5%-10.1%-10.6%-11.1%-11.6%-12.1%-12.7%-13.2%-13.7%-14.2%-14.8%-15.3%-15.8%-16.3%-16.9%13%
Jul '25-7.4%-7.7%-8.3%-8.9%-9.4%-10.0%-10.6%-11.2%-11.7%-12.3%-12.8%-13.4%-13.9%-14.5%-15.1%-15.7%-16.2%-16.8%-17.4%-17.9%12%
Aug '25-11.3%-9.6%-10.4%-11.1%-11.8%-12.6%-13.3%-14.0%-14.7%-15.4%-16.2%-16.9%-17.6%-18.4%-19.1%-19.8%-20.6%-21.3%-22.1%17%
Sep '25-8.5%-10.1%-10.8%-11.5%-12.3%-13.0%-13.6%-14.4%-15.1%-15.8%-16.5%-17.2%-17.9%-18.6%-19.4%-20.1%-20.8%-21.5%15%
Oct '25-9.2%-10.8%-11.6%-12.3%-13.1%-13.7%-14.5%-15.2%-16.0%-16.7%-17.4%-18.2%-18.9%-19.7%-20.4%-21.2%-21.9%17%
Nov '25-7.9%-10.7%-11.4%-12.1%-12.7%-13.3%-14.0%-14.7%-15.3%-16.0%-16.6%-17.3%-17.9%-18.6%-19.3%-19.9%1%
Dec '25-10.9%-11.5%-12.2%-12.8%-13.4%-14.1%-14.8%-15.4%-16.1%-16.8%-17.4%-18.1%-18.8%-19.5%-20.1%1%
Jan '26-11.3%-12.0%-12.6%-13.2%-13.9%-14.5%-15.2%-15.8%-16.5%-17.1%-17.7%-18.4%-19.0%-19.7%
Feb '26-12.0%-12.6%-13.2%-13.9%-14.5%-15.2%-15.8%-16.5%-17.1%-17.7%-18.4%-19.0%-19.7%

Forecasts use ordinary least-squares linear regression fitted to the YoY change series over a rolling 1Y window. Each row shows a vintage — the forecast as it would have appeared at that point in time. Projected values apply the forecasted YoY change to the prior year's level, chaining forward where actuals are unavailable. MAPE measures forecast accuracy against realized values. These are mechanical trend extrapolations, not economic models.