U.S. Housing Starts Complete Robust Year
U.S. housing starts increased 1.4% in December over November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.702 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development monthly new residential construction report. It’s also 2.5% above December 2020.
The latest preliminary numbers (subject to increase) reveal an estimated 1.595 million housing units started in 2021, a 15.6% increase over 2020; with single-family up 13.4% and multi-family increasing 22% for the year.

Miramar Beach (Sandestin), Fla., January 2022
Single-family starts dipped 2.3% in December to 1.172 million, while multi-family starts (five units or more) were at a rate of 524,000, up 13.7% over November and a whopping 56% compared to December 2020.
The total U.S. housing starts figure for December, combining single-family and multi-family, was the third consecutive monthly increase and represents the second highest monthly number of 2021, following March.
Housing building permits were at a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.873 million in December, an increase of 9.1% over November. Single-family permits were 1.128 million in December, an increase of 2% above November. Multi-family permits were at a rate of 675,000 in December, an increase of nearly 20% over November.
An estimated 1.725 million housing units were authorized by building permits in 2021, an increase of 17.2% over 2020.
RELATED ARTICLES
Single-Family, Multi-Family Starts Flourished In November
Single-Family Housing Has Narrow Drop, Multi-Family Rises, Permits Looking Good
Housing Starts Show Modest Decline In September
Multi-Family Leads Way In U.S. Housing Jump
Housing Starts Dip, Permits Still Gain
Housing Starts Gain Steam, Though Permits Show Slight Decline
Housing Starts Increase In May, Far Ahead Of One Year Ago
Single-Family Starts Dip, But Multi-Family Ticks Upward
U.S. Housing Starts Hit A High Note
U.S. Housing Dips Again in February; Pandemic Started Hitting Home A Year Ago
Housing Starts Jump Out Of Gate Slowly, But Building Permits Looking Good
Housing Starts Finish Year With A Bang
U.S. Housing Starts Continue Upward
U.S. Single-Family Starts Jump for Sixth Month In Row
Single-Family Housing Starts Rise Again
Single-Family Housing Starts Go Up
U.S. Housing Starts Show Big Increase
Latest News
U.S. Exports Of Logs And Lumber Continue Slide
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); U.S. exports of logs and lumber via ocean container declined year-over-year in January for the fourth consecutive month, partly because of declining demand from China and unfavorable exchange rates. After growing…
American Wood Council Awarded USDA Grant To Research Tall Wood Construction
The American Wood Council has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct research on the fire performance of mass timber buildings. AWC will partner with the National Fire…
Vermont’s Britton Lumber Hopes To Rebuild Sawmill
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); Almost two weeks after a four-alarm fire leveled the sawmill at Britton Lumber Co., officials there announced their intentions to rebuild the sawmill and continue the company’s other operations as usual.…
USDA Awards Funds To Expand, Accelerate Wood Product Markets
Today USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of over $9 million to expand and accelerate wood energy and other wood product markets. The federal funds will leverage $22 million in investments from partners, resulting…
Find Us On Social
Newsletter
The monthly Timber Processing Industry Newsletter reaches over 4,000 mill owners and supervisors.
Subscribe/Renew
Timber Processing is delivered 10 times per year to subscribers who represent sawmill ownership, management and supervisory personnel and corporate executives. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative.