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.
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