The US Census Bureau and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,495,000. This is 1.9 percent above the revised November rate of 1,467,000 and is 6.1 percent above the December 2022 rate of 1,409,000.
Single‐family authorizations in December were at a rate of 994,000; this is 1.7 percent above the revised November figure of 977,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 449,000 in December.
An estimated 1,469,800 housing units were authorized by building permits in 2023. This is 11.7 percent below the 2022 figure of 1,665,100.
Privately‐owned housing starts in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,460,000. This is 4.3 percent (±12.5 percent) below the revised November estimate of 1,525,000, but is 7.6 percent (±17.6 percent) above the December 2022 rate of 1,357,000.
Single‐family housing starts in December were at a rate of 1,027,000; this is 8.6 percent (±11.2 percent) below the revised November figure of 1,124,000. The December rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 417,000.
An estimated 1,413,100 housing units were started in 2023. This is 9.0 percent (±2.5 percent) below the 2022 figure of 1,552,600.
Privately‐owned housing completions in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,574,000. This is 8.7 percent (±19.9 percent) above the revised November estimate of 1,448,000 and is 13.2 percent (±17.7 percent) above the December 2022 rate of 1,390,000.
Single‐family housing completions in December were at a rate of 1,056,000; this is 8.4 percent (±18.5 percent) above the revised November rate of 974,000. The December rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 509,000.
An estimated 1,452,500 housing units were completed in 2023. This is 4.5 percent (±3.8 percent) above the 2022 figure of 1,390,500.