Permit Activity Continues Decline in March 2025

For the third month in a row, permit numbers are declining.

The total number of single-family permits issued year-to-date (YTD) in the first three months of 2025 was 232,221.

On a year-over-year (YoY) basis, this represents a 3.8% drop from the March 2024 level of 241311. A total of 113,344 multifamily permits were issued across the country. This is a 3.7% decrease from the March 2024 level of 117,695.

In three of the four regions, single-family permits were down year to date as of March. The northeast saw a 9.2% increase.

Single-family permits fell 1.9% in the Midwest, 4.8% in the South, and 5.0% in the West during this period. Two of the four regions saw an increase in multifamily permits.

The South rose 14.6%, while the Midwest rose 12.9%. Meanwhile, the West decreased by 13.0%, and the Northeast decreased by 42.8%.

Between March 2025 and March 2024, 20 states increased the number of single-family permits.

The range of increases was 29.6% in Alaska and 0.2% in Utah.

The remaining 30 states and the District of Columbia recorded a decrease in single-family permits, with New Mexico experiencing the greatest decrease of 32.7%.

The 10 states that issued the most single-family permits combined to account for 64.3% of all single-family permits issued.

Texas, the state with the most single-family permits, issued 38,425 in the first three months of 2025, a 5.5% decrease from the same period last year.

The second-highest state, Florida, fell 8.8%, while North Carolina fell 0.1%.

Between March 2025 and March 2024, 23 states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in multifamily permits, while 27 saw a decrease.

Alaska (+533.3%) led the way, with a high gain in multifamily permits from 12 to 76, while New York experienced the worst decline of 64.8%, from 11,316 to 3,984.

The 10 states with the most multifamily permits combined for 61.7% of all multifamily permits issued.

Florida, which has the most multifamily permits issued, saw a 48.8% growth in the first three months of 2025.

Texas, the state with the second greatest number of multifamily permits, witnessed a 0.5% decrease.

California, the third largest multifamily issuing state, saw a 22.7% decline.

The top ten metropolitan areas that issued the most single-family permits are listed below.

The top ten local areas with the most multifamily permits are listed below.

[Read more about this topic on Eyeonhousing.org]