Fewer Pool Permits Submitted in 2025

Last December, pool construction permits fell to the lowest level since before the pandemic. Pool permits were 34.3% lower than in January 2020 and 34.7% lower than in December 2024, says the National Association of Home Builders. 

NAHB took into account the seasonality of pool permitting and adjusted its index according to seasonal changes. Per this index, pool construction permits continued to peak in 2021 – likely the result of pandemic quarantining – and have steadily declined since.  

In Pennsylvania specifically, the share of nationwide pool permits submitted in 2025 was significantly low at less than 10%. New York and New Jersey were the only Northeast states to break the top 10 in terms of the number of shares, and Florida alone accounted for almost one-third of all pool permits nationwide.  

According to the National Association of Realtors® 2023 Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features, in-ground pool additions at the time had a cost recovery of 56%. However, they had a Joy Score of 10, the highest score possible. The research showed that 89% of homeowners had a greater desire to be home since completing an in-ground pool addition, and 90% reported having an increased sense of enjoyment when at home.