Single-Family Permits Declined at Start of 2026

In January of this year, single-family permits were down year over year, according to the National Association of Home Builders. 

Over that month, 62,034 single-family permits were issued, accounting for a 15.2% decline compared to January 2025 (73,115 permits).  

In the Northeast specifically, single-family permits showed a 20.1% decrease – the largest of all four regions. Pennsylvania’s single-family permits declined by 19.9%, which was a more significant decrease than all of its neighboring states except for Maryland (-38.2%). 

In comparison, multifamily permits stayed steady nationwide, decreasing only 0.5% YOY. However, in the Northeast, they saw a 39.4% increase – again, the largest change of all four U.S. regions. Pennsylvania alone had a 49.8% increase in multifamily permits from January 2025 to January 2026.