2024 Multifamily Construction: Units Completed Reaches 38-year High

2025-07-07T08:31:29-05:00

Multifamily units completed in 2024 recorded their highest level since 1986 at 608,000 units, according to NAHB analysis of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction. For the eighth consecutive year, most multifamily units were in buildings with 50 or more units (these will be labeled as high-density buildings). As shown below, this trend is relatively new. Dating back to the earliest estimates in the series (1972), most multifamily units were historically located in buildings with less than 50 units (low-medium density buildings). Of the total 608,000 multifamily units completed in 2024, 330,000 (54%) were in high-density buildings while the remaining 278,000 (46%) were in low-medium density buildings. Regional Distribution The South continued to be the leading region in terms of units completed, rising from 212,000 in 2023 to 292,000 completions in 2024. The South accounted for 48% of the total number of completions; the West held 27% (163,000), the Midwest 14% (87,000), and the Northeast 11% (68,000). Singularly, the South was the only region where the number of units completed in low-medium density buildings outpaced the number in high-density buildings. The South had 147,000 completions in low-medium density compared to 145,000 units in high-density. Conversely, in the Midwest and Northeast the number of units in high-density buildings nearly doubled those of low-medium density buildings. For the Midwest, there were 58,000 units in high-density buildings and 29,000 low-medium density units. The Northeast had 45,000 units in high-density buildings and 23,000 low-medium density units. The West featured an almost 50/50 split with 82,000 high-density units and 81,000 low-medium density. Built-for-Rent Among multifamily units completed in 2024, 95% were built-for-rent at a level of 580,000. Over half of these units (55%) were in a building with 50 units or more. This is a seismic shift towards high-density buildings, as this share was only 25% in 2004. Over the past twenty years, there has consistently been a falling share of units in buildings with 10-19 units, as the share in 2004 was 24%, while in 2024 this share only accounts for 4% of completed units. Built-for-Sale The number of multifamily units built-for-sale rose from 20,000 in 2023 to 29,000 in 2024. High-density buildings continued to be the primary type of building where these units were built, with 40% of built-for-sale units being completed in buildings with 50+ units. This share was up from 28% in 2023. The largest loss in market share for multifamily built-for-sale units was for buildings with 10-19 units, dropping from 23% in 2023 to just 13% in 2024. Discover more from Eye On Housing Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

2024 Multifamily Construction: Units Completed Reaches 38-year High2025-07-07T08:31:29-05:00

Two or More Story Home Starts Rebound in 2024

2025-07-02T14:16:37-05:00

Over half of new single-family homes built in 2024 were two or more stories, according the recent release of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC). After declining in 2023, the share of homes started with two or more stories increased again in 2024, continuing the upward trend in place since 2020. Nationwide, the share of new homes with two or more stories rose from 51.3% in 2023 to 52.5% in 2024, while the share of new homes with one story fell from 48.7% to 47.5%. Nationally, there were more multi-story homes built in 2024, however, this share varied significantly across the nation. New homes started in the Midwest and South generally showed a stronger preference for single-story homes. In the Midwest (West North Central and East North Central), 58.8% and 50.7% of new homes started were one story, while in the South (East South Central and West South Central), the shares were 59.5% and 58.1%. However, the South Atlantic division was an exception, with one story homes falling to 44.4%, the lowest since 2019. Although single story homes are more common in the Midwest and South, their shares declined in 2024 across the East North Central (Midwest), South Atlantic (South) and East South Central (South). This suggests a slow upward trend in two or more story homes across the South after COVID. Following the national trend, five of the nine divisions saw a greater share of newly-built two or more story homes. The highest two or more story shares of new homes were concentrated in the Northeast and West, with Middle Atlantic and New England at 75.9% and 69.7%, while the Pacific and Mountain reached 57.9% and 56.8%, respectively. However, both Northeast divisions declined from 2023 levels, with New England dropping to its lowest two or more story share since NAHB started tracking in 2017. Meanwhile, new homes started with two or more stories in the Mountain and Pacific divisions both experienced increases in their two or more stories shares. Discover more from Eye On Housing Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Two or More Story Home Starts Rebound in 20242025-07-02T14:16:37-05:00

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