The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced on Wednesday that privately owned housing starts in February 2026 rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,521,000. This figure represents a 10.7 percent increase from the revised January estimate of 1,374,000 and is 5.9 percent above the February 2025 rate of 1,436,000. The data, released at 8:30 AM ET, indicates a significant acceleration in residential construction activity across several key regions.
Single-family housing starts in February were at a rate of 1,129,000, marking an 11.6 percent increase from the previous month. The multi-family segment, specifically buildings with five units or more, reached a rate of 377,000. This growth in new construction comes as the industry responds to shifting inventory levels and evolving demand for residential units.
Building permits, a leading indicator of future construction activity, also saw an upward trend. Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,518,000. This is 1.9 percent above the revised January rate of 1,490,000 and 2.4 percent higher than the February 2025 level. Single-family authorizations specifically rose to 1,031,000, a 1.0 percent increase from January. Permits for units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 429,000.
Regional data showed varied performance across the United States. The South remained the most active region for new construction, with housing starts rising 15.7 percent to an annual rate of 824,000. The Midwest experienced a significant jump of 50.7 percent, reaching a rate of 211,000. In contrast, the Northeast saw a decline of 10.3 percent to a rate of 113,000, while the West recorded a 7.9 percent decrease, falling to a rate of 373,000.
Housing completions also provided insight into the current supply chain momentum. Privately owned housing completions in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,729,000, which is 19.7 percent above the revised January estimate of 1,444,000 and 9.6 percent above the February 2025 rate. Single-family housing completions were at 1,072,000, a 20.2 percent increase from January.
At the end of February, there were an estimated 1,627,000 housing units under construction. Of these, 683,000 were single-family homes and 925,000 were in buildings with five units or more. The total number of units authorized but not yet started stood at 285,000, with 146,000 of those being single-family units.