United States single-family permits fall in September 2026

Permits for new single-family homes in the United States declined in September 2026. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 70,100 single-family residential building permits were recorded that month. This is the lowest monthly figure in the series from May 2026 to September 2026 reviewed by Housing Market Group (HMG).

The September 2026 total was lower than August 2026, when the U.S. Census Bureau recorded 74,200 single-family permits. HMG calculates the change between August and September 2026 as a fall of 5.5%, based on the Census Bureau figures.

Looking further back shows how the monthly figures have moved over the summer and early autumn. The U.S. Census Bureau reported 79,200 single-family permits in May 2026, followed by 83,800 in June 2026, the highest level in the period reviewed. The total then eased to 80,600 in July 2026, dropped to 74,200 in August 2026 and reached 70,100 in September 2026. Across this stretch, the September 2026 figure stands clearly below the levels recorded in May, June and July 2026.

The annual comparison also shows a decline. In September 2025 the U.S. Census Bureau recorded 74,200 single-family permits. On that basis, HMG calculates that single-family permits in September 2026 were 5.5% lower than in the same month a year before. Because the September 2025 figure and the August 2026 figure were the same, at 74,200, the monthly change and the annual change are identical, both showing a fall of 5.5%.

These figures cover single-family homes only and do not include apartments or other multi-unit buildings. A building permit records that approval for construction has been granted; it is not a count of homes started or completed. Monthly permit totals can also shift with the timing of approvals and local planning processes, so a single month reflects the activity recorded in that period rather than a full picture of the housing market. This article does not include a breakdown by state or region, comparisons with other countries, or HMG platform data on search demand or listings for this period.

In summary, the national single-family figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show 70,100 permits in September 2026, down from 74,200 in August 2026 and from 74,200 in September 2025. According to HMG calculations, both the monthly and annual changes amount to a fall of 5.5%, and the latest total is the lowest in the May 2026 to September 2026 series.