US Single Family Housing Starts Fall 12 Percent Annually: Census

Rising construction costs and high interest rates are making it difficult for builders to deliver affordable homes.

A home advertised for sale in a residential neighborhood in San Jose, Calif., on Aug. 15, 2024. Loren Elliott/Getty Images

Single-family housing starts and building permits issued declined on a monthly and annual basis across the United States in April, the Census Bureau said in a May 16 statement.

Housing starts fell by 2.1 percent from March and were down 12 percent from 2024. Meanwhile, building permit authorizations fell 5.1 percent month-over-month and were down by 6.2 percent annually.