New home construction has swung in measurable ways in 2025, and the shifts are more dramatic than most expect from a single market snapshot. One stat shows starts are moving differently than completions, creating a timing gap that affects what buyers can realistically choose. Let’s walk through the key 2025 and related measures so you can see where the momentum really is.
Completions
1Housing completions in 2023 totaled 1,428,000 units.
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2Single-family completions 2023: 968,000.
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3Multifamily completions 2023: 429,000.
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4Completions in Northeast 2023: 96,000.
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5Midwest completions 2023: 200,000.
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Completions Interpretation
While we frantically built nearly a million new single-family homes last year, the spirit of community was apparently on a sabbatical, as the much-needed multifamily units showed up fashionably late and tragically outnumbered.
Costs
1Average cost to build a new single-family home 2023: $428,870.
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2Site work costs 2023: 6% of total ($25,687).
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3Foundations cost 2023: 11% ($47,176).
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4Framing costs 2023: 18% ($77,197).
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5Exterior finishes 2023: 9% ($38,599).
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6Distribution of construction costs for single-family homes Q4 2023.
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7Interior finishes 2023: 24% ($102,931).
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8Final steps 2023: 9% ($38,599).
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9Lot cost 2023: 19% ($81,474).
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10Builder profit/financing/overhead 2023: 5% ($21,432).
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11Median price per square foot for new homes 2023: $174.
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12Construction cost index for single-family homes up 4.2% in 2023.
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13Softwood lumber price index averaged $486 per thousand board feet in 2023.
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14Ready-mix concrete cost up 5.8% year-over-year Q4 2023.
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15Gypsum products cost increase 3.1% in 2023.
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16Insulation materials up 2.7% in 2023.
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17Tile costs rose 4.5% year-over-year.
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18Plumbing products up 3.9% in 2023.
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19Electrical products increase 2.8%.
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20HVAC equipment costs up 4.1% in 2023.
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21Appliances price index up 1.5%.
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22Windows/doors up 3.2% in 2023.
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23New single-family construction spending $239 billion in 2023.
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24Residential construction put in place up 1.2% in 2023.
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25Single-family spending $190 billion annually 2023.
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26Multifamily improvements $49 billion in 2023.
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Costs Interpretation
In 2023, building an American dream costs nearly half a million dollars, where the very ground it sits on demands a fifth of the price and the act of holding it all together costs more than the roof over your head.
Housing Starts
1In 2023, total new privately-owned housing units started in the US were 1,414,000.
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2Single-family housing starts in 2023 reached 981,000 units.
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3Multifamily housing starts in 2023 were 413,000 units.
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4Housing starts in the Northeast region totaled 98,000 units in 2023.
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5Midwest housing starts were 198,000 units in 2023.
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6Southern region saw 763,000 housing starts in 2023.
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7Western US housing starts numbered 355,000 in 2023.
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8Building permits for new housing units issued in 2023 totaled 1,460,000.
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9Single-family permits in 2023 were 956,000.
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10Multifamily permits reached 456,000 in 2023.
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11Housing starts increased 5.4% from December 2022 to December 2023.
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12Single-family starts rose 7.1% year-over-year in December 2023.
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13Multifamily starts declined 2.5% year-over-year in December 2023.
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14January 2024 housing starts were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,409,000.
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15February 2024 single-family starts hit 1,042,000 annual rate.
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16Permits in March 2024 were 1,518,000 annual rate.
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17Housing starts in Q1 2024 averaged 1,429,000 annual rate.
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182022 annual housing starts totaled 1,393,000 units.
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19Single-family starts in 2022 were 944,000.
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20Multifamily starts in 2022 numbered 436,000.
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21Northeast starts in 2022: 92,000 units.
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22Midwest 2022 starts: 191,000.
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23South 2022 starts: 753,000.
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24West 2022 starts: 357,000.
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25Permits 2022 total: 1,445,000.
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26December 2022 starts: 1,307,000 annual rate.
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Housing Starts Interpretation
America is cautiously building more roofs, especially single-family homes, as the South flexes its construction muscles while the apartment boom shows signs of taking a breather.
Labor
1New construction employment averaged 822,000 in 2023.
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2Construction unemployment rate 3.7% in 2023 average.
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3Residential builders employment up 2.1% year-over-year Dec 2023.
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441% of builders reported labor shortages in Q1 2024.
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5Framing crew shortages reported by 87% of builders.
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6Bricklayers/masons shortage 84%.
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7Carpenters shortage 89% of builders.
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8Electricians shortage 82%.
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9Plumbers shortage 81%.
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10Average hourly earnings construction workers $34.89 Dec 2023.
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11Labor costs share of total construction costs 26% in 2023.
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12Projected labor shortage 500,000 by 2024.
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1325% of construction workforce over 55 years old.
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14Entry-level carpenter wage $19.47/hour.
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15Foreman carpenter $28.95/hour.
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16Labor force participation rate construction 66.2% 2023.
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17Women in construction 11% of workforce.
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18Hispanic workers 30% of construction labor.
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19Apprenticeship programs needed: 234,000 new entrants annually.
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20Job openings in construction averaged 383,000 monthly 2023.
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21Quit rate in construction 2.8% monthly average.
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Labor Interpretation
The construction industry is booming, yet a severe, highly-skilled labor shortage is simultaneously driving up costs and threatening to leave new homes half-built.
Materials
1Lumber use in new single-family homes averaged 15,000 board feet per house 2023.
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2Softwood lumber consumption for residential construction 40 billion board feet annually.
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3Engineered wood products 60% of framing lumber.
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4Concrete use 1,200 cubic yards per 100 homes.
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5Steel framing 5% of single-family market.
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6Asphalt shingles 85% roofing material.
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7Vinyl siding 40% exterior.
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8Fiber cement siding 25%.
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9Drywall usage 7,500 sq ft per home.
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10Insulation R-value average walls R-15.
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Materials Interpretation
While we're framing our futures with enough wood to make a forest blush and covering them in enough vinyl to wrap a small planet, it's comforting to know we're at least insulating our ambitions to a middling R-15 standard.
Regional
1Northeast new home starts per capita highest at 1.2 per 1,000 residents 2023.
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2South leads in total starts with 54% share in 2023.
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3Texas new home permits 2023: 170,000 units.
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4Florida starts 2023: 124,000 units.
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5California completions 2023: 85,000.
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6North Carolina sales 2023: 62,000 new homes.
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7Georgia permits 2023: 58,000.
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8Arizona new home construction up 15% in 2023.
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9Midwest starts share 14% in 2023.
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10West region multifamily boom: 35% of national multifamily starts.
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11Phoenix metro starts 2023: 45,000 units.
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12Dallas-Fort Worth permits: 52,000 in 2023.
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13Atlanta starts: 38,000.
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14Houston new homes: 47,000 starts.
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15Austin multifamily permits high at 25,000.
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16New York metro starts low: 12,000 single-family.
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17Seattle region costs highest median $750,000 new home.
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18Florida Sun Belt boom: 20% national sales share.
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19Midwest completions stable at 14% share.
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20Northeast permits down 5% in 2023.
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Regional Interpretation
The South is running away with the volume crown, the Northeast is building the most on a per-person basis but is losing steam, and while the West's costs are soaring, its apartment boom proves not everyone is chasing a white picket fence.
Sales
1New single-family houses sold in 2023: 668,000 at annual rate.
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2Median sales price of new homes in 2023: $417,700.
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3Average sales price new homes 2023: $510,300.
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4Months' supply of new homes for sale in 2023: 8.1 months.
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5Inventory of new homes for sale end of 2023: 285,000.
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6New home sales in South 2023: 463,000 annual rate.
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7West new home sales 2023: 139,000.
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8Northeast sales 2023: 39,000.
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9Midwest sales 2023: 77,000.
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10December 2023 new home sales: 664,000 annual rate.
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11January 2024 sales: 661,000 annual rate.
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12February 2024 median price: $411,200.
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132022 new home sales: 743,000.
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142022 median price: $436,800.
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15Average price 2022: $527,200.
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16Months' supply 2022: 8.5.
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17Inventory end 2022: 249,000.
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18South sales 2022: 490,000.
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19West sales 2022: 150,000.
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20Median lot size for new single-family homes 2023: 0.19 acres.
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21Average square footage new homes sold 2023: 2,299 sq ft.
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22Percent with 3 bedrooms 2023: 58%.
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23Percent with 2 or more garages 2023: 89%.
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Sales Interpretation
The housing market appears to have settled into a strange but stable new normal, where aspiring buyers, armed with a sense of humor and a hefty budget, can now enjoy a historically high number of expensive, slightly smaller, mostly three-bedroom options with ample parking while they wait for interest rates to blink.
Sustainability
165% of new homes ENERGY STAR certified in 2023.
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224% of builders use advanced framing for efficiency.
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3Solar installations in new homes up 20% to 15% share.
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4EV charger readiness in 42% of new single-family homes.
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5Recycled content used in 78% of new homes.
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6Low-flow fixtures in 92% of new construction.
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7LED lighting standard in 95% new homes 2023.
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8High-efficiency HVAC in 85%.
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9Spray foam insulation up to 35% usage.
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10Drought-resistant landscaping 62%.
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11Net-zero ready homes 8% of new builds.
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12Passive house standards in 2% of projects.
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13Wood from sustainable forests 89%.
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14WaterSense labeled products 88%.
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15Cool roofs in 25% of new homes in hot climates.
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16Geothermal systems 3% adoption.
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17Rainwater harvesting 12%.
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18Permeable pavement 18%.
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19Native plants 55%.
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20ICC-700 National Green Building Standard used by 40% NAHB members.
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Sustainability Interpretation
While the green home movement is gaining real traction with impressive adoption in areas like lighting and water fixtures, the industry still seems to be cautiously tip-toeing—rather than sprinting—toward the deeper systemic changes needed for true sustainability.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Leah Kessler. (2026, February 13). New Home Construction Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/new-home-construction-statistics
MLA
Leah Kessler. "New Home Construction Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/new-home-construction-statistics.
Chicago
Leah Kessler. 2026. "New Home Construction Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/new-home-construction-statistics.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CENSUScensus.gov
census.gov
- Reference 2NAHBnahb.org
nahb.org
- Reference 3EYEONHOUSINGeyeonhousing.org
eyeonhousing.org
- Reference 4BEAbea.gov
bea.gov
- Reference 5BLSbls.gov
bls.gov
- Reference 6FREDfred.stlouisfed.org
fred.stlouisfed.org
- Reference 7NARnar.realtor
nar.realtor