U.S. housing data: starts, sales and prices

Housing starts

-5.2% Sep 2026 vs. Aug 2026

Housing starts count the new homes and apartment units on which construction began, shown as a yearly pace. They are a timely sign of how much builders expect to sell or rent.

Building permits

-0.2% Sep 2026 vs. Aug 2026

Building permits count the housing units approved by local governments before construction starts. Because permits come first, they often hint at where housing starts will go next.

New home sales

+6.4% Aug 2026 vs. Jul 2026

New home sales count newly built single-family houses sold in the month, shown as a yearly pace. A sale is counted when a contract is signed or a deposit is taken.

Median home sales price

$410,700 Q2 2026 · was -3.5% in Q1 2026

This is the median price of new single-family houses sold in each quarter, from the Census Bureau's new residential sales survey. Half the homes sold for more and half for less.

FHFA house price index

719.87 Q2 2026 · was 3.5% in Q1 2026

The FHFA house price index tracks the value of the same single-family homes over time, using sales and refinance appraisals on mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Its yearly change is a broad read on home price growth.

Homeownership rate

-0.3 pt Q2 2026 vs. Q1 2026

The homeownership rate is the share of occupied homes lived in by their owners. It comes from the Census Bureau's Housing Vacancies and Homeownership survey.

Rental vacancy rate

0.0 pt Q2 2026 vs. Q1 2026

The rental vacancy rate is the share of rental homes that are empty and available for rent. A low rate usually means a tight rental market and faster rent increases.

Single-family housing starts

-4.6% Sep 2026 vs. Aug 2026

This counts new single-family homes on which construction began, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate. Single-family homes are about two-thirds or more of starts in most years.

Apartment starts (5+ units)

-7.2% Sep 2026 vs. Aug 2026

This counts starts of buildings with five or more housing units, mostly apartment buildings, at an annual rate. It swings more than single-family starts.

Single-family building permits

-4.0% Sep 2026 vs. Aug 2026

This counts permits issued for new single-family homes, at an annual rate. Permits usually come before starts, so they hint at where building is headed.

Housing completions

+2.2% Sep 2026 vs. Aug 2026

Completions count new privately owned housing units finished during the month, at an annual rate. They add to the supply of homes for sale and for rent.

Homes under construction

0.0% Sep 2026 vs. Aug 2026

This counts privately owned housing units that have been started but not finished. It reached a record in 2022 as builders took longer to finish apartments.

Months supply of new homes

-0.5 months Aug 2026 vs. Jul 2026

Months supply is how long it would take to sell all new homes for sale at the current sales pace. A higher number means more homes on the market relative to demand.

Median new home price

$393,700 Aug 2026 · was -1.3% in Jul 2026

This is the median sales price of new single-family homes sold during the month. Half sold for more and half for less, and the number changes with the mix of homes sold.

FHFA purchase-only house price index

443.5 Jul 2026 · was 2.4% in Jun 2026

This monthly index from the Federal Housing Finance Agency tracks prices of the same houses sold more than once, using mortgages bought or backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Homeowner vacancy rate

+0.1 pt Q2 2026 vs. Q1 2026

The homeowner vacancy rate is the share of homes meant for owners that are empty and for sale. It peaked at 2.9% in early 2008, as the housing bust began, and has been near 1% in recent years.

Construction spending

$2.20T Aug 2026 · was -2.6% in Jul 2026

Total construction spending is the value of all construction work done in the U.S., private and public, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate.

Residential construction spending

$882.3B Aug 2026 · was -5.9% in Jul 2026

This is private spending on new homes, apartments and home improvements, at an annual rate.