Number of multifamily building permits in the U.S. 2000-2018

There were 465,000 building permits for multifamily housing units granted in the United States in 2018, compared with 462,000 over the previous twelve months. In contrast, there were around 853,000 building permits for single-family housing units authorized in 2018.

Multifamily housing projects on the increase

Multifamily homes refer to buildings that contain at least two housing units, including apartment buildings and duplexes. In 2018, building work had started on around 374,000 multifamily housing units in the United States – the third-highest number recorded in recent decades. Overall, there were more than 56 million multifamily dwellings in the United States in 2018, and the number is predicted to exceed 155 million by 2023.

What are the trends in size of different properties?

One of the noticeable differences between multifamily and single-family housing is the size of the units. In 2018, the median size of a multifamily unit in the United States increased to 1,097 square feet; in contrast, the median size of a single-family housing unit was more than twice as large, with 2,386 square feet.