Housing starts were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.534 million in July, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This is 7.0% below the revised June estimate of 1.650 million but is 2.5% above the July 2020 rate of 1.497 million.
Housing starts were mixed across the country, increasing in the South (2.1%), and decreasing in the West (11.3%), Northeast (49.3%) and the Midwest (6.9%).
New building permits were 1.635 million in July, 2.6% above the previous month and 6.0% higher year-over-year. Single-family building permits decreased 1.7% from the revised June figure.
Housing completions were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.391 million. This is 5.6% above the revised June estimate of 1.317 million and is 3.8% above the July 2020 rate of 1.34 million.
Read the Census release.