Housing Starts Fell 38.8% in 2009

By MDM Staff

January 20, 2010

More about: Building Materials/Construction, Economy

In December, housing starts were 0.2% above December 2008.

Housing starts in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 557,000, 4% below November, but 0.2% above December 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

We Deliver Distribution News to Your Inbox
Sign up to receive MDM Update, your free weekly distribution news update by email. Enter your email address below:

Single-family housing starts were at a rate of 456,000 in December, 6.9% below November. The December rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 92,000.

An estimated 553,800 housing units were started in 2009. This is 38.8% below the 2008 figure of 905,500.

Housing units authorized by building permits in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 653,000, 10.9% above November and 15.8% above December 2008. Single-family authorizations in December were at a rate of 508,000, 8.3% above November. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 127,000 in December.

An estimated 571,600 housing units were authorized by building permits in 2009, 36.9% below 2008.

Housing completions in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 768,000, 11.2% below November and 25.3% below December 2008. Single-family completions were at a rate of 503,000, 11.1% below November.

An estimated 796,000 housing units were completed in 2009, 28.9% below 2008.

Download the pdf below for more details.

Download PDF

Market Data for Dozens
of Product Groups

Not a subscriber? Order market analyses by pay-per-view. Also available in the MDM Databank: housing starts, industrial production, wholesale trade revenues, Producer Price Index and much more, posted monthly!

Benchmark Your
Work Force Plans

Now Available: If you missed the recent MDM Webcast on Managing Talent for the Recovery, order the transcript today for just $39.95. Go to the MDM Store.