WASHINGTON (RFD-TV) — U.S. housing construction slowed in the second quarter of 2025, with single-family permits declining in nearly every region, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
Large metro areas posted the sharpest decline at 3.8 percent, while rural “micro counties” bucked the trend, recording a 1.8 percent increase — their fifth straight quarter of growth. Collectively, less densely populated regions captured just over 50 percent of the single-family market share, their highest level since early 2023.
NAHB leaders cite high mortgage rates, labor shortages, and regulatory costs as barriers to new single-family construction. At the same time, multifamily construction has expanded in smaller and rural counties, benefiting from lower land costs and lighter regulations.
Small metro outlying areas led with a 22 percent gain in multifamily permits, while large metro cores posted their ninth consecutive quarterly decline.
Tony’s Farm-Level Takeaway: While big-city housing starts are slowing, rural and small-market counties are gaining share in both single- and multifamily construction. For rural communities, this shift could mean new housing options for farmworkers and young families priced out of metro markets.
Rayburn Electric Cooperative’s Chris Anderson discusses rapid AI data center expansion, mounting pressure on the electric grid, and impacts on agriculture and rural communities.
Growers should work with local agronomists, check state registrations, and follow all restricted-use label requirements.
Did the Kansas Court of Appeals Go Too Far in Clark v. McKee?
Farm Bureau Economist Dr. Faith Parum joins us to break down what year-round E15 passage could mean for agriculture, energy markets, and the future of renewable fuels in the United States.
Agri Stats would no longer be allowed to show participant lists, rankings, or “flags,” and it could only report individual company data in narrow situations.
Officials say the tool could give Florida citrus growers another option against a disease that has devastated production for decades.
