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.
March 12, 2025 11:33 AM
·
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins told RFD-TV’s Kirbe Schnoor what steps the Administration might take to alleviate water issues (i.e. enlarging dams, building more reservoirs).
March 03, 2025 10:55 AM
·
RFD-TV Ag Law & Tax Expert Roger McEowen outlines the top ten agricultural law and taxation topics from 2024 that will impact farmers and ranchers the most in 2025.
February 27, 2025 02:08 PM
·
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced her five-point comprehensive strategy to fight High-Path Avian Flu (HPAI) on Wednesday in an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal.
February 26, 2025 10:05 AM
·
February 24, 2025 10:57 AM
·
February 24, 2025 10:15 AM
·
February 21, 2025 01:56 PM
February 21, 2025 01:31 PM
