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.
February 13, 2025 10:29 AM
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“If this workforce gets even tighter and tighter, you know, it’s going to drive some folks out of production.”
February 12, 2025 11:13 AM
February 12, 2025 10:51 AM
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February 12, 2025 10:37 AM
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“It really hamstrings our availability of financing to get loans when everything is costing 30-60% more.”
February 12, 2025 10:10 AM
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February 11, 2025 02:57 PM
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February 11, 2025 11:40 AM
“Producers want those options for identification and traceability purposes that they were promised back in 2013, and that’s what made it controversial.”
February 10, 2025 01:07 PM
“We just want to make sure a Farm Bill doesn’t fall off the radar screen.”
February 07, 2025 02:14 PM
