Single-Story New-Home Construction Increases Year-Over-Year

According to recent analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the National Association of Home Builders, overall there was an uptick in the share of single-story new-home starts year-over-year in 2023. Nationwide, the share of new homes with two or more stories fell from 52% to 51% year-over-year, while the share of new homes with one story grew from 48% to 49% during the same period. But those trends varied by region, with some regions seeing a greater share of new-construction homes built with two or more stories, such as New England and the Middle Atlantic. 

New homes started in the Midwest and South generally showed a stronger preference for single-story homes, except for the South Atlantic division. In the Midwest (East North Central and West North Central), 52% and 59% of new homes started were one-story, while in the South (East South Central and West South Central), the shares were 60% and 58%.

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