In July 2026, US building permits increased 5% month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.443 million, exceeding market expectations of 1.37 million, according to preliminary data. Permits for buildings with five or more units jumped 9.1% to 490,000, while single-family permits rose 2.5% to 894,000. By region, permits grew in the Midwest (up 12.3% to 228,000), the South (up 6.6% to 755,000), and the West (up 0.3% to 309,000), but declined in the Northeast (down 2.6% to 151,000).