Single family home construction up statewide in first quarter of 2024
The latest new home construction numbers released by the Wisconsin Builders Association (WBA) shows new home construction is up 36 percent statewide.
The data, submitted by all municipalities across Wisconsin, shows 3,692 new home permits were pulled statewide between January 1 and March 31, about 980 more permits than in quarter one of 2023.
“Wisconsin is showing numbers that are on par with both midwest and national numbers, which are 36% and 43%, respectively,” said WBA President Jim Doering. “In February alone, we saw a 50% increase in permits pulled throughout the state.”
The counties that saw the highest (130%+) growth year-over-year in quarter one were Barron, Florence, Iron, Marinette, Milwaukee, Pierce, Sawyer, and Sheboygan counties. In Florence County, the number of new home permits issued in the first quarter went from 0 in 2023 to 29 new home starts in 2024 while Barron County went from 18 last year to 42 new permits in the first quarter of 2024. Metropolitan areas of the state saw the highest numbers of permits pulled in quarter one with Brown County; 177, Dane County; 396, Milwaukee County; 275, and Waukesha County; 193. In Taylor County housing starts were up 21.1% for the first quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2023.
“Lack of existing inventory continues to fuel the homebuilding industry” said WBA Executive Director Brad Boycks. “Coupled with a relatively mild winter, we are very pleased with the stable increase in single family permits compared to quarter one last year.”
