0
300
600
900
1200
1500
1800
2100
1994
U.S. Department of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Administration
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
Note: Total includes units started in structures with two to four units.
CURRENT CONSTRUCTION REPORTS
Housing Starts
Questions regarding these data may be directed to Residential Construction Branch, Telephone 301-457-1321.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
DECEMBER 1998
1997
1990
1989
Seasonally adjusted annual rate
4–month moving average
New Privately Owned Housing Units Started
Seasonally adjusted annual rate in thousands
1991
Total
In structures with
one unit
In structures with
five units or more
C20/98-12
Issued February 1999
1992
1993
1995
1996
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Housing Starts.
1998
HOUSING STARTS AND BUILDING PERMITS
Privately owned housing starts in December 1998
were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,720,000;
this is 3 (±6) percent above the revised November rate
of 1,662,000, but 12 (±7) percent above the December
1997 rate of 1,540,000.
Single-family housing starts in December 1998 were
at a rate of 1,357,000; this is 1(±5) percent below the
November figure of 1,367,000. The December rate for
units in buildings with five units or more was 323,000.
The December rate for units in buildings with two to four
units was 40,000.
The preliminary estimate of privately owned housing
units started in 1998 was 1,615,900. This is 10 (±1
percent) above the 1997 figure of 1,474,000.
New privately owned housing construction was autho-
rized in December in the 19,000 permit-issuing places at
a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,723,000; this is 4
(±1) percent above the revised November rate of 1,656,000
and 17 (±2) percent above the December 1997 figure of
1,467,000.
Single-family authorizations in December 1998 were
at a rate of 1,290,000, this is 4 (±1) percent above the
November figure of 1,238,000. Authorizations of units in
buildings with five units or more were at a rate of
352,000 in December