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From Home Furnishing Business
Fast Fact: Building Permits Up in Smaller Metro Areas
February 4,
2019 by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry 
Many metro areas are suffering with tightening housing inventories, but some areas are having better luck with building permits and new housing construction in an attempt to turn the tide.
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits, permits in the U.S. grew 6.6 percent from 2017 Q2 to 2018 Q2 with smaller markets experiencing higher increases, specifically for single-family units.
Looking at state increases in building permits in 2018, Hawaii had the highest growth in residential building permits since the second quarter of 2017 -- jumping 32.6 percent followed closely by New Hampshire at 30.9 percent. Idaho, Utah, and North Carolina all had over a 20 percent increase.
In comparison, Montana had the lowest growth in residential building permits, declining 23.7 percent this year compared to 2017. Mississippi followed with a decrease of 20.5 percent and Illinois fell 15.7 percent.
For a closer look at the numbers, click here.