Housing Starts Price History
1960–2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
Annual new privately-owned housing starts in the United States from 1960 to 2025, measured in thousands of units. This is one of the most telling indicators of where the housing market's headed — when builders are breaking ground, it means they're betting on demand. The early 1970s saw a construction frenzy with over 2.3 million starts in 1972, a record that still stands. The 2008 crash brought the industry to its knees, with starts plummeting to just 554,000 in 2009. The recovery's been painfully slow, and we still haven't gotten back to pre-crash building levels.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau1960–2025
Price in 1960
$1,274.00
Price in 2025
$1,380.00
Total Change
+8.3%
Years Tracked
65
Housing Starts Over Time
1960Year Range2025
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- The all-time peak was 2,357,000 starts in 1972, driven by baby boomers entering the housing market and cheap mortgage money — we haven't come close since.
- The 2008 crash was devastating: starts fell from 2,068,000 in 2005 to just 554,000 in 2009, a 73% collapse that wiped out hundreds of thousands of construction jobs.
- It took a full decade for starts to claw back above 1.2 million — they didn't hit that mark again until 2018, which helps explain the chronic housing shortage we're dealing with now.
- The pandemic briefly boosted building to 1,601,000 starts in 2021, but rising rates and material costs quickly cooled things off, and we're back around 1,380,000 in 2025.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (Thousands of units) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | $1,274.00 | — |
| 1961 | $1,365.00 | +7.1% |
| 1962 | $1,492.00 | +9.3% |
| 1963 | $1,635.00 | +9.6% |
| 1964 | $1,561.00 | -4.5% |
| 1965 | $1,510.00 | -3.3% |
| 1966 | $1,196.00 | -20.8% |
| 1967 | $1,322.00 | +10.5% |
| 1968 | $1,545.00 | +16.9% |
| 1969 | $1,500.00 | -2.9% |
| 1970 | $1,469.00 | -2.1% |
| 1971 | $2,052.00 | +39.7% |
| 1972 | $2,357.00 | +14.9% |
| 1973 | $2,045.00 | -13.2% |
| 1974 | $1,352.00 | -33.9% |
| 1975 | $1,160.00 | -14.2% |
| 1976 | $1,548.00 | +33.4% |
| 1977 | $1,987.00 | +28.4% |
| 1978 | $2,020.00 | +1.7% |
| 1979 | $1,745.00 | -13.6% |
| 1980 | $1,292.00 | -26.0% |
| 1981 | $1,084.00 | -16.1% |
| 1982 | $1,062.00 | -2.0% |
| 1983 | $1,703.00 | +60.4% |
| 1984 | $1,749.00 | +2.7% |
| 1985 | $1,742.00 | -0.4% |
| 1986 | $1,805.00 | +3.6% |
| 1987 | $1,621.00 | -10.2% |
| 1988 | $1,488.00 | -8.2% |
| 1989 | $1,376.00 | -7.5% |
| 1990 | $1,193.00 | -13.3% |
| 1991 | $1,014.00 | -15.0% |
| 1992 | $1,200.00 | +18.3% |
| 1993 | $1,288.00 | +7.3% |
| 1994 | $1,457.00 | +13.1% |
| 1995 | $1,354.00 | -7.1% |
| 1996 | $1,477.00 | +9.1% |
| 1997 | $1,474.00 | -0.2% |
| 1998 | $1,617.00 | +9.7% |
| 1999 | $1,641.00 | +1.5% |
| 2000 | $1,569.00 | -4.4% |
| 2001 | $1,603.00 | +2.2% |
| 2002 | $1,705.00 | +6.4% |
| 2003 | $1,848.00 | +8.4% |
| 2004 | $1,956.00 | +5.8% |
| 2005 | $2,068.00 | +5.7% |
| 2006 | $1,801.00 | -12.9% |
| 2007 | $1,355.00 | -24.8% |
| 2008 | $906.00 | -33.1% |
| 2009 | $554.00 | -38.9% |
| 2010 | $587.00 | +6.0% |
| 2011 | $609.00 | +3.7% |
| 2012 | $781.00 | +28.2% |
| 2013 | $925.00 | +18.4% |
| 2014 | $1,003.00 | +8.4% |
| 2015 | $1,112.00 | +10.9% |
| 2016 | $1,174.00 | +5.6% |
| 2017 | $1,203.00 | +2.5% |
| 2018 | $1,250.00 | +3.9% |
| 2019 | $1,290.00 | +3.2% |
| 2020 | $1,380.00 | +7.0% |
| 2021 | $1,601.00 | +16.0% |
| 2022 | $1,553.00 | -3.0% |
| 2023 | $1,420.00 | -8.6% |
| 2024 | $1,365.00 | -3.9% |
| 2025 | $1,380.00 | +1.1% |
Year1960
Price (Thousands of units)$1,274.00
YoY Change—
Year1961
Price (Thousands of units)$1,365.00
YoY Change+7.1%
Year1962
Price (Thousands of units)$1,492.00
YoY Change+9.3%
Year1963
Price (Thousands of units)$1,635.00
YoY Change+9.6%
Year1964
Price (Thousands of units)$1,561.00
YoY Change-4.5%
Year1965
Price (Thousands of units)$1,510.00
YoY Change-3.3%
Year1966
Price (Thousands of units)$1,196.00
YoY Change-20.8%
Year1967
Price (Thousands of units)$1,322.00
YoY Change+10.5%
Year1968
Price (Thousands of units)$1,545.00
YoY Change+16.9%
Year1969
Price (Thousands of units)$1,500.00
YoY Change-2.9%
Year1970
Price (Thousands of units)$1,469.00
YoY Change-2.1%
Year1971
Price (Thousands of units)$2,052.00
YoY Change+39.7%
Year1972
Price (Thousands of units)$2,357.00
YoY Change+14.9%
Year1973
Price (Thousands of units)$2,045.00
YoY Change-13.2%
Year1974
Price (Thousands of units)$1,352.00
YoY Change-33.9%
Year1975
Price (Thousands of units)$1,160.00
YoY Change-14.2%
Year1976
Price (Thousands of units)$1,548.00
YoY Change+33.4%
Year1977
Price (Thousands of units)$1,987.00
YoY Change+28.4%
Year1978
Price (Thousands of units)$2,020.00
YoY Change+1.7%
Year1979
Price (Thousands of units)$1,745.00
YoY Change-13.6%
Year1980
Price (Thousands of units)$1,292.00
YoY Change-26.0%
Year1981
Price (Thousands of units)$1,084.00
YoY Change-16.1%
Year1982
Price (Thousands of units)$1,062.00
YoY Change-2.0%
Year1983
Price (Thousands of units)$1,703.00
YoY Change+60.4%
Year1984
Price (Thousands of units)$1,749.00
YoY Change+2.7%
Year1985
Price (Thousands of units)$1,742.00
YoY Change-0.4%
Year1986
Price (Thousands of units)$1,805.00
YoY Change+3.6%
Year1987
Price (Thousands of units)$1,621.00
YoY Change-10.2%
Year1988
Price (Thousands of units)$1,488.00
YoY Change-8.2%
Year1989
Price (Thousands of units)$1,376.00
YoY Change-7.5%
Year1990
Price (Thousands of units)$1,193.00
YoY Change-13.3%
Year1991
Price (Thousands of units)$1,014.00
YoY Change-15.0%
Year1992
Price (Thousands of units)$1,200.00
YoY Change+18.3%
Year1993
Price (Thousands of units)$1,288.00
YoY Change+7.3%
Year1994
Price (Thousands of units)$1,457.00
YoY Change+13.1%
Year1995
Price (Thousands of units)$1,354.00
YoY Change-7.1%
Year1996
Price (Thousands of units)$1,477.00
YoY Change+9.1%
Year1997
Price (Thousands of units)$1,474.00
YoY Change-0.2%
Year1998
Price (Thousands of units)$1,617.00
YoY Change+9.7%
Year1999
Price (Thousands of units)$1,641.00
YoY Change+1.5%
Year2000
Price (Thousands of units)$1,569.00
YoY Change-4.4%
Year2001
Price (Thousands of units)$1,603.00
YoY Change+2.2%
Year2002
Price (Thousands of units)$1,705.00
YoY Change+6.4%
Year2003
Price (Thousands of units)$1,848.00
YoY Change+8.4%
Year2004
Price (Thousands of units)$1,956.00
YoY Change+5.8%
Year2005
Price (Thousands of units)$2,068.00
YoY Change+5.7%
Year2006
Price (Thousands of units)$1,801.00
YoY Change-12.9%
Year2007
Price (Thousands of units)$1,355.00
YoY Change-24.8%
Year2008
Price (Thousands of units)$906.00
YoY Change-33.1%
Year2009
Price (Thousands of units)$554.00
YoY Change-38.9%
Year2010
Price (Thousands of units)$587.00
YoY Change+6.0%
Year2011
Price (Thousands of units)$609.00
YoY Change+3.7%
Year2012
Price (Thousands of units)$781.00
YoY Change+28.2%
Year2013
Price (Thousands of units)$925.00
YoY Change+18.4%
Year2014
Price (Thousands of units)$1,003.00
YoY Change+8.4%
Year2015
Price (Thousands of units)$1,112.00
YoY Change+10.9%
Year2016
Price (Thousands of units)$1,174.00
YoY Change+5.6%
Year2017
Price (Thousands of units)$1,203.00
YoY Change+2.5%
Year2018
Price (Thousands of units)$1,250.00
YoY Change+3.9%
Year2019
Price (Thousands of units)$1,290.00
YoY Change+3.2%
Year2020
Price (Thousands of units)$1,380.00
YoY Change+7.0%
Year2021
Price (Thousands of units)$1,601.00
YoY Change+16.0%
Year2022
Price (Thousands of units)$1,553.00
YoY Change-3.0%
Year2023
Price (Thousands of units)$1,420.00
YoY Change-8.6%
Year2024
Price (Thousands of units)$1,365.00
YoY Change-3.9%
Year2025
Price (Thousands of units)$1,380.00
YoY Change+1.1%
Sources & Methodology
Data from the Census Bureau's New Residential Construction report (Building Permits, Housing Starts, and Housing Completions). Figures represent total privately-owned housing units started annually, including both single-family and multifamily structures. Starts are counted when excavation begins for the foundation.
Primary source: U.S. Census Bureau
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.