Measures · Building Permits Survey

Multifamily share

The percent of permitted units that are in 2-or-more-unit structures.

Multifamily share is the percentage of total permitted units that fall in structures with two or more units (everything except single-family). It's a quick read on the type of housing a place is adding — detached homes versus duplexes, townhomes, and apartments.

A high multifamily share usually marks denser, often urban, growth; a low share marks single-family-dominated, often suburban, growth.

Also known as: percent multifamily, % multifamily.

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Multifamily share — FAQ

What is multifamily share in building permits data?+

The percent of permitted units that are in 2-or-more-unit structures. Multifamily share is the percentage of total permitted units that fall in structures with two or more units (everything except single-family). It's a quick read on the type of housing a place is adding — detached homes versus duplexes, townhomes, and apartments.

Why does multifamily share matter?+

A high multifamily share usually marks denser, often urban, growth; a low share marks single-family-dominated, often suburban, growth.

Where does this building-permit data come from?+

All figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey (BPS), a monthly census of permit-issuing jurisdictions. PUMSdata is an independent product that makes it easy to map and compare, and is not affiliated with the Census Bureau.

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