Structure types · Building Permits Survey
Single-family (1-unit)
Permits for structures containing a single housing unit.
Single-family permits cover structures with exactly one housing unit — detached houses as well as attached units like townhouses that are separated by a ground-to-roof wall. In BPS this is the '1-unit' category.
Single-family permits typically make up the large majority of permitted units nationwide, though the multifamily share varies widely by place.
Also known as: 1-unit, one-unit, detached homes.
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Single-family (1-unit) — FAQ
What is single-family (1-unit) in building permits data?+
Permits for structures containing a single housing unit. Single-family permits cover structures with exactly one housing unit — detached houses as well as attached units like townhouses that are separated by a ground-to-roof wall. In BPS this is the '1-unit' category.
Why does single-family (1-unit) matter?+
Single-family permits typically make up the large majority of permitted units nationwide, though the multifamily share varies widely by place.
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.