Metro building permits · May 2026
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV Building Permits
Monthly residential building permits for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area — 1,994 units in May 2026, 20,267 over the last 12 months — latest month +29.5% vs. a year earlier. #12 nationally.
1,994
Units (latest month)
957
Single-family units
1,003
Multifamily (5+) units
$400,006,000
Reported value
Trailing 12 months: 20,267 units permitted · latest month +29.5% vs. a year earlier.
| Structure type | Units | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family (1-unit) | 957 | 48.0% |
| 2-unit structures | 34 | 1.7% |
| 3–4 unit structures | 0 | 0.0% |
| Multifamily (5+ units) | 1,003 | 50.3% |
| All units | 1,994 | 100% |
Other metro areas
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington TXHouston-Pasadena-The Woodlands TXNew York-Newark-Jersey City NY-NJPhoenix-Mesa-Chandler AZLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CAAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell GAAustin-Round Rock-San Marcos TXMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach FLTampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater FLOrlando-Kissimmee-Sanford FLCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SCSeattle-Tacoma-Bellevue WAAll metros →
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV building permits — FAQ
How many building permits were issued in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV metro area?+
1,994 new residential units were authorized in May 2026, and 20,267 over the trailing 12 months, per the Census Building Permits Survey.
Where does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV rank nationally?+
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV ranks #12 of 922 U.S. metro/micro areas by units permitted over the last 12 months.
What share is multifamily?+
52.0% of the metro's May 2026 permitted units were in multifamily (2+ unit) buildings.