September permit numbers down 11% from August of 2026; down 6% from September of 2025; down 1% for first nine months of 2026

September permit numbers down 11% from August of 2026; down 6% from September of 2025; down 1% for first nine months of 2026

INDIANAPOLIS (October 30, 2026) – The U.S. Census Bureau recently released statewide totals for building permits issued in September and shows 1,680 single-family permits were pulled.  The 1,680 permits pulled in September of 2026 are down 11% from the 1,891 permits pulled in August of 2026.  This number is down 6% from September of 2025, when 1,792 permits were pulled.  The single-family permit numbers (15,470) for 2026 are down 1% compared to the first nine months of 2025 (15,588).

“Although September saw a dip in single-family building permits, Indiana continues to be a strong market for residential construction, ranking ninth in the nation for single-family permits,” said Marcy DeShong, president of the Indiana Builders Association. “This ranking speaks to the strength of our home building industry and the work being done by builders across the state. As we head into the final months of 2026, we remain optimistic about the future of home building in Indiana and the opportunities ahead.”

Indiana continues to lead the Midwest in single-family housing activity. With 1,680 single-family permits issued in September, the state outpaced neighboring Ohio (1,449), Michigan (1,447), Illinois (818), and Kentucky (704).

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ABOUT IBA: The Indiana Builders Association (IBA) is a statewide trade organization representing Indiana’s home building, remodeling, and light commercial construction industry. Established in 1952, IBA has 20 local affiliates across Indiana and is associated with the National Association of Home Builders in Washington, D.C. IBA educates and advocates for the construction industry to positively impact legislative, regulatory, and legal issues that affect housing affordability. More information can be found at www.buildindiana.org.

Below is a graphic of September single-family building permits for the last ten years.