Single family home construction in Milwaukee County surged during the first quarter of 2024, posting a 164.4% increase in building permits compared to the first quarter of 2024, according to the latest report from the
Wisconsin Builders Association.
Statewide, single family home building permits increased 36%, year-over-year, with a total increase of 979. Milwaukee County accounted for 17.5% of the state’s first quarter single family home construction increase, with 275 permits pulled, up by 171 from the first quarter of 2023.
Of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, only Pierce County near the Twin Cities had a higher year-over-year percentage increase in first quarter single family home permits than Milwaukee County, but Pierce County had far fewer total permits pulled with only 40.
Dane County remains the state leader in single family home construction and was the only county in the state during the first quarter to have more permits pulled than Milwaukee County, with 396, but that was good for only a 3.7% year-over-year increase.
Sheboygan, Walworth and Kenosha counites were also among the top 10 counties in the state for first quarter single family home construction growth.
Waukesha had the third most permits pulled, at 193, up 35% year-over-year.
“Lack of existing inventory continues to fuel the homebuilding industry” said WBA executive director
Brad Boycks. “Coupled with a relatively mild winter, we are very pleased with the stable increase in single family permits compared to quarter one last year.”
Here’s a breakdown of first quarter home building activity in Wisconsin by county, first listed in order of year-over-year increase and then listed by total number of single-family home building permits pulled:
First quarter year-over-year increase in single-family home construction:
Pierce: +166.7%
Milwaukee: +164.4%
Marinette: +161.5%
Sawyer: +155.6%
Barron: +133.3%
Iron: +133.3%
Sheboygan: +130%
Walworth: +108%
Waupaca: +107.7%
Kenosha: +87.5%
Washburn: +81.8%
Langlade: +80%
Chippewa: +78.6%
Vernon: +78.3%
Iowa: +75%
Trempealeau: +75%
Marquette: +73.3%
Winnebago: +72.3%
Rusk: +71.4%
Ozaukee: +71.2%
Green: +70.8%
Washington: +68.9%
Outagamie: +67.2%
Portage: +65.2%
Douglas: +64.7%
Shawano: +64.7%
Brown: +62.4%
La Crosse: +61%
Juneau: +54.3%
Crawford: +50%
Waushara: +50%
Ashland: +44.4%
Burnett: +42.9%
Price: +40%
Dunn: +38.5%
Green Lake: +37.5%
Manitowoc: +36%
Columbia: +35.7%
Waukesha: +35%
Jackson: +27.3%
Pepin: +22.2%
Taylor: +21.1%
Jefferson: +20%
Clark: +17.1%
Marathon: +16.1%
Eau Claire: +15.2%
Forest: +14.3%
Lincoln: +13.6%
Fond du Lac: +13.2%
Buffalo: +11.1%
Wood: +9.5%
Grant: +9.4%
Rock: +8.8%
Polk: +8.3%
Sauk: +7.3%
Richland: +4.8%
Dane: +3.7%
Lafayette: 0.0%
Calumet: -2.2%
Vilas: -2.8%
St. Croix: -3.4%
Dodge: -4.1%
Monroe: -5.6%
Adams: -12.5%
Oconto: -12.8%
Racine: -12.9%
Bayfield: -20%
Kewaunee: -25%
Oneida: -25.8%
Door: -58.9%
State total: +36.1%
First quarter single-family home building permits pulled:
Dane: 396
Milwaukee: 275
Waukesha: 193
Brown: 177
Outagamie: 107
Walworth: 104
Ozaukee: 89
St. Croix: 84
Winnebago: 81
Portage: 76
Washington: 76
Rock: 74
La Crosse: 66
Marathon: 65
Racine: 61
Kenosha: 60
Grant: 58
Juneau: 54
Waupaca: 54
Chippewa: 50
Dodge: 47
Sheboygan: 46
Wood: 46
Calumet: 44
Sauk: 44
Fond du Lac: 43
Barron: 42
Clark: 41
Green: 41
Vernon: 41
Pierce: 40
Polk: 39
Columbia: 38
Eau Claire: 38
Dunn: 36
Jefferson: 36
Trempealeau: 35
Vilas: 35
Manitowoc: 34
Marinette: 34
Monroe: 34
Oconto: 34
Buffalo: 30
Burnett: 30
Florence: 29
Adams: 28
Douglas: 28
Iowa: 28
Jackson: 28
Shawano: 28
Waushara: 27
Marquette: 26
Lincoln: 25
Bayfield: 24
Rusk: 24
Door: 23
Lafayette: 23
Oneida: 23
Sawyer: 23
Tayor: 23
Green Lake: 22
Richland: 22
Washburn: 20
Iron: 14
Price: 14
Ashland: 13
Crawford: 12
Pepin: 11
Kewaunee: 9
Langlade: 9
Forest: 8
State total: 3,692
