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More New Homes Are Coming to Massachusetts. Just Not Enough Yet

Writer: Bob Wiltse
Bob Wiltse
Oct 5
4 min read

Single-family permits are up 5.6% this year in Massachusetts, but the state is still building far fewer homes than it needs.


Bob Wiltse, REALTOR®

Research & Writing Assistant: Claude.ai

October 5, 2026


Here is good news for buyers. More new construction homes in Massachusetts got building permits this year than last. A permit is the green light a town gives a builder to start work. So permits are an early sign of how many new homes will be for sale in the next year or so.

But the full picture is mixed. The state's total housing pace has slowed. In Middlesex County, builders are pulling far fewer permits than a few years ago.


More new homes are coming to Massachusetts, but not enough.
More new homes are coming to Massachusetts, but not enough.

New construction homes in Massachusetts: what the permits show


The U.S. Census Bureau counts building permits every month. Its Massachusetts numbers, posted on FRED, the St. Louis Fed's data site, now run through August.


From January through August 2026, Massachusetts issued permits for 3,476 single-family homes, up from 3,293 in the same months of 2025. By my math, that is a 5.6% gain.

Spring and summer were the strongest. June alone had 621 permits, up from 387 a year earlier. August cooled to 445 permits, down from 473 last August.


There is a catch. The 2026 total is still about 17.5% below the same eight months of 2024. This is a rebound from a weak 2025, not a boom.


National vs. Massachusetts vs. Middlesex County


Nationally: The Census Bureau said on Sept. 17 that single-family permits ran at an 878,000 yearly pace in August. That was up just 1.3% from a year ago. Through June, NAHB found single-family permits were down 4.2% nationally and down 10.2% in the Northeast.


In Massachusetts: Over the same January to June stretch, the state's single-family permits were up 6.4%, using Census data on FRED. The state is doing better than its region. That likely means a few more new construction homes in Massachusetts will reach the market next year.


Greater Boston: In the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area, which includes part of southern New Hampshire, single-family permits rose to 2,748 through August, from 2,254 a year earlier (Census data on FRED). That is about a 22% jump.


Middlesex County: Monthly county numbers are not out yet. The latest yearly count shows how far things fell. Census data on FRED shows 2,341 new residential buildings were permitted in Middlesex County in 2025, down from 4,671 in 2021. That is about half.


Why the state goal still looks far away


The state wants 222,000 new homes by 2035. Its tracker says Massachusetts is only 15.6% of the way there. It needs about 187,259 more homes.


The pace is also slowing. A Pioneer Institute report, as reported by WWLP and The Cool Down, found the state added 21,891 homes from July 2025 to July 2026. That is down from 40,069 the year before. Those totals include apartments, not just homes for sale.


Small homes are part of the story too


Not every new home is a big house. Since 2025, owners can build an ADU, or accessory dwelling unit, on a single-family lot without special permission. An ADU is a small second home, like a backyard cottage or an apartment over a garage.


The Healey administration said on Aug. 12 that 2,084 ADUs have been approved statewide. Local leaders include Lowell (53), Somerville (50), Billerica (24) and Milton (24).


A local project to watch


Larger ownership projects are moving through town halls too. In Woburn, PulteGroup has proposed up to 504 condos for buyers 55 and older on the old Atlantic Gelatin site off Montvale Avenue, the Daily Times Chronicle reported. The City Council adopted updated zoning language in April and asked for a legal opinion on how many homes must be affordable, according to its April 21 journal. We could not confirm a final vote.


What it means for you


More permits now likely means a few more new homes for sale in 2027. That said, supply in the inner suburbs will likely stay tight. Mortgage rates are also high. Freddie Mac said the 30-year rate averaged 7.28% last week.


What should buyers do?

  • Start early. Many new homes sell before they are finished. Ask builders about upcoming phases.

  • Look one ring out. Towns with more open land often have more new construction homes in Massachusetts than the inner suburbs.

  • Ask about incentives. Some builders help pay down your rate or closing costs.

  • Think small. An ADU may help a family member live nearby or add income.

  • Get a buyer's agent. The builder's sales rep works for the builder. Your own agent works for you.


Sources

  1. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), data from U.S. Census Bureau, "New Private Housing Units Authorized by Building Permits: 1-Unit Structures for Massachusetts (MABP1FH)," data through August 2026, accessed Oct. 5, 2026. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MABP1FH

  2. FRED, data from U.S. Census Bureau, "1-Unit Structures for Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (MSA) (BOST625BP1FH)," data through August 2026, accessed Oct. 5, 2026. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/BOST625BP1FH

  3. FRED, data from U.S. Census Bureau, "New Private Housing Structures Authorized by Building Permits for Middlesex County, MA (BPPRIV025017)," updated May 28, 2026. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/BPPRIV025017

  4. U.S. Census Bureau, "New Residential Construction, August 2026," Sept. 17, 2026. https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/pdf/newresconst.pdf

  5. NAHB Eye on Housing, "Single-Family Permitting Declines Through June in Contrast to Multifamily," August 2026. https://eyeonhousing.org/2026/08/single-family-permitting-declines-through-june-as-multifamily-activity-remains-stronger/

  6. Mass.gov, "A Home for Everyone: Progress toward 222,000," updated June 25, 2026. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/a-home-for-everyone-progress-toward-222000

  7. The Cool Down (citing WWLP and the Pioneer Institute), "Massachusetts is 15.6% toward its housing goal as costs, tariffs, and delays pile up," Oct. 4, 2026. https://www.thecooldown.com/green-home/massachusetts-housing-production-goal-reform/

  8. Mass.gov press release, "More than 2,000 ADUs approved under Governor Healey's housing bill," Aug. 12, 2026. https://www.mass.gov/news/more-than-2000-adus-approved-under-governor-healeys-housing-bill

  9. Daily Times Chronicle, "Planning Board endorses TBOD zoning change for age-restricted housing," Feb. 18, 2026. https://homenewshere.com/daily_times_chronicle/news/woburn/article_725eb50e-10a8-4ad4-8531-1cb385bee6ef.html

  10. City of Woburn, City Council Journal, April 21, 2026. https://woburnma.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/City-Council-Journal-2026-04-21.pdf

  11. Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey, Oct. 1, 2026. https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms


Have questions about a new home in Massachusetts? Contact Bob Wiltse, REALTOR®, eXp Realty. 978-793-1719 | bobwiltse.com

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