Top 25 states with the newest homes
Prospective homeowners have a lot to consider when looking to buy a home. Even after you've narrowed down their preferred neighborhood, you must carefully consider what type of home you prefer. Apartment, townhouse, or single-family? Ranch-style, two-story, or split-level? Garage or carport? There are dozens of factors to consider—including whether you're looking for new construction or an existing home.
While some buyers prefer the character and charm of older homes, new construction has plenty of advantages. Older homes typically come with higher up-front maintenance costs, while new construction should have brand-new systems and features that won't need to be replaced for years. New homes also tend to be more energy-efficient, which can help you save on utility costs in the long run.
According to a 2021 survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders, 60% of prospective buyers prefer newly built homes over existing homes—the highest share since 2007.
The increased demand for new construction can make securing a newly built home a challenge. Although the production of new homes ramped up after the COVID-19 pandemic, housing starts fell in December 2022 compared to the year before, as homes have grown more expensive and higher interest rates have priced buyers out.
Of course, every state's housing market is different. Portland Real Estate collected Census Bureau data to see which states have the highest share of newly built homes. The data is sourced from the 2020 five-year American Community Survey. States are ranked based on the percentage of the total housing units in the state that were built after 2014. The percentages displayed are rounded to the nearest 10th of a percent. According to the 2020 ACS five-year estimates, 4.8 million houses have been built since 2014, representing about 3.5% of total housing units.
Most of the states with the highest share of new homes are located in the Southern and Western regions of the United States. Keep reading to discover which states have the highest percentages of new homes built since 2014—and maybe get some inspiration for your next move.
