Housing Starts under George W. Bush
Housing Starts went from 1,600K in George W. Bush's first month to 2,042K at month 48: a change of +27.6%. At that point in office it ranks #2 of 9 administrations since 1969. Official data from the Census Bureau.
All administrations at month 48
| Rank | Administration | Value at month 48 | Change since month 1 | Latest / end of month 48 | Primary federal source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Richard Nixon | 2,366K | +33.7% | 2,366K (month 48) | Census Bureau · HOUST |
| #2 | George W. Bush | 2,042K | +27.6% | 2,042K (month 48) | Census Bureau · HOUST |
| #3 | Donald Trump (first term) | 1,614K | +35.6% | 1,614K (month 48) | Census Bureau · HOUST |
| #4 | Ronald Reagan | 1,612K | +4.2% | 1,612K (month 48) | Census Bureau · HOUST |
| #5 | Joe Biden | 1,494K | −8.0% | 1,494K (month 48) | Census Bureau · HOUST |
| #6 | Jimmy Carter | 1,482K | −2.9% | 1,482K (month 48) | Census Bureau · HOUST |
| #7 | Bill Clinton | 1,370K | +13.2% | 1,370K (month 48) | Census Bureau · HOUST |
| #8 | George H. W. Bush | 1,227K | −24.3% | 1,227K (month 48) | Census Bureau · HOUST |
| #9 | Barack Obama | 976K | +99.2% | 976K (month 48) | Census Bureau · HOUST |
Methodology and source verification
New privately owned housing units started, thousands at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (Census Bureau, monthly).
Every administration is aligned to its own inauguration: month 1 is the month it took office, and the comparison runs to month 48 (the first term). Each administration is compared at the same month in office, so a president halfway through a term is never measured against another's full four years.
Primary source: Census Bureau. Retrieved from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), series HOUST, refreshed hourly. Latest observation 2026-09-01, first published 2026-10-20. Full methods: methodology.