Multifamily construction in the Houston area grew by 4.2% last year, outpacing single-family builds

Harris County, Texas, home to Houston, saw multifamily construction outpace new single-family housing by the largest total units in recent history, according to an analysis by John Brennan for Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research.

The county added 30,700 multifamily units in 2024, up 4.2% from the previous year. "The share of Harris County households who rent rose from 44.8% in 2023 to 46.2% in 2024 — a shift Kinder Institute researchers and local advocates partially attributed to the mounting costs of homeownership over the past several years."

Single-family homes still make up roughly three-fifths of the housing units in Harris County, but only 2,100 single-family homes were added in 2024. "As more residents and companies have gravitated toward the suburbs, developers have responded by constructing newer apartment buildings with higher-end finishes and amenities, typically commanding higher rents than older apartments."

Despite the growth, renters are still struggling, with over half of Harris County renters identified as "housing burdened" for the first time.