Apartment construction across the U.S. is seeing drastic declines in 2026. According to a recent RentCafe report, an estimated 442,395 new apartments are expected to open this year. This is a 27% decline from last year's 605,768 and the first time in four years that new apartments have fallen below the 10-year average of roughly 466,000.
The South and West regions of the U.S. are showing the biggest signs of slowing. Despite nearly half (47%) of all new apartments expected in 2026 being located in the South, the Northeast defies the declining trend of 2026.
Image courtesy RentCafe
U.S. new apartment deliveries by year. Image courtesy RentCafe
U.S. new apartment deliveries by year. Image courtesy RentCafe
Northeast Defies the 2026 Apartment Delivery Trend
Unlike the rest of the country, the Northeast will bring more new rentals (79,426 units) to the U.S. than it did in 2025. It is the only region to do so.
"The Northeast is projected to account for nearly 18% of all apartments opening in 2026, overtaking the Midwest in its share of national construction activity," the report states. "New York and New Jersey stand out as particularly active markets, with 30,171 and 19,289 new apartments, respectively."
However, Florida and Texas are expected to deliver more new apartments than any other states this year.
Quinn Purcell is the Managing Editor for Building Design+Construction. Covering the building industry for over four years, he has contributed to several award-winning industry reports, physical/digital magazines, and online news coverage. Quinn delivers content ranging from multifamily housing, technology, sustainability, and more.
For BD+C, Quinn runs the brand's 40 Under 40 program, covers product updates monthly, manages a blog partnership with over 50 AEC firms, and writes daily analytic-driven content for the website.
