Construction Stress by ZIP: Where Permitting Runs Far Above Its Own History (2026)
Construction stress is the supply side of the market-phase read. It scores a ZIP's trailing twelve months of permitted units against its own prior run, so a ZIP that normally permits fifty units a year and suddenly permits four hundred scores near 100 whatever its absolute size. This report gives the distribution of the score, the ZIPs at the top with their FHFA price change, and the way the card is meant to be read against the price cycle.
- 32,901 ZIPs carry a construction-stress score; the average is 47.6, 7,655 score 70 or higher and 9,024 sit under 30 (202606).
- 52,848,808 units were permitted across scored ZIPs in the current twelve months against 52,467,573 in the prior twelve.
- 86434 in Mohave County, AZ scores 100.0 on 1,078 units, a -0.6% change.
- The construction-stress read is relative to each ZIP's own history, which is why small ZIPs can top the table.
construction-stress: the construction-stress score figures as of 2026-10-20; source DLRadar's ZIP construction-stress table built on the Census permit survey and FHFA HPI.
| ZIP (county, state) | Stress 0-100 | 12-month units | YoY change | FHFA HPI YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86434 (Mohave, AZ) | 100.0 | 1,078 | -0.6% | 0.0% |
| 21201 (Baltimore, MD) | 100.0 | 836 | -0.5% | 0.0% |
| 28301 (Cumberland, NC) | 100.0 | 771 | -0.5% | 0.0% |
| 43007 (Union, OH) | 100.0 | 713 | -0.5% | 0.1% |
| 86022 (Coconino, AZ) | 100.0 | 654 | -0.5% | 0.0% |
| 30602 (Clarke, GA) | 100.0 | 546 | -0.5% | 0.0% |
ZIPs by construction-stress score (construction-stress, as of 2026-10-20)
ZIP areas with the highest construction-stress
86434 in Mohave County, AZ: stress 100.0, 1,078 units, -0.6% year over year, FHFA 0.0%; 21201 in Baltimore County, MD: stress 100.0, 836 units, -0.5% year over year, FHFA 0.0%; 28301 in Cumberland County, NC: stress 100.0, 771 units, -0.5% year over year, FHFA 0.0%; 43007 in Union County, OH: stress 100.0, 713 units, -0.5% year over year, FHFA 0.1%; 86022 in Coconino County, AZ: stress 100.0, 654 units, -0.5% year over year, FHFA 0.0%; 30602 in Clarke County, GA: stress 100.0, 546 units, -0.5% year over year, FHFA 0.0%.
What construction-stress measures
The card shows the score for all residential units, with the small-structure and multi-family components, the twelve-month unit counts for the current and prior periods, and the FHFA annual price change for the ZIP. A score above 70 is the high band; below 30 is quiet.
How construction-stress is computed
Units are estimated per ZIP from the permit survey, summed over twelve months and compared with the previous twelve; the year-over-year change and the level against the ZIP's history are scaled 0-100. The FHFA ZIP5 annual index supplies the price change shown beside it. The table rebuilds monthly.
How to use construction-stress on a deal
A high construction-stress score with falling prices is the clearest overbuild warning on the dossier: exit comps will compete with new stock. A high score with rising prices is a growth corridor, usually fine for a flip but a reason to underwrite rents conservatively. A low score in a recovery-phase ZIP is the scarcity setup.
Read construction-stress on your ZIPs
The market-phase radar puts the supply read beside the price cycle for any ZIP; the live board shows the score on every parcel.
Construction-stress refreshes with its source table.
Construction Stress by ZIP: Where Permitting Runs Far Above Its Own History (2026): questions
Why can a small ZIP score 100?
The score is relative to the ZIP's own history, so a jump from very few units to many scores high even when the absolute count is modest.
Does the score include renovations?
No. The survey counts new housing units; alterations are outside it.
How is this different from the permits card?
The permits card shows the counts; the stress score shows those counts against the ZIP's norm.
More on the construction-stress score
- Market-phase radar →
- Most-distressed ZIP codes (construction-stress) →
- Learn: the construction-stress score →
- The Section 8 and HUD card report (construction-stress) →
- The voucher-density card report (construction-stress) →
- The rent-ceiling card report (construction-stress) →
- Methodology behind construction-stress →
Construction Stress by ZIP: Where Permitting Runs Far Above Its Own History (2026) (construction-stress) is computed from DLRadar's ZIP construction-stress table built on the Census permit survey and FHFA HPI; the construction-stress score is research (construction-stress), not legal advice; nothing on the construction-stress page is tax or construction-stress investment advice, so verify every construction-stress figure with its issuing agency before acting.