Small MSAs (Less than 500,000 in population)
*MSAs are metropolitan statistical areas. The index’s nationwide score of .88 means the nationwide average is running at 88% of normal economic and housing activity. In calculating the Leading Markets Index (LMI), the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Washington, D.C., utilizes employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, house price appreciation data from Freddie Mac and single-family housing permits from the United States Census Bureau.
Click here to view the next chart: WHERE HOUSING IS HOT: NAHB’s LEADING MARKETS INDEX (LMI) - LARGE MSAs