Tulsa-area homebuilding slowed in September, with 139 new housing starts recorded as year-to-date construction activity continues to trail 2025.

The Tulsa-area housing market experienced a slowdown in September, according to the latest housing-start data from the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa (HBA). The region recorded 139 new housing starts during the month, a 49.1% decrease from the 273 starts reported in September 2025.

Through September, the Tulsa area recorded 1,939 new housing starts, down 24.7% from the 2,576 starts recorded during the same period last year.

September Follows a Strong Summer

September's decline follows a particularly strong July, when the Tulsa area recorded 367 new housing starts. That represented a 33.5% increase over July 2025 and marked the highest monthly total recorded so far in 2026.

August brought 204 starts before activity declined further in September, illustrating how much monthly construction activity can fluctuate throughout the year.

“September’s numbers reflect a significant slowdown in housing starts across the Tulsa area, with year-to-date activity continuing to trail 2025,” said Jeffrey Smith, CEO of the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa. “While July showed strong momentum, the decline in August and September underscores how much monthly construction activity can fluctuate. We’ll continue to monitor these trends to provide our members and the community with a clear picture of the region’s homebuilding activity.”

Where Is Homebuilding Happening?

Despite the overall slowdown, residential construction continues across the Tulsa region. Broken Arrow leads year-to-date housing starts with 469, followed by Tulsa with 309. Tulsa County recorded 215 starts, while Coweta recorded 170.

These figures highlight the continued distribution of residential construction throughout the region, even as overall activity remains below last year's pace.

Why Housing Starts Matter

Housing starts offer an important measure of new residential construction and provide insight into the pace of homebuilding across the region. Tracking these trends helps builders, industry professionals and community partners better understand changes in the local housing market.

The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa remains committed to empowering its members as the professional resource for housing. Through advocacy, education and industry connections, the HBA supports the professionals who build and strengthen communities throughout the Tulsa area.

Guided by its core values of Integrity, Community and Impact, the HBA will continue to share reliable housing data and provide resources that help members and community partners stay informed about the region's housing industry.

Housing-start figures reflect the established Tulsa-area reporting area and exclude Bartlesville, which is tracked separately.

Learn more about the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa at TulsaHBA.com.