U.S. 4Q lumberyard sales up 2.6%

Home Channel News, Dec 11, 2000

Fourth-quarter sales growth for home centers and lumberyards by region, 2000 vs. 1999

New England

Up 1.4% [*]

Stamford is far and away the strongest market in the New England region, and it is among the top in the nation. Portland, Manchester and Portsmouth are rising much faster than the national average. Bridgeport, Danbury and New Haven are showing declines of at least 5 percent from a year ago.

East North Central

Up 1.8% [*]

No market in this region is expanding at a strong rate. Ann Arbor, Columbus and Dayton are marginally stronger than 7 percent. Chicago and Detroit show small increases. Indianapolis, Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Hamilton and Milwaukee show almost no change from a year ago.

South Atlantic

Up 2.6% [*]

West Palm Beach is the strongest market now, fueled by strong gains in single-unit construction. Both Tampa and Atlanta are showing gains of slightly more than 5 percent. Tampa is fueled by single-unit construction, Atlanta by multi-unit construction. Raleigh, Norfolk and Richmond are seeing small declines because of single-unit construction.

West South Central

Up 4.6% [*]

The West South Central region is the strongest of the nine regions. Austin and Galveston are up at least 16 percent from a year ago. Fayetteville, Brazoria, Houston and McAllen are up 6 percent to 10 percent. Lafayette, Oklahoma City and Tulsa are down 1 percent to 6 percent from a year ago.

Pacific

Up 3.7% [*]

This region is the second strongest after the West South Central. Los Angeles and Sacramento enjoy gains of more than 12 percent. Fresno, San Diego, Vallejo and Ventura are up more than 5 percent. San Francisco, San Jose and Portland are unchanged. Oakland and Tacoma are both showing small declines from a year ago.

Mid-Atlantic

Up 3.5% [*]

This region of the United States is much stronger than New England, in large part due to fewer declining markets. Newburgh is the strongest market in the region with sales up almost 15 percent from a year ago. Buffalo is second best, with sales up almost 10 percent due to strong single-unit home construction.

West North Central

Up 2.5% [*]

Sioux Falls is now the strongest market in this region with sales up 13.5 percent. Cedar Rapids is the only other market with a gain above 8 percent. Most areas are showing gains of 2 percent to 4 percent. Kansas City and Lincoln are unchanged. Wichita is showing a decline of more than 10 percent.

East South Central

Down 0.8% [*]

The East South Central region is the only declining market in the nation. Knoxville is the strongest market, up 6 percent. But Huntsville is off 4 percent and Clarksville is down more than 10 percent. Memphis, Nashville and Johnson City are off 2 percent. Birmingham, Lexington and Biloxi are unchanged.

Mountain

Up 3.7% [*]

Colorado Springs and Greeley are the best markets with sales up at least 10 percent from a year ago. Tucson, Fort Collins, Las Vegas and Provo enjoy gains of more than 5 percent. Boulder, Denver, Albuquerque and Salt Lake City are unchanged. Phoenix and Pueblo are below a year ago.

(*.) The average regional home center/lumberyard sales growth percent given on each regional map reflects the performance of all metropolitan markets in that region. Percentage change is shown for fourth-quarter 2000 vs. fourth-quarter 1999.

Sources: U.S. Department of Commerce, Building Materials Research Institute