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water marks since record-keeping was standardized in 1987. New rural <br />homes crossed the 400 plateau for the first time in 1998, with a total of 402 <br />houses permitted in the rural areas of the County last year — up 29% over <br />1997 and the largest number recorded since the mid-80's (and perhaps <br />before that). The average in County jurisdiction the previous eight years of <br />this decade was 281. Hillsborough town jurisdiction also showed a dramatic <br />40% jump, with 66 new homes in 1998. The Hillsborough data continues a <br />three-year growth trend. Prior to 1996, the high year for new single-family in <br />the Town was 22, and the average 1990-96 was 16 new houses per year. <br />Average construction of new single-family homes increased <br />The average construction cost of a new site-built single-family house in <br />Orange County increased last year, from $144,483 in 1997 to $162,262, an <br />increase of 12%. Geographically, the area with the highest average cost was <br />in rural Chapel Hill Township (Rural Buffer) at $217,665, while the lowest <br />average cost was in the Orange County portion of Mebane ($62,500). <br />Cheeks Township Led Rural Areas in New Units. <br />For the third year, rural Cheeks Township led the rural areas in new single- <br />family housing permits (95), followed by rural Chapel Hill (72) and Eno (69). <br />Multi-Family Rebounds Dramatically In Chapel Hilil New County High <br />The always-fluctuating multi-family activity, took a leap forward in 1998, as the <br />Town of Chapel Hill approved permits for 456 new units. This, combined with <br />nine new units in Carrboro, account for a 64% increase in multi-family units <br />and by far the highest number of units this decade. <br />Slight Increase in New Manufactured Homes <br />A nine- percent increase was seen in new manufactured (mobile) homes in <br />1998. A total of 141 were permitted. This does not include replacement <br />mobile homes for existing lots in mobile- home parks. <br />do" 11000 <br />TV!, i i 10 F1, <br />7,' fi <br />Carrboro <br />147 <br />9 <br />1 <br />-62% <br />Chapel Hill <br />282 <br />456 <br />0 <br />+146% <br />.Hillsborough <br />66 <br />0 <br />6 <br />+50% <br />Mebane <br />2 <br />0 <br />1 <br />-50% <br />Orange (rural) <br />402 <br />0 <br />133 <br />+23% <br />TOTAL <br />899 <br />465 <br />141 <br />+30% <br />1 Includes modular single-family housing units. <br />