Vinyl siding top exterior choice on new homes: Census Bureau

Vinyl siding was the most popular choice for new home exteriors in 2010 — the 16th straight year vinyl has been No. 1, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Vinyl has gained market share during the housing downturn, going from 31 percent of new homes in 2005 to 36 percent in 2010.

Use of vinyl siding held steady in most of the country from 2009 to 2010, except in the Northeast where it picked up 5 percentage points and now represents 84 percent of the new construction market. No other material tops 10 percent.

Vinyl is also the top material in the Midwest at 70 percent, followed by brick and wood at about 10 percent each.

In the South, brick is still the top choice, with 40 percent of new homes built using it. Vinyl is second at 30 percent, followed by stucco at 15 percent and fiber cement at less than 10 percent.

Stucco dominates in the West, with nearly 60 percent of the market. Fiber cement was used in about 25 percent of new homes. Vinyl, wood and brick were all used in less than 10 percent of homes.