HousingPermits

Metro area in Texas · part of the Abilene-Sweetwater, TX combined area

Abilene, TX

The Abilene metro area authorized 1,160 new housing units in 2025. No year in the 2004–2025 record brought more permits than 2025, a distinction it shares with 16 other metro areas. Recent building has outrun the boom: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 129% above the 2004–2006 average, the fifth-largest recovery by this measure among the 387 US metro areas.

04008001,2001,6002004: 291 units (283 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 346 units (310 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 14 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 365 units (333 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 293 units (283 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 196 units (190 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 214 units (214 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 390 units (272 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 116 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 159 units (153 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 455 units (241 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 204 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 306 units (292 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 284 units (284 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 535 units (303 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 228 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 306 units (298 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 322 units (282 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 357 units (335 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 370 units (354 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 663 units (397 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 196 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 883 units (506 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 289 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 799 units (473 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 274 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 462 units (342 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 527 units (431 single-family, 96 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,160 units (834 single-family, 326 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252025 high · 1,1602011 low · 15905001,0001,5002004: 291 units (283 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 346 units (310 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 14 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 365 units (333 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 293 units (283 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 196 units (190 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 214 units (214 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 390 units (272 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 116 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 159 units (153 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 455 units (241 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 204 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 306 units (292 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 284 units (284 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 535 units (303 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 228 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 306 units (298 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 322 units (282 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 357 units (335 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 370 units (354 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 663 units (397 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 196 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 883 units (506 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 289 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 799 units (473 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 274 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 462 units (342 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 527 units (431 single-family, 96 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,160 units (834 single-family, 326 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252025 high · 1,160

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Permits rose 120% between 2024 and 2025, the eighth-largest increase among the 387 US metro areas.

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 16 other metro areas, among them Burlington, VT, Lafayette, IN, Goldsboro. Annual permits fell from 365 during the mid-2000s boom to 159 in 2011, a drop of 56%. The nearest bust profile in the West South Central states was New Orleans's (54%). Permits rose 5 years in a row up to 2021.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 7 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Abilene, with 3,579 units or 93% of the total, followed by Clyde with 130.

  • Abilene93% (3,579 units)
  • Clyde3.4% (130 units)
  • Buffalo Gap town2% (75 units)
  • Tye0.6% (24 units)
  • Merkel town0.5% (18 units)
  • Stamford0.1% (4 units)
  • Cross Plains town0% (1 unit)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Houses or apartments

In Abilene, 68% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 16% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Port St. Lucie (16% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 3%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 16% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2021 (289), single-family houses in 2025 (834).

2021–202567.5%68%16.1%16%16.4%16%2004–200692.4%92%4.6%3.0%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202567.5%68%16.1%16%16.4%16%2004–200692.4%92%4.6%3.0%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Relative to population

With 185,429 residents in July 2025, Abilene authorized 4.2 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, close to the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Springfield, MO (4.3) and Joplin (4.2).

Where in the metro

Taylor County accounted for 96% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Callahan County for 3.4%.

  • Taylor County96% (1,057 in 2025)
  • Callahan County3.4% (103 in 2025)
  • Jones County0.1% (0 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Yuba City, CA8214.316%
Burlington, NC2,02712.823%
Abilene, TX1,1604.216%
Jackson, TN4722.60%
Kingston, NY4342.329%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Abilene beside Burlington, NC

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Texas. Counting rules.