HousingPermits

Metro area in North Carolina · part of the Asheville-Waynesville-Brevard, NC combined area

Asheville, NC

The Asheville metro area authorized 3,238 new housing units in 2025. Permits fell 40% between 2024 and 2025, the steepest decline among the 15 metro areas based in North Carolina. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 9.2 units a year in 2021–2025, 2.0 times the national rate of 4.7.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 3,300 units (2,700 single-family, 192 in 2–4 unit, 408 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 3,727 units (2,940 single-family, 135 in 2–4 unit, 652 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,546 units (3,258 single-family, 144 in 2–4 unit, 144 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,294 units (2,976 single-family, 121 in 2–4 unit, 197 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,206 units (1,542 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 634 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,287 units (999 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 284 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,866 units (882 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 978 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 849 units (789 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 56 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,175 units (1,169 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,405 units (1,213 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 192 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,710 units (1,294 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 416 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,042 units (1,675 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 367 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,056 units (1,772 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 1,274 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,587 units (1,919 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 658 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,604 units (2,036 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 568 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,820 units (2,052 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 768 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,213 units (2,128 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 1,079 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,742 units (2,684 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 1,050 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,230 units (2,512 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 716 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,652 units (2,378 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,260 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 5,378 units (2,518 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 2,846 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,238 units (1,795 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 1,425 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252024 high · 5,3782011 low · 84902,0004,0006,0002004: 3,300 units (2,700 single-family, 192 in 2–4 unit, 408 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 3,727 units (2,940 single-family, 135 in 2–4 unit, 652 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,546 units (3,258 single-family, 144 in 2–4 unit, 144 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,294 units (2,976 single-family, 121 in 2–4 unit, 197 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,206 units (1,542 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 634 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,287 units (999 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 284 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,866 units (882 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 978 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 849 units (789 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 56 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,175 units (1,169 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,405 units (1,213 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 192 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,710 units (1,294 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 416 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,042 units (1,675 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 367 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,056 units (1,772 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 1,274 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,587 units (1,919 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 658 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,604 units (2,036 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 568 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,820 units (2,052 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 768 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,213 units (2,128 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 1,079 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,742 units (2,684 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 1,050 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,230 units (2,512 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 716 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,652 units (2,378 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,260 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 5,378 units (2,518 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 2,846 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,238 units (1,795 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 1,425 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252024 high · 5,378

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 6 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Buncombe County (unincorporated), with 9,644 units or 50% of the total, followed by Henderson County with 5,348. Among the three largest, Buncombe County (unincorporated) put 48% of its units in five-plus buildings, Henderson County 26%.

  • Buncombe County (unincorporated)50% (9,644 units)
  • Henderson County28% (5,348 units)
  • Asheville15% (2,971 units)
  • Madison County4.4% (852 units)
  • Black Mountain town2.1% (411 units)
  • Montreat town0.1% (14 units)

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

Where in the metro

Buncombe County accounted for 68% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Henderson County for 28%.

  • Buncombe County68% (2,028 in 2025)
  • Henderson County28% (1,093 in 2025)
  • Madison County4.4% (117 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Asheville authorized the most units in 2024 (5,378); 2025 reached 60% of that. Its peak year is shared by 9 other metro areas, among them Trenton, Gainesville, GA, Augusta. Annual permits fell from 3,727 during the mid-2000s boom to 849 in 2011, a drop of 77%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Pensacola's (78%). The 2021–2025 pace of 3,848 units a year is 9.2% above the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 5 years in a row up to 2016.

Houses or apartments

In Asheville, 62% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 38% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Roanoke (38% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 11%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2024 (2,846), single-family houses in 2006 (3,258).

2021–202561.8%62%0.3%37.9%38%2004–200684.2%84%4.5%11.4%11%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202561.8%62%0.3%37.9%38%2004–200684.2%84%4.5%11.4%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC6,51117.31.3%
Lafayette, LA2,0635.43.6%
Youngstown-Warren, OH2860.60%
Asheville, NC3,2389.238%
Naples-Marco Island, FL2,73610.928%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Asheville beside Youngstown

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