HousingPermits

Metro area in Georgia · part of the Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL combined area

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro area authorized 33,670 new housing units in 2025, the fifth-largest total of the 387 US metro areas. The housing bust cut annual permits by 91%, from 74,547 at the 2004–2006 high to 6,615 in 2009, the third-deepest drop among the 56 metro areas with 1 million or more residents. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2004, with 74,547 units; 2025 came to 45% of that.

020k40k60k80k2004: 74,547 units (57,825 single-family, 585 in 2–4 unit, 16,137 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 73,475 units (62,173 single-family, 292 in 2–4 unit, 11,010 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 68,818 units (54,489 single-family, 700 in 2–4 unit, 13,629 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 45,240 units (31,559 single-family, 669 in 2–4 unit, 13,012 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 19,454 units (12,199 single-family, 211 in 2–4 unit, 7,044 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 6,615 units (5,503 single-family, 118 in 2–4 unit, 994 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 7,584 units (6,457 single-family, 90 in 2–4 unit, 1,037 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 8,688 units (6,268 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 2,357 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 14,420 units (9,207 single-family, 194 in 2–4 unit, 5,019 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 24,495 units (15,022 single-family, 207 in 2–4 unit, 9,266 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 26,756 units (17,057 single-family, 257 in 2–4 unit, 9,442 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 30,517 units (20,038 single-family, 197 in 2–4 unit, 10,282 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 36,485 units (23,226 single-family, 152 in 2–4 unit, 13,107 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 33,998 units (25,139 single-family, 157 in 2–4 unit, 8,702 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 39,409 units (26,461 single-family, 198 in 2–4 unit, 12,750 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 32,928 units (26,353 single-family, 157 in 2–4 unit, 6,418 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 32,447 units (28,733 single-family, 324 in 2–4 unit, 3,390 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 39,522 units (31,610 single-family, 235 in 2–4 unit, 7,677 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 48,617 units (26,745 single-family, 584 in 2–4 unit, 21,288 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 38,749 units (24,132 single-family, 390 in 2–4 unit, 14,227 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 40,687 units (25,773 single-family, 959 in 2–4 unit, 13,955 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 33,670 units (22,065 single-family, 553 in 2–4 unit, 11,052 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 74,5472009 low · 6,615030k60k90k2004: 74,547 units (57,825 single-family, 585 in 2–4 unit, 16,137 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 73,475 units (62,173 single-family, 292 in 2–4 unit, 11,010 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 68,818 units (54,489 single-family, 700 in 2–4 unit, 13,629 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 45,240 units (31,559 single-family, 669 in 2–4 unit, 13,012 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 19,454 units (12,199 single-family, 211 in 2–4 unit, 7,044 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 6,615 units (5,503 single-family, 118 in 2–4 unit, 994 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 7,584 units (6,457 single-family, 90 in 2–4 unit, 1,037 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 8,688 units (6,268 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 2,357 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 14,420 units (9,207 single-family, 194 in 2–4 unit, 5,019 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 24,495 units (15,022 single-family, 207 in 2–4 unit, 9,266 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 26,756 units (17,057 single-family, 257 in 2–4 unit, 9,442 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 30,517 units (20,038 single-family, 197 in 2–4 unit, 10,282 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 36,485 units (23,226 single-family, 152 in 2–4 unit, 13,107 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 33,998 units (25,139 single-family, 157 in 2–4 unit, 8,702 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 39,409 units (26,461 single-family, 198 in 2–4 unit, 12,750 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 32,928 units (26,353 single-family, 157 in 2–4 unit, 6,418 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 32,447 units (28,733 single-family, 324 in 2–4 unit, 3,390 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 39,522 units (31,610 single-family, 235 in 2–4 unit, 7,677 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 48,617 units (26,745 single-family, 584 in 2–4 unit, 21,288 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 38,749 units (24,132 single-family, 390 in 2–4 unit, 14,227 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 40,687 units (25,773 single-family, 959 in 2–4 unit, 13,955 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 33,670 units (22,065 single-family, 553 in 2–4 unit, 11,052 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 74,547

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Washington, Miami, Phoenix. The 2021–2025 pace of 40,249 units a year is 44% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 7 years in a row up to 2016. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 17%.

Where in the metro

Fulton County accounted for 25% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Gwinnett County for 12%.

  • Fulton County25% (9,660 in 2025)
  • Gwinnett County12% (3,946 in 2025)
  • Cherokee County6.2% (1,524 in 2025)
  • Cobb County6.2% (1,787 in 2025)
  • Henry County5.5% (1,666 in 2025)
  • Forsyth County5.3% (1,743 in 2025)
  • DeKalb County5.1% (1,321 in 2025)
  • Paulding County3.9% (1,326 in 2025)
  • Bartow County3.9% (1,030 in 2025)
  • Barrow County3.1% (1,584 in 2025)
  • Coweta County2.5% (751 in 2025)
  • Carroll County2.4% (1,065 in 2025)

17 smaller counties not shown.

Relative to population

With 6,482,182 residents in July 2025, Atlanta authorized 6.4 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, 1.4 times the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Cheyenne (6.4) and Omaha (6.2).

The wider Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs region

The Census Bureau groups Atlanta with 3 neighboring metro areas in the Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 44,215 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Atlanta accounted for 91%. The others, with their yearly averages: Gainesville, GA (1,994), Athens (1,666), Rome (305).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 139 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Atlanta, with 35,618 units or 18% of the total, followed by Gwinnett County (unincorporated) with 16,197. Among the three largest, Atlanta put 83% of its units in five-plus buildings, Gwinnett County (unincorporated) 13%.

  • Atlanta18% (35,618 units)
  • Gwinnett County (unincorporated)8% (16,197 units)
  • Forsyth County (unincorporated)4.1% (8,342 units)
  • Paulding County (unincorporated)3.6% (7,290 units)
  • Henry County (unincorporated)3.5% (7,095 units)
  • Cobb County (unincorporated)3.1% (6,280 units)
  • Cherokee County (unincorporated)3% (5,989 units)
  • Bartow County (unincorporated)2.6% (5,149 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Atlanta, 65% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 34% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Muncie (34% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 19%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (21,288), single-family houses in 2005 (62,173).

2021–202564.8%65%1.4%33.9%34%2004–200680.5%80%0.7%18.8%19%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202564.8%65%1.4%33.9%34%2004–200680.5%80%0.7%18.8%19%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA33,6706.434%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV17,9904.053%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL23,4533.467%
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD12,9002.951%
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ39,6999.036%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Atlanta beside Washington

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