HousingPermits

Metro area in Texas

Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX

The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro area authorized an average of 38,332 new housing units a year in 2021–2025, the sixth-largest total of the 387 US metro areas. Relative to population, the rate was 15.4 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the eighth-highest rate of the 387 US metro areas. Recent building has outrun the boom: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 71% above the 2004–2006 average, the ninth-largest recovery by this measure among the 387 US metro areas.

015k30k45k60k2004: 18,015 units (14,309 single-family, 600 in 2–4 unit, 3,106 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 23,241 units (17,346 single-family, 634 in 2–4 unit, 5,261 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 26,096 units (17,615 single-family, 1,082 in 2–4 unit, 7,399 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 19,903 units (12,120 single-family, 881 in 2–4 unit, 6,902 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 11,792 units (7,710 single-family, 270 in 2–4 unit, 3,812 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 8,758 units (6,678 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 2,049 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 8,786 units (6,200 single-family, 296 in 2–4 unit, 2,290 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 10,239 units (6,231 single-family, 81 in 2–4 unit, 3,927 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 19,563 units (8,229 single-family, 114 in 2–4 unit, 11,220 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 20,852 units (8,941 single-family, 402 in 2–4 unit, 11,509 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 19,949 units (11,515 single-family, 444 in 2–4 unit, 7,990 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 22,370 units (11,857 single-family, 448 in 2–4 unit, 10,065 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 21,861 units (13,327 single-family, 238 in 2–4 unit, 8,296 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 26,700 units (16,119 single-family, 153 in 2–4 unit, 10,428 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 30,035 units (17,030 single-family, 165 in 2–4 unit, 12,840 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 32,037 units (18,426 single-family, 344 in 2–4 unit, 13,267 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 42,264 units (22,570 single-family, 417 in 2–4 unit, 19,277 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 50,907 units (24,486 single-family, 779 in 2–4 unit, 25,642 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 42,362 units (19,715 single-family, 468 in 2–4 unit, 22,179 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 38,773 units (16,532 single-family, 488 in 2–4 unit, 21,753 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 32,294 units (16,435 single-family, 733 in 2–4 unit, 15,126 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 27,322 units (14,810 single-family, 763 in 2–4 unit, 11,749 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 50,9072009 low · 8,758020k40k60k2004: 18,015 units (14,309 single-family, 600 in 2–4 unit, 3,106 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 23,241 units (17,346 single-family, 634 in 2–4 unit, 5,261 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 26,096 units (17,615 single-family, 1,082 in 2–4 unit, 7,399 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 19,903 units (12,120 single-family, 881 in 2–4 unit, 6,902 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 11,792 units (7,710 single-family, 270 in 2–4 unit, 3,812 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 8,758 units (6,678 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 2,049 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 8,786 units (6,200 single-family, 296 in 2–4 unit, 2,290 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 10,239 units (6,231 single-family, 81 in 2–4 unit, 3,927 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 19,563 units (8,229 single-family, 114 in 2–4 unit, 11,220 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 20,852 units (8,941 single-family, 402 in 2–4 unit, 11,509 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 19,949 units (11,515 single-family, 444 in 2–4 unit, 7,990 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 22,370 units (11,857 single-family, 448 in 2–4 unit, 10,065 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 21,861 units (13,327 single-family, 238 in 2–4 unit, 8,296 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 26,700 units (16,119 single-family, 153 in 2–4 unit, 10,428 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 30,035 units (17,030 single-family, 165 in 2–4 unit, 12,840 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 32,037 units (18,426 single-family, 344 in 2–4 unit, 13,267 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 42,264 units (22,570 single-family, 417 in 2–4 unit, 19,277 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 50,907 units (24,486 single-family, 779 in 2–4 unit, 25,642 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 42,362 units (19,715 single-family, 468 in 2–4 unit, 22,179 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 38,773 units (16,532 single-family, 488 in 2–4 unit, 21,753 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 32,294 units (16,435 single-family, 733 in 2–4 unit, 15,126 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 27,322 units (14,810 single-family, 763 in 2–4 unit, 11,749 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 50,907

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Buildings with five or more units accounted for 50% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the second-highest share among the 45 metro areas based in the West South Central states.

Boom, bust and since

Austin authorized the most units in 2021 (50,907); 2025 reached 54% of that. Its peak year is shared by 27 other metro areas, among them Charlotte, Nashville, Denver. Annual permits fell from 26,096 during the mid-2000s boom to 8,758 in 2009, a drop of 66%. The nearest bust profile in the West South Central states was McAllen's (67%). Permits rose 5 years in a row up to 2021. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 15%.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Bowling Green (50% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 23%.

2021–202548.0%48%1.7%50.3%50%2004–200673.2%73%3.4%23.4%23%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202548.0%48%1.7%50.3%50%2004–200673.2%73%3.4%23.4%23%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 49 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Austin, with 69,189 units or 36% of the total, followed by Travis County (unincorporated) with 30,347. Among the three largest, Austin put 79% of its units in five-plus buildings, Georgetown 41%.

  • Austin36% (69,189 units)
  • Travis County (unincorporated)16% (30,347 units)
  • Georgetown8.6% (16,625 units)
  • Leander5.5% (10,641 units)
  • Kyle4.4% (8,576 units)
  • Hays County (unincorporated)4.2% (8,064 units)
  • Round Rock3.9% (7,504 units)
  • Hutto2.8% (5,510 units)

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

Where in the metro

Travis County accounted for 58% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Williamson County for 24%.

  • Travis County58% (15,059 in 2025)
  • Williamson County24% (4,956 in 2025)
  • Hays County14% (4,595 in 2025)
  • Bastrop County3.6% (2,269 in 2025)
  • Caldwell County1.5% (443 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
St. Louis, MO-IL6,0662.733%
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX10,5466.539%
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX27,32215.450%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA8,3184.540%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA10,6894.725%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Austin beside Portland, OR

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