HousingPermits

Metro area in Maryland · part of the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA combined area

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

The Baltimore-Columbia-Towson metro area authorized 5,799 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 4 metro areas based in Maryland. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 44% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 4 metro areas based in Maryland. Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 31% below the 2004–2006 average, the largest recovery by this measure among the 4 metro areas based in Maryland.

03,0006,0009,00012k2004: 10,282 units (7,501 single-family, 120 in 2–4 unit, 2,661 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 11,327 units (8,386 single-family, 83 in 2–4 unit, 2,858 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 8,133 units (6,339 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 1,759 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,207 units (4,775 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,428 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 5,544 units (3,131 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 2,404 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 5,115 units (3,099 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 1,991 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 5,594 units (3,554 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 2,030 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 6,153 units (3,277 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 2,861 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 5,956 units (3,895 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 2,047 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 8,069 units (4,617 single-family, 161 in 2–4 unit, 3,291 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 7,100 units (4,662 single-family, 84 in 2–4 unit, 2,354 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 8,264 units (4,587 single-family, 106 in 2–4 unit, 3,571 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 8,070 units (4,731 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 3,193 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 6,840 units (5,000 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 1,824 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 9,287 units (5,361 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 3,920 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,967 units (4,802 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 2,068 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 8,094 units (5,010 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 3,078 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 7,834 units (4,783 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 3,045 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 6,588 units (2,832 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 3,740 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 7,539 units (3,798 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 3,735 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 6,284 units (3,849 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 2,425 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 5,799 units (3,606 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 2,169 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 11,32704,0008,00012k2004: 10,282 units (7,501 single-family, 120 in 2–4 unit, 2,661 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 11,327 units (8,386 single-family, 83 in 2–4 unit, 2,858 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 8,133 units (6,339 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 1,759 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,207 units (4,775 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,428 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 5,544 units (3,131 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 2,404 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 5,115 units (3,099 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 1,991 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 5,594 units (3,554 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 2,030 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 6,153 units (3,277 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 2,861 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 5,956 units (3,895 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 2,047 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 8,069 units (4,617 single-family, 161 in 2–4 unit, 3,291 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 7,100 units (4,662 single-family, 84 in 2–4 unit, 2,354 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 8,264 units (4,587 single-family, 106 in 2–4 unit, 3,571 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 8,070 units (4,731 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 3,193 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 6,840 units (5,000 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 1,824 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 9,287 units (5,361 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 3,920 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,967 units (4,802 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 2,068 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 8,094 units (5,010 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 3,078 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 7,834 units (4,783 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 3,045 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 6,588 units (2,832 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 3,740 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 7,539 units (3,798 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 3,735 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 6,284 units (3,849 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 2,425 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 5,799 units (3,606 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 2,169 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 11,327

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its 2025 total reached 51% of the 2005 high, the closest to a series peak among the 4 metro areas based in Maryland.

Where in the metro

Anne Arundel County accounted for 23% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Baltimore city for 20%.

  • Anne Arundel County23% (1,844 in 2025)
  • Baltimore city20% (543 in 2025)
  • Baltimore County18% (1,531 in 2025)
  • Harford County15% (715 in 2025)
  • Howard County14% (728 in 2025)
  • Queen Anne's County6% (285 in 2025)
  • Carroll County4% (153 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Orlando, Portland, OR, Las Vegas. Annual permits fell from 11,327 during the mid-2000s boom to 5,115 in 2009, a drop of 55%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Wildwood's (55%). From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 7.7%.

Relative to population

With 2,857,781 residents in July 2025, Baltimore authorized 2.4 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Macon (2.4) and Pueblo (2.4).

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Spokane (44% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 24%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2018 (3,920), single-family houses in 2005 (8,386).

2021–202555.4%55%0.2%44.4%44%2004–200674.7%75%0.8%24.5%24%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202555.4%55%0.2%44.4%44%2004–200674.7%75%0.8%24.5%24%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider Washington-Baltimore-Arlington region

The Census Bureau groups Baltimore with 5 neighboring metro areas in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 35,852 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Baltimore accounted for 19%. The others, with their yearly averages: Washington (25,128), Hagerstown (1,818), Winchester (1,011), Chambersburg (637), Lexington Park (450).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 15 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Anne Arundel County (unincorporated), with 7,300 units or 21% of the total, followed by Baltimore with 6,873. Among the three largest, Baltimore put 88% of its units in five-plus buildings, Baltimore County 28%.

  • Anne Arundel County (unincorporated)21% (7,300 units)
  • Baltimore20% (6,873 units)
  • Baltimore County18% (6,036 units)
  • Howard County14% (4,713 units)
  • Harford County (unincorporated)9.4% (3,214 units)
  • Queen Annes County (unincorporated)5.8% (1,961 units)
  • Carroll County4% (1,350 units)
  • Aberdeen3.6% (1,227 units)

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

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL27,8459.640%
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC22,2339.630%
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD5,7992.444%
St. Louis, MO-IL6,0662.733%
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX10,5466.539%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Baltimore beside St. Louis

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