HousingPermits

Metro area in Louisiana · part of the Baton Rouge-Hammond, LA combined area

Baton Rouge, LA

The Baton Rouge metro area authorized 4,314 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 10 metro areas based in Louisiana. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2006, with 9,165 units; 2025 came to 47% of that. Buildings of five or more units took 13% of its 2021–2025 units, less than the national 34%.

02,5005,0007,50010k2004: 5,273 units (4,763 single-family, 80 in 2–4 unit, 430 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 6,318 units (5,526 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 716 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 9,165 units (6,516 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 2,589 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,426 units (4,419 single-family, 196 in 2–4 unit, 1,811 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,809 units (2,671 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 1,116 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,970 units (2,881 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 72 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,998 units (2,867 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 115 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,176 units (2,664 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 424 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,419 units (3,276 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 118 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 3,245 units (3,051 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 186 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,601 units (3,327 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 270 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,602 units (3,496 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 104 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,473 units (3,449 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,670 units (3,617 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 11 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,941 units (3,528 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 401 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,622 units (3,612 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,780 units (3,766 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,460 units (4,458 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,770 units (3,478 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 267 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,281 units (3,013 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 264 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,806 units (3,250 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 459 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 4,314 units (2,775 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 1,517 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252006 high · 9,16504,0008,00012k2004: 5,273 units (4,763 single-family, 80 in 2–4 unit, 430 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 6,318 units (5,526 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 716 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 9,165 units (6,516 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 2,589 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,426 units (4,419 single-family, 196 in 2–4 unit, 1,811 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,809 units (2,671 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 1,116 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,970 units (2,881 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 72 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,998 units (2,867 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 115 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,176 units (2,664 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 424 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,419 units (3,276 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 118 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 3,245 units (3,051 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 186 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,601 units (3,327 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 270 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,602 units (3,496 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 104 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,473 units (3,449 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,670 units (3,617 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 11 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,941 units (3,528 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 401 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,622 units (3,612 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,780 units (3,766 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,460 units (4,458 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,770 units (3,478 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 267 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,281 units (3,013 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 264 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,806 units (3,250 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 459 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 4,314 units (2,775 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 1,517 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252006 high · 9,165

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Texarkana (13% in five-plus buildings).

2021–202586.5%86%0.8%12.8%13%2004–200681.0%81%1.0%18.0%18%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202586.5%86%0.8%12.8%2004–200681.0%81%1.0%18.0%18%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 30 other metro areas, among them Columbia, SC, Greensboro, Wichita. Annual permits fell from 9,165 during the mid-2000s boom to 2,970 in 2009, a drop of 68%. The nearest bust profile in the West South Central states was Dallas's (67%). The 2021–2025 pace of 3,926 units a year is 43% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 13%.

Where in the metro

East Baton Rouge Parish accounted for 44% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Livingston Parish for 23%.

  • East Baton Rouge Parish44% (2,631 in 2025)
  • Livingston Parish23% (655 in 2025)
  • Ascension Parish20% (639 in 2025)
  • West Baton Rouge Parish4.3% (96 in 2025)
  • Iberville Parish3.5% (122 in 2025)
  • Pointe Coupee Parish1.2% (41 in 2025)
  • West Feliciana Parish1.2% (57 in 2025)
  • East Feliciana Parish1.1% (21 in 2025)
  • Assumption Parish0.7% (38 in 2025)
  • St. Helena Parish0.4% (14 in 2025)

The wider Baton Rouge-Hammond region

The Census Bureau groups Baton Rouge with one neighboring metro area in the Baton Rouge-Hammond, LA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 5,212 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Baton Rouge accounted for 75%. The other, with its yearly average: Hammond (1,285).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 28 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Livingston Parish (unincorporated), with 4,276 units or 22% of the total, followed by Baton Rouge with 3,821. Among the three largest, Baton Rouge put 43% of its units in five-plus buildings, East Baton Rouge Parish (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Livingston Parish (unincorporated)22% (4,276 units)
  • Baton Rouge20% (3,821 units)
  • East Baton Rouge Parish (unincorporated)18% (3,574 units)
  • Ascension Parish (unincorporated)14% (2,839 units)
  • Gonzales6.1% (1,190 units)
  • Central3.2% (622 units)
  • Zachary3.1% (618 units)
  • St. Gabriel2% (395 units)

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

Relative to population

With 888,699 residents in July 2025, Baton Rouge authorized 4.5 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, close to the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Waco (4.5) and Louisville (4.5).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Charleston-North Charleston, SC7,2879.924%
Baton Rouge, LA4,3144.513%
Worcester, MA1,6902.245%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ1,9742.533%
El Paso, TX2,0502.87.4%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Baton Rouge beside Worcester

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