HousingPermits

Metro area in Alabama · part of the Birmingham-Cullman-Talladega, AL combined area

Birmingham, AL

The Birmingham metro area authorized 4,219 new housing units in 2025. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2006, with 7,807 units; 2025 came to 54% of that. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 3.3 units a year in 2021–2025, 71% of the national rate of 4.7.

02,5005,0007,50010k2004: 7,800 units (6,358 single-family, 66 in 2–4 unit, 1,376 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 7,668 units (6,873 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 721 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 7,807 units (6,437 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 1,311 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 5,433 units (4,930 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 486 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,359 units (2,325 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 1,016 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,807 units (1,683 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 56 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,924 units (1,563 single-family, 21 in 2–4 unit, 340 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,362 units (1,795 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 567 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,301 units (1,847 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,450 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,776 units (2,016 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 714 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,364 units (2,318 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 959 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,733 units (2,414 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 1,303 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,312 units (2,730 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 574 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,689 units (2,677 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,025 units (2,698 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 299 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,236 units (3,097 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 110 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,898 units (3,565 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 307 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,022 units (3,471 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 544 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,200 units (3,098 single-family, 110 in 2–4 unit, 992 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,452 units (3,102 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 324 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,746 units (3,165 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 556 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 4,219 units (3,116 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 1,076 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252006 high · 7,80703,0006,0009,0002004: 7,800 units (6,358 single-family, 66 in 2–4 unit, 1,376 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 7,668 units (6,873 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 721 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 7,807 units (6,437 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 1,311 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 5,433 units (4,930 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 486 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,359 units (2,325 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 1,016 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,807 units (1,683 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 56 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,924 units (1,563 single-family, 21 in 2–4 unit, 340 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,362 units (1,795 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 567 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,301 units (1,847 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,450 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,776 units (2,016 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 714 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,364 units (2,318 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 959 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,733 units (2,414 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 1,303 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,312 units (2,730 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 574 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,689 units (2,677 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,025 units (2,698 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 299 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,236 units (3,097 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 110 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,898 units (3,565 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 307 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,022 units (3,471 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 544 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,200 units (3,098 single-family, 110 in 2–4 unit, 992 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,452 units (3,102 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 324 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,746 units (3,165 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 556 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 4,219 units (3,116 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 1,076 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252006 high · 7,807

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 30 other metro areas, among them Baton Rouge, Columbia, SC, Greensboro. Annual permits fell from 7,807 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,807 in 2009, a drop of 77%. The nearest bust profile in the East South Central states was Decatur, AL's (77%). The 2021–2025 pace of 3,928 units a year is 49% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 5 years in a row up to 2022. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 13%.

Houses or apartments

In Birmingham, 81% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 18% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Glens Falls (18% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2012 (1,450), single-family houses in 2005 (6,873).

2021–202581.2%81%1.0%17.8%18%2004–200684.5%85%0.9%14.6%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202581.2%81%1.0%17.8%18%2004–200684.5%85%0.9%14.6%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Where in the metro

Jefferson County accounted for 57% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Shelby County for 27%.

  • Jefferson County57% (2,391 in 2025)
  • Shelby County27% (1,308 in 2025)
  • St. Clair County12% (411 in 2025)
  • Chilton County2.2% (72 in 2025)
  • Walker County1% (12 in 2025)
  • Blount County0.5% (20 in 2025)
  • Bibb County0.2% (5 in 2025)

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 56 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Birmingham, with 3,542 units or 18% of the total, followed by Hoover with 2,190. Among the three largest, Birmingham put 81% of its units in five-plus buildings, Jefferson County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Birmingham18% (3,542 units)
  • Hoover11% (2,190 units)
  • Jefferson County (unincorporated)8.1% (1,601 units)
  • Shelby County (unincorporated)6.1% (1,213 units)
  • Chelsea4.5% (893 units)
  • Calera4.5% (885 units)
  • Margaret3.9% (775 units)
  • Trussville3.9% (773 units)

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

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Fresno, CA3,5183.612%
Birmingham, AL4,2193.318%
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI4,2673.530%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT1,5041.558%
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY1,4841.231%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Birmingham beside Fresno

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