HousingPermits

Metro area in North Dakota

Bismarck, ND

The Bismarck metro area authorized 411 new housing units in 2025. Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes supplied 24% of its units in 2021–2025, the seventh-highest share among the 387 US metro areas. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 9.4% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the lowest share among the 4 metro areas based in North Dakota.

06001,2001,8002,4002004: 853 units (661 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 105 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 742 units (641 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 993 units (699 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 231 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 948 units (710 single-family, 62 in 2–4 unit, 176 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 811 units (556 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 229 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 516 units (432 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 651 units (565 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 74 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 845 units (637 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 169 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,956 units (1,164 single-family, 120 in 2–4 unit, 672 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,097 units (1,164 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 845 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,771 units (883 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 854 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,082 units (664 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 396 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 856 units (629 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 205 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 632 units (514 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 76 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 533 units (383 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 109 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 631 units (374 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 225 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 715 units (401 single-family, 191 in 2–4 unit, 123 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 792 units (416 single-family, 232 in 2–4 unit, 144 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 610 units (378 single-family, 160 in 2–4 unit, 72 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 298 units (199 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 352 units (282 single-family, 65 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 411 units (369 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252013 high · 2,0972023 low · 29808001,6002,4002004: 853 units (661 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 105 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 742 units (641 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 993 units (699 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 231 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 948 units (710 single-family, 62 in 2–4 unit, 176 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 811 units (556 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 229 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 516 units (432 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 651 units (565 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 74 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 845 units (637 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 169 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,956 units (1,164 single-family, 120 in 2–4 unit, 672 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,097 units (1,164 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 845 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,771 units (883 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 854 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,082 units (664 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 396 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 856 units (629 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 205 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 632 units (514 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 76 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 533 units (383 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 109 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 631 units (374 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 225 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 715 units (401 single-family, 191 in 2–4 unit, 123 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 792 units (416 single-family, 232 in 2–4 unit, 144 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 610 units (378 single-family, 160 in 2–4 unit, 72 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 298 units (199 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 352 units (282 single-family, 65 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 411 units (369 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252013 high · 2,097

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Permits rose 17% between 2024 and 2025, the largest increase among the 4 metro areas based in North Dakota.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 10 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Bismarck, with 1,665 units or 68% of the total, followed by Mandan with 332.

  • Bismarck68% (1,665 units)
  • Mandan14% (332 units)
  • Morton County (unincorporated)7.3% (180 units)
  • Burleigh County (unincorporated)5.8% (143 units)
  • Lincoln3% (73 units)
  • New Salem1.3% (32 units)
  • Oliver County (unincorporated)0.9% (22 units)
  • Flasher0.4% (10 units)

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

Boom, bust and since

Bismarck authorized the most units in 2013 (2,097); 2025 reached 20% of that. Its peak year is shared by 5 other metro areas, among them Owensboro, Grand Forks, Midland, TX. Annual permits fell from 993 during the mid-2000s boom to 516 in 2009, a drop of 48%. The nearest bust profile in the West North Central states was Grand Island's (48%). Its quietest year came later, in 2023 (298 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 493 units a year is 43% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Oklahoma City (9.5% in five-plus buildings).

2021–202566.7%67%23.8%24%9.4%9%2004–200677.3%77%8.2%14.5%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202566.7%67%23.8%24%9.4%2004–200677.3%77%8.2%14.5%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Relative to population

With 139,750 residents in July 2025, Bismarck authorized 3.6 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Sumter (3.7) and Riverside (3.6).

Where in the metro

Burleigh County accounted for 76% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Morton County for 22%.

  • Burleigh County76% (303 in 2025)
  • Morton County22% (100 in 2025)
  • Oliver County1% (8 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Hammond, LA1,1639.338%
Harrisonburg, VA8475.27.9%
Bismarck, ND4113.69.4%
Jonesboro, AR1,0177.810%
Wausau, WI3482.939%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Bismarck beside Jonesboro

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