HousingPermits

Metro area in Virginia

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metro area authorized 492 new housing units in 2025. Single-family houses made up 90% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 9 metro areas based in Virginia. Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 48% below the 2004–2006 average, the weakest recovery by this measure among the 9 metro areas based in Virginia.

05001,0001,5002,0002004: 998 units (946 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 34 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 788 units (687 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 89 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,054 units (940 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 51 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 937 units (653 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 242 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,132 units (550 single-family, 58 in 2–4 unit, 524 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 499 units (438 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 49 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 317 units (247 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 63 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 372 units (329 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 43 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 395 units (274 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 121 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 552 units (349 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 187 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 353 units (297 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 476 units (474 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 543 units (455 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 84 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 737 units (416 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 318 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 566 units (435 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 127 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 658 units (371 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 269 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,785 units (429 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 1,348 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 392 units (364 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 24 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 551 units (421 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 114 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 557 units (544 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 481 units (481 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 492 units (416 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 72 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252020 high · 1,7852010 low · 31708001,6002,4002004: 998 units (946 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 34 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 788 units (687 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 89 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,054 units (940 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 51 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 937 units (653 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 242 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,132 units (550 single-family, 58 in 2–4 unit, 524 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 499 units (438 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 49 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 317 units (247 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 63 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 372 units (329 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 43 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 395 units (274 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 121 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 552 units (349 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 187 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 353 units (297 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 476 units (474 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 543 units (455 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 84 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 737 units (416 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 318 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 566 units (435 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 127 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 658 units (371 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 269 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,785 units (429 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 1,348 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 392 units (364 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 24 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 551 units (421 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 114 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 557 units (544 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 481 units (481 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 492 units (416 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 72 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252020 high · 1,785

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its 2025 total was only 28% of the 2020 high of 1,785 units, the furthest below a series peak among the 9 metro areas based in Virginia.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Mobile (8.6% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2020 (1,348), single-family houses in 2004 (946).

2021–202590.0%90%1.3%8.7%9%2004–200690.6%91%3.3%6.1%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202590.0%90%1.3%8.7%2004–200690.6%91%3.3%6.1%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 6 other metro areas, among them Coeur d'Alene, Logan, Sioux City. Annual permits fell from 1,054 during the mid-2000s boom to 317 in 2010, a drop of 70%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Richmond's (70%).

Relative to population

With 181,616 residents in July 2025, Blacksburg authorized 2.7 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are El Paso (2.8) and Trenton (2.7).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 10 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Montgomery County (unincorporated), with 786 units or 32% of the total, followed by Christiansburg town with 486. Among the three largest, Christiansburg town put 26% of its units in five-plus buildings, Montgomery County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Montgomery County (unincorporated)32% (786 units)
  • Christiansburg town20% (486 units)
  • Blacksburg town17% (420 units)
  • Floyd County11% (267 units)
  • Pulaski County (unincorporated)9.2% (227 units)
  • Giles County5.3% (131 units)
  • Radford4.7% (115 units)
  • Pulaski town0.8% (21 units)

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

Where in the metro

Montgomery County accounted for 68% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Floyd County for 11%.

  • Montgomery County68% (328 in 2025)
  • Floyd County11% (73 in 2025)
  • Pulaski County10% (55 in 2025)
  • Giles County5.8% (23 in 2025)
  • Radford city4.7% (13 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Greenville, NC1,2856.920%
Iowa City, IA1,2666.547%
Redding, CA2541.63.7%
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA4922.78.7%
El Centro, CA2422.123%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Blacksburg beside Redding

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