HousingPermits

Metro area in Indiana · part of the Bloomington-Bedford, IN combined area

Bloomington, IN

The Bloomington metro area authorized 1,261 new housing units in 2025. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 69% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the sixth-highest share among the 387 US metro areas. Relative to population, the rate was 6.6 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the third-highest rate of the 60 metro areas based in the East North Central states.

06001,2001,8002,4002004: 1,138 units (659 single-family, 243 in 2–4 unit, 236 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,028 units (843 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 161 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 737 units (651 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 23 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 875 units (558 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 269 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 576 units (327 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 190 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 306 units (236 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 50 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 263 units (196 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 33 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 236 units (169 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 47 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 421 units (172 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 221 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 516 units (172 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 316 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 539 units (233 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 270 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 395 units (269 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 116 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 501 units (292 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 175 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 604 units (313 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 251 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 417 units (255 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 106 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 762 units (256 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 492 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 650 units (283 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 347 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,086 units (254 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 1,810 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 563 units (351 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 206 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 576 units (333 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 239 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 988 units (301 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 663 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,261 units (312 single-family, 71 in 2–4 unit, 878 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 2,0862011 low · 23608001,6002,4002004: 1,138 units (659 single-family, 243 in 2–4 unit, 236 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,028 units (843 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 161 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 737 units (651 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 23 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 875 units (558 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 269 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 576 units (327 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 190 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 306 units (236 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 50 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 263 units (196 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 33 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 236 units (169 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 47 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 421 units (172 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 221 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 516 units (172 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 316 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 539 units (233 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 270 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 395 units (269 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 116 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 501 units (292 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 175 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 604 units (313 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 251 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 417 units (255 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 106 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 762 units (256 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 492 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 650 units (283 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 347 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,086 units (254 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 1,810 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 563 units (351 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 206 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 576 units (333 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 239 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 988 units (301 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 663 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,261 units (312 single-family, 71 in 2–4 unit, 878 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 2,086

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Madison (70% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 14%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2021 (1,810), single-family houses in 2005 (843).

2021–202528.3%28%2.3%69.3%69%2004–200674.2%74%11.4%11%14.5%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202528.3%28%2.3%69.3%69%2004–200674.2%74%11.4%14.5%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 4 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Monroe County (unincorporated), with 4,716 units or 86% of the total, followed by Owen County (unincorporated) with 419. Among the three largest, Monroe County (unincorporated) put 80% of its units in five-plus buildings, Owen County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Monroe County (unincorporated)86% (4,716 units)
  • Owen County (unincorporated)7.7% (419 units)
  • Ellettsville town5.3% (289 units)
  • Spencer town0.9% (50 units)

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

Boom, bust and since

Bloomington, IN authorized the most units in 2021 (2,086); 2025 reached 60% of that. Its peak year is shared by 27 other metro areas, among them Valdosta, Napa, Morristown. Annual permits fell from 1,138 during the mid-2000s boom to 236 in 2011, a drop of 79%. The nearest bust profile in the East North Central states was Kalamazoo's (80%). The 2021–2025 pace of 1,095 units a year is 13% above the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 28%.

Where in the metro

Monroe County accounted for 91% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Owen County for 8.6%.

  • Monroe County91% (1,139 in 2025)
  • Owen County8.6% (122 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Kenosha, WI8923.151%
Janesville-Beloit, WI3882.824%
Bloomington, IN1,2616.669%
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA2912.157%
Grand Junction, CO8106.631%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Bloomington, IN beside Amherst Town

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