HousingPermits

Metro area in Massachusetts, New Hampshire · part of the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH combined area

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

The Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area authorized 10,072 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 17 metro areas based in the New England states. Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 20% below the 2004–2006 average, the largest recovery by this measure among the 6 metro areas based in Massachusetts. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 62% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the third-highest share among the 17 metro areas based in the New England states.

05,00010k15k20k2004: 15,423 units (8,204 single-family, 1,182 in 2–4 unit, 6,037 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 17,442 units (8,318 single-family, 1,212 in 2–4 unit, 7,912 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 13,916 units (6,167 single-family, 1,347 in 2–4 unit, 6,402 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 11,248 units (5,305 single-family, 714 in 2–4 unit, 5,229 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 7,634 units (3,382 single-family, 458 in 2–4 unit, 3,794 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 5,476 units (3,073 single-family, 355 in 2–4 unit, 2,048 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 6,672 units (3,748 single-family, 367 in 2–4 unit, 2,557 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 6,139 units (3,394 single-family, 424 in 2–4 unit, 2,321 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 8,851 units (4,126 single-family, 435 in 2–4 unit, 4,290 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 12,021 units (4,953 single-family, 562 in 2–4 unit, 6,506 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 12,024 units (4,991 single-family, 551 in 2–4 unit, 6,482 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 15,036 units (4,844 single-family, 729 in 2–4 unit, 9,463 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 13,247 units (5,243 single-family, 834 in 2–4 unit, 7,170 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 14,757 units (4,949 single-family, 782 in 2–4 unit, 9,026 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 14,183 units (4,930 single-family, 889 in 2–4 unit, 8,364 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 15,088 units (4,299 single-family, 860 in 2–4 unit, 9,929 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 14,248 units (4,457 single-family, 871 in 2–4 unit, 8,920 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 16,602 units (4,820 single-family, 869 in 2–4 unit, 10,913 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 13,595 units (4,025 single-family, 847 in 2–4 unit, 8,723 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 10,822 units (3,396 single-family, 717 in 2–4 unit, 6,709 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 11,235 units (3,734 single-family, 654 in 2–4 unit, 6,847 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 10,072 units (3,971 single-family, 406 in 2–4 unit, 5,695 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 17,44208,00016k24k2004: 15,423 units (8,204 single-family, 1,182 in 2–4 unit, 6,037 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 17,442 units (8,318 single-family, 1,212 in 2–4 unit, 7,912 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 13,916 units (6,167 single-family, 1,347 in 2–4 unit, 6,402 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 11,248 units (5,305 single-family, 714 in 2–4 unit, 5,229 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 7,634 units (3,382 single-family, 458 in 2–4 unit, 3,794 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 5,476 units (3,073 single-family, 355 in 2–4 unit, 2,048 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 6,672 units (3,748 single-family, 367 in 2–4 unit, 2,557 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 6,139 units (3,394 single-family, 424 in 2–4 unit, 2,321 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 8,851 units (4,126 single-family, 435 in 2–4 unit, 4,290 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 12,021 units (4,953 single-family, 562 in 2–4 unit, 6,506 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 12,024 units (4,991 single-family, 551 in 2–4 unit, 6,482 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 15,036 units (4,844 single-family, 729 in 2–4 unit, 9,463 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 13,247 units (5,243 single-family, 834 in 2–4 unit, 7,170 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 14,757 units (4,949 single-family, 782 in 2–4 unit, 9,026 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 14,183 units (4,930 single-family, 889 in 2–4 unit, 8,364 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 15,088 units (4,299 single-family, 860 in 2–4 unit, 9,929 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 14,248 units (4,457 single-family, 871 in 2–4 unit, 8,920 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 16,602 units (4,820 single-family, 869 in 2–4 unit, 10,913 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 13,595 units (4,025 single-family, 847 in 2–4 unit, 8,723 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 10,822 units (3,396 single-family, 717 in 2–4 unit, 6,709 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 11,235 units (3,734 single-family, 654 in 2–4 unit, 6,847 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 10,072 units (3,971 single-family, 406 in 2–4 unit, 5,695 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 17,442

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its 2025 total reached 58% of the 2005 high, the closest to a series peak among the 6 metro areas based in Massachusetts.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Boulder (62% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 44%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.6% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2021 (10,913), single-family houses in 2005 (8,318).

2021–202532.0%32%5.6%62.4%62%2004–200648.5%49%8.0%43.5%44%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202532.0%32%5.6%62.4%62%2004–200648.5%49%8.0%43.5%44%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Where in the metro

Middlesex County accounted for 28% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Suffolk County for 24%. The part in New Hampshire supplied 15%.

  • Middlesex County, MA28% (2,341 in 2025)
  • Suffolk County, MA24% (2,338 in 2025)
  • Norfolk County, MA13% (1,194 in 2025)
  • Plymouth County, MA11% (931 in 2025)
  • Rockingham County, NH10% (1,876 in 2025)
  • Essex County, MA9.1% (942 in 2025)
  • Strafford County, NH4.5% (450 in 2025)

Relative to population

With 5,034,221 residents in July 2025, Boston authorized 2.5 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Allentown (2.5) and Manhattan (2.5).

The wider Boston-Worcester-Providence region

The Census Bureau groups Boston with 4 neighboring metro areas in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 18,406 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Boston accounted for 68%. The others, with their yearly averages: Providence (2,365), Worcester (1,886), Manchester (1,014), Barnstable Town (675).

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Tampa, Orlando, Baltimore. Annual permits fell from 17,442 during the mid-2000s boom to 5,476 in 2009, a drop of 69%. The nearest bust profile in the New England states was Springfield, MA's (70%). From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 10%.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 197 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Boston, with 13,394 units or 22% of the total, followed by Plymouth town with 2,894. Among the three largest, Cambridge put 92% of its units in five-plus buildings, Plymouth town 45%.

  • Boston22% (13,394 units)
  • Plymouth town4.6% (2,894 units)
  • Cambridge3% (1,873 units)
  • Medford2.8% (1,733 units)
  • Everett2.1% (1,293 units)
  • Quincy2% (1,224 units)
  • Londonderry town2% (1,223 units)
  • Weymouth Town1.8% (1,153 units)

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

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ39,6999.036%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH10,0722.562%
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA15,9373.628%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA7,7502.062%
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI8,8051.832%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Boston beside Phoenix

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