HousingPermits

Metro area in Colorado · part of the Denver-Aurora-Greeley, CO combined area

Boulder, CO

The Boulder metro area authorized 2,001 new housing units in 2025. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 62% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 85 metro areas of 250,000 to 499,999 residents. Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes supplied 5.2% of its units in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 7 metro areas based in Colorado.

08001,6002,4003,2002004: 1,372 units (1,125 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 219 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,141 units (816 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 197 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 746 units (453 single-family, 55 in 2–4 unit, 238 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 635 units (397 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 211 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,022 units (305 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 691 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 345 units (136 single-family, 23 in 2–4 unit, 186 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 657 units (276 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 343 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 661 units (390 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 223 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,295 units (471 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 764 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,625 units (591 single-family, 77 in 2–4 unit, 957 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,371 units (560 single-family, 69 in 2–4 unit, 742 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,249 units (768 single-family, 98 in 2–4 unit, 383 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,849 units (716 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 1,087 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,667 units (808 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 837 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,954 units (899 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 2,013 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,650 units (742 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 906 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,634 units (573 single-family, 98 in 2–4 unit, 963 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,237 units (343 single-family, 122 in 2–4 unit, 772 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,642 units (661 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 879 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,642 units (791 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 787 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,680 units (441 single-family, 103 in 2–4 unit, 1,136 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,001 units (428 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 1,534 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252018 high · 2,9542009 low · 34501,5003,0004,5002004: 1,372 units (1,125 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 219 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,141 units (816 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 197 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 746 units (453 single-family, 55 in 2–4 unit, 238 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 635 units (397 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 211 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,022 units (305 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 691 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 345 units (136 single-family, 23 in 2–4 unit, 186 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 657 units (276 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 343 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 661 units (390 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 223 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,295 units (471 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 764 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,625 units (591 single-family, 77 in 2–4 unit, 957 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,371 units (560 single-family, 69 in 2–4 unit, 742 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,249 units (768 single-family, 98 in 2–4 unit, 383 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,849 units (716 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 1,087 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,667 units (808 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 837 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,954 units (899 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 2,013 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,650 units (742 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 906 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,634 units (573 single-family, 98 in 2–4 unit, 963 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,237 units (343 single-family, 122 in 2–4 unit, 772 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,642 units (661 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 879 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,642 units (791 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 787 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,680 units (441 single-family, 103 in 2–4 unit, 1,136 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,001 units (428 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 1,534 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252018 high · 2,954

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

The housing bust cut annual permits by 75%, from 1,372 at the 2004–2006 high to 345 in 2009, the mildest drop among the 7 metro areas based in Colorado.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Boston (62% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 20%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2018 (2,013), single-family houses in 2004 (1,125).

2021–202532.5%32%5.2%62.3%62%2004–200673.5%73%6.5%20.1%20%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202532.5%32%5.2%62.3%62%2004–200673.5%73%6.5%20.1%20%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 9 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Longmont, with 4,385 units or 54% of the total, followed by Boulder with 1,595. Among the three largest, Boulder put 86% of its units in five-plus buildings, Superior town 40%.

  • Longmont54% (4,385 units)
  • Boulder19% (1,595 units)
  • Superior town12% (961 units)
  • Louisville6.6% (543 units)
  • Boulder County (unincorporated)4% (324 units)
  • Lafayette3.6% (296 units)
  • Nederland town0.8% (65 units)
  • Lyons town0.4% (32 units)

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

Boom, bust and since

Boulder authorized the most units in 2018 (2,954); 2025 reached 68% of that. Its peak year is shared by 5 other metro areas, among them Rochester, MN, Santa Rosa, Cape Girardeau. The 2021–2025 pace of 1,640 units a year is 51% above the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 19%.

The wider Denver-Aurora-Greeley region

The Census Bureau groups Boulder with 2 neighboring metro areas in the Denver-Aurora-Greeley, CO combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 26,981 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Boulder accounted for 6.1%. The others, with their yearly averages: Denver (21,037), Greeley (4,304).

Relative to population

With 328,560 residents in July 2025, Boulder authorized 5.0 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, close to the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Goldsboro (5.0) and Medford (4.9).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Green Bay, WI1,4134.136%
Boulder, CO2,0015.062%
Columbus, GA-AL6052.931%
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI7512.030%
Kennewick-Richland, WA2,4317.030%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Boulder beside Columbus, GA

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