HousingPermits

Metro area in New York · part of the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY combined area

Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

The Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area authorized 1,484 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 50%, from 2,510 at the 2004–2006 high to 1,252 in 2012, the mildest drop among the 56 metro areas with 1 million or more residents. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 1.2 units a year in 2021–2025, 27% of the national rate of 4.7.

08001,6002,4003,2002004: 2,510 units (1,856 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 600 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,096 units (1,690 single-family, 98 in 2–4 unit, 308 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,023 units (1,473 single-family, 84 in 2–4 unit, 466 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,932 units (1,388 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 530 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,544 units (1,017 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 455 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,367 units (993 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 320 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,498 units (1,037 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 422 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,315 units (790 single-family, 246 in 2–4 unit, 279 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,252 units (915 single-family, 71 in 2–4 unit, 266 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,934 units (1,016 single-family, 86 in 2–4 unit, 832 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,878 units (1,057 single-family, 80 in 2–4 unit, 741 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,677 units (992 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 649 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,964 units (931 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 1,005 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,657 units (979 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 649 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,453 units (975 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 432 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,693 units (912 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 737 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,444 units (912 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 469 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,553 units (980 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 474 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,591 units (1,213 single-family, 81 in 2–4 unit, 297 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,261 units (755 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 404 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,375 units (749 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 578 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,484 units (902 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 500 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 2,5102012 low · 1,25201,0002,0003,0002004: 2,510 units (1,856 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 600 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,096 units (1,690 single-family, 98 in 2–4 unit, 308 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,023 units (1,473 single-family, 84 in 2–4 unit, 466 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,932 units (1,388 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 530 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,544 units (1,017 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 455 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,367 units (993 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 320 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,498 units (1,037 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 422 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,315 units (790 single-family, 246 in 2–4 unit, 279 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,252 units (915 single-family, 71 in 2–4 unit, 266 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,934 units (1,016 single-family, 86 in 2–4 unit, 832 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,878 units (1,057 single-family, 80 in 2–4 unit, 741 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,677 units (992 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 649 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,964 units (931 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 1,005 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,657 units (979 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 649 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,453 units (975 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 432 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,693 units (912 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 737 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,444 units (912 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 469 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,553 units (980 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 474 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,591 units (1,213 single-family, 81 in 2–4 unit, 297 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,261 units (755 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 404 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,375 units (749 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 578 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,484 units (902 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 500 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 2,510

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Buffalo authorized the most units in 2004 (2,510); 2025 reached 59% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Grand Rapids, Rochester, NY, Urban Honolulu. The 2021–2025 pace of 1,453 units a year is 34% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 7.9%.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 57 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Buffalo, with 1,093 units or 15% of the total, followed by Hamburg town with 875. Among the three largest, Buffalo put 85% of its units in five-plus buildings, Amherst town 3.9%.

  • Buffalo15% (1,093 units)
  • Hamburg town12% (875 units)
  • Amherst town11% (773 units)
  • West Seneca town6% (435 units)
  • Clarence town5.6% (404 units)
  • Cheektowaga town5.4% (390 units)
  • Orchard Park town4.4% (320 units)
  • Lancaster town4.4% (317 units)

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

Where in the metro

Erie County accounted for 86% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Niagara County for 14%.

  • Erie County86% (1,213 in 2025)
  • Niagara County14% (271 in 2025)

Houses or apartments

In Buffalo, 63% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 31% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Lebanon (31% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 21%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.7% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2016 (1,005), single-family houses in 2004 (1,856).

2021–202563.3%63%5.7%31.0%31%2004–200675.7%76%3.6%20.7%21%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202563.3%63%5.7%31.0%31%2004–200675.7%76%3.6%20.7%21%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Fresno, CA3,5183.612%
Birmingham, AL4,2193.318%
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI4,2673.530%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT1,5041.558%
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY1,4841.231%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Buffalo beside Hartford

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