HousingPermits

Metro area in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana · part of the Cincinnati-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN combined area

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

The Cincinnati metro area authorized 7,264 new housing units in 2025. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2004, with 13,049 units; 2025 came to 56% of that. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 3.1 units a year in 2021–2025, 66% of the national rate of 4.7.

04,0008,00012k16k2004: 13,049 units (10,942 single-family, 381 in 2–4 unit, 1,726 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 12,917 units (10,691 single-family, 461 in 2–4 unit, 1,765 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 9,447 units (7,436 single-family, 466 in 2–4 unit, 1,545 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,884 units (5,289 single-family, 422 in 2–4 unit, 1,173 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 4,000 units (3,290 single-family, 138 in 2–4 unit, 572 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,515 units (3,109 single-family, 111 in 2–4 unit, 295 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,206 units (2,824 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 280 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,369 units (2,521 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 720 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,604 units (2,641 single-family, 101 in 2–4 unit, 862 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,330 units (3,308 single-family, 120 in 2–4 unit, 902 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 5,238 units (3,250 single-family, 165 in 2–4 unit, 1,823 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 4,694 units (3,510 single-family, 148 in 2–4 unit, 1,036 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 5,893 units (3,964 single-family, 264 in 2–4 unit, 1,665 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 6,505 units (4,480 single-family, 145 in 2–4 unit, 1,880 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 6,138 units (4,322 single-family, 199 in 2–4 unit, 1,617 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,012 units (4,477 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 1,453 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 7,285 units (5,380 single-family, 155 in 2–4 unit, 1,750 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 8,421 units (5,350 single-family, 180 in 2–4 unit, 2,891 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 6,157 units (4,053 single-family, 484 in 2–4 unit, 1,620 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 6,234 units (3,707 single-family, 487 in 2–4 unit, 2,040 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 7,089 units (4,025 single-family, 503 in 2–4 unit, 2,561 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 7,264 units (4,311 single-family, 462 in 2–4 unit, 2,491 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 13,0492010 low · 3,20605,00010k15k2004: 13,049 units (10,942 single-family, 381 in 2–4 unit, 1,726 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 12,917 units (10,691 single-family, 461 in 2–4 unit, 1,765 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 9,447 units (7,436 single-family, 466 in 2–4 unit, 1,545 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,884 units (5,289 single-family, 422 in 2–4 unit, 1,173 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 4,000 units (3,290 single-family, 138 in 2–4 unit, 572 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,515 units (3,109 single-family, 111 in 2–4 unit, 295 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,206 units (2,824 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 280 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,369 units (2,521 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 720 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,604 units (2,641 single-family, 101 in 2–4 unit, 862 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,330 units (3,308 single-family, 120 in 2–4 unit, 902 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 5,238 units (3,250 single-family, 165 in 2–4 unit, 1,823 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 4,694 units (3,510 single-family, 148 in 2–4 unit, 1,036 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 5,893 units (3,964 single-family, 264 in 2–4 unit, 1,665 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 6,505 units (4,480 single-family, 145 in 2–4 unit, 1,880 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 6,138 units (4,322 single-family, 199 in 2–4 unit, 1,617 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,012 units (4,477 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 1,453 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 7,285 units (5,380 single-family, 155 in 2–4 unit, 1,750 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 8,421 units (5,350 single-family, 180 in 2–4 unit, 2,891 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 6,157 units (4,053 single-family, 484 in 2–4 unit, 1,620 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 6,234 units (3,707 single-family, 487 in 2–4 unit, 2,040 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 7,089 units (4,025 single-family, 503 in 2–4 unit, 2,561 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 7,264 units (4,311 single-family, 462 in 2–4 unit, 2,491 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 13,049

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Where in the metro

Hamilton County accounted for 19% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Clermont County for 17%. The part in Indiana, Kentucky supplied 32%. Bracken County has no permit-issuing places in the survey.

  • Hamilton County, OH19% (1,162 in 2025)
  • Clermont County, OH17% (1,495 in 2025)
  • Warren County, OH16% (1,442 in 2025)
  • Butler County, OH13% (1,021 in 2025)
  • Boone County, KY13% (756 in 2025)
  • Kenton County, KY8.5% (681 in 2025)
  • Campbell County, KY5.7% (182 in 2025)
  • Brown County, OH1.9% (141 in 2025)
  • Dearborn County, IN1.8% (155 in 2025)
  • Grant County, KY1.4% (110 in 2025)
  • Franklin County, IN0.9% (59 in 2025)
  • Gallatin County, KY0.8% (51 in 2025)

2 smaller counties not shown.

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Pittsburgh, Cleveland, OH, Sacramento. Annual permits fell from 13,049 during the mid-2000s boom to 3,206 in 2010, a drop of 75%. The nearest bust profile in the East North Central states was Oshkosh's (76%). The 2021–2025 pace of 7,033 units a year is 40% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 72 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Clermont County (unincorporated), with 6,019 units or 17% of the total, followed by Boone County with 4,654. Among the three largest, Boone County put 47% of its units in five-plus buildings, Warren County (unincorporated) 18%.

  • Clermont County (unincorporated)17% (6,019 units)
  • Boone County13% (4,654 units)
  • Warren County (unincorporated)12% (4,372 units)
  • Cincinnati9.6% (3,386 units)
  • Butler County (unincorporated)8.8% (3,101 units)
  • Campbell County (unincorporated)5.2% (1,829 units)
  • Hamilton County (unincorporated)4.3% (1,514 units)
  • Covington2.2% (790 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Cincinnati, 61% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 33% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Virginia Beach (33% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 14%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 6% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2021 (2,891), single-family houses in 2004 (10,942).

2021–202561.0%61%6.0%33.0%33%2004–200682.1%82%3.7%14.2%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202561.0%61%6.0%33.0%33%2004–200682.1%82%3.7%14.2%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV14,4666.123%
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN7,2643.133%
Kansas City, MO-KS9,8934.439%
Columbus, OH15,7576.052%
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN11,4635.827%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Cincinnati beside Kansas City

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