HousingPermits

Metro area in Ohio · part of the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH combined area

Cleveland, OH

The Cleveland metro area authorized 4,174 new housing units in 2025. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 1.8 units a year in 2021–2025, 39% of the national rate of 4.7. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2004, with 7,784 units; 2025 came to 54% of that.

02,5005,0007,50010k2004: 7,784 units (7,082 single-family, 329 in 2–4 unit, 373 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 6,652 units (6,089 single-family, 345 in 2–4 unit, 218 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 5,421 units (4,769 single-family, 207 in 2–4 unit, 445 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,210 units (3,709 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 397 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,802 units (2,355 single-family, 81 in 2–4 unit, 366 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,135 units (1,875 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 222 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,022 units (1,930 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 70 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,831 units (1,649 single-family, 33 in 2–4 unit, 149 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,417 units (2,001 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 366 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,804 units (2,298 single-family, 45 in 2–4 unit, 461 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,991 units (2,327 single-family, 145 in 2–4 unit, 519 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,026 units (2,601 single-family, 96 in 2–4 unit, 329 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,145 units (2,692 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 341 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,329 units (2,829 single-family, 221 in 2–4 unit, 279 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,095 units (2,825 single-family, 167 in 2–4 unit, 103 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,170 units (2,706 single-family, 166 in 2–4 unit, 298 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,523 units (2,910 single-family, 189 in 2–4 unit, 424 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,508 units (3,093 single-family, 119 in 2–4 unit, 296 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,894 units (3,048 single-family, 141 in 2–4 unit, 705 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,641 units (2,629 single-family, 124 in 2–4 unit, 888 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 4,289 units (2,980 single-family, 233 in 2–4 unit, 1,076 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 4,174 units (2,866 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 1,214 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 7,7842011 low · 1,83103,0006,0009,0002004: 7,784 units (7,082 single-family, 329 in 2–4 unit, 373 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 6,652 units (6,089 single-family, 345 in 2–4 unit, 218 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 5,421 units (4,769 single-family, 207 in 2–4 unit, 445 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,210 units (3,709 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 397 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,802 units (2,355 single-family, 81 in 2–4 unit, 366 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,135 units (1,875 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 222 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,022 units (1,930 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 70 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,831 units (1,649 single-family, 33 in 2–4 unit, 149 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,417 units (2,001 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 366 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,804 units (2,298 single-family, 45 in 2–4 unit, 461 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,991 units (2,327 single-family, 145 in 2–4 unit, 519 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,026 units (2,601 single-family, 96 in 2–4 unit, 329 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,145 units (2,692 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 341 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,329 units (2,829 single-family, 221 in 2–4 unit, 279 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,095 units (2,825 single-family, 167 in 2–4 unit, 103 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,170 units (2,706 single-family, 166 in 2–4 unit, 298 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,523 units (2,910 single-family, 189 in 2–4 unit, 424 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,508 units (3,093 single-family, 119 in 2–4 unit, 296 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,894 units (3,048 single-family, 141 in 2–4 unit, 705 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,641 units (2,629 single-family, 124 in 2–4 unit, 888 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 4,289 units (2,980 single-family, 233 in 2–4 unit, 1,076 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 4,174 units (2,866 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 1,214 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 7,784

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Where in the metro

Cuyahoga County accounted for 35% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Lorain County for 28%.

  • Cuyahoga County35% (1,896 in 2025)
  • Lorain County28% (1,082 in 2025)
  • Medina County14% (430 in 2025)
  • Lake County13% (426 in 2025)
  • Geauga County4.6% (180 in 2025)
  • Ashtabula County4.1% (160 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Sacramento. Annual permits fell from 7,784 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,831 in 2011, a drop of 76%. The nearest bust profile in the East North Central states was Champaign's (76%). The 2021–2025 pace of 3,901 units a year is 41% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 6 years in a row up to 2017.

Houses or apartments

In Cleveland, OH, 75% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 21% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Fort Wayne (21% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 5.2%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2025 (1,214), single-family houses in 2004 (7,082).

2021–202574.9%75%3.6%21.4%21%2004–200690.3%90%4.4%5.2%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202574.9%75%3.6%21.4%21%2004–200690.3%90%4.4%5.2%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider Cleveland-Akron-Canton region

The Census Bureau groups Cleveland, OH with 3 neighboring metro areas in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 6,399 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Cleveland, OH accounted for 61%. The others, with their yearly averages: Akron (1,447), Canton (689), Sandusky (361).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 98 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Cleveland, with 3,059 units or 16% of the total, followed by Medina County (unincorporated) with 2,257. Among the three largest, Cleveland put 72% of its units in five-plus buildings, Medina County (unincorporated) 1.6%.

  • Cleveland16% (3,059 units)
  • Medina County (unincorporated)12% (2,257 units)
  • Lake County (unincorporated)7.7% (1,497 units)
  • Columbia township5.4% (1,052 units)
  • Geauga County (unincorporated)4.6% (900 units)
  • North Ridgeville4.5% (878 units)
  • Elyria4.3% (844 units)
  • Ashtabula County4.1% (794 units)

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

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Kansas City, MO-KS9,8934.439%
Columbus, OH15,7576.052%
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN11,4635.827%
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN19,20311.739%
Cleveland, OH4,1741.821%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Cleveland, OH beside Nashville

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