HousingPermits

Metro area in Tennessee · part of the Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL combined area

Cleveland, TN

The Cleveland metro area authorized 938 new housing units in 2025. Its 2025 total reached 96% of the 2024 high, the second-closest to a series peak among the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 1.4% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the third-lowest share among the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states.

03006009001,2002004: 859 units (681 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 104 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 826 units (758 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 841 units (789 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 819 units (651 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 69 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 446 units (322 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 12 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 351 units (262 single-family, 89 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 550 units (267 single-family, 51 in 2–4 unit, 232 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 376 units (303 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 410 units (351 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 451 units (409 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 689 units (419 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 732 units (439 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 215 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 532 units (465 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 639 units (519 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 50 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 676 units (608 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 755 units (607 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 78 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 713 units (676 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 790 units (765 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 924 units (775 single-family, 135 in 2–4 unit, 14 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 821 units (775 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 18 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 979 units (925 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 938 units (844 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252024 high · 9792009 low · 35104008001,2002004: 859 units (681 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 104 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 826 units (758 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 841 units (789 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 819 units (651 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 69 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 446 units (322 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 12 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 351 units (262 single-family, 89 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 550 units (267 single-family, 51 in 2–4 unit, 232 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 376 units (303 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 410 units (351 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 451 units (409 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 689 units (419 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 732 units (439 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 215 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 532 units (465 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 639 units (519 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 50 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 676 units (608 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 755 units (607 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 78 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 713 units (676 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 790 units (765 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 924 units (775 single-family, 135 in 2–4 unit, 14 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 821 units (775 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 18 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 979 units (925 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 938 units (844 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252024 high · 979

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Myrtle Beach (1.3% in five-plus buildings). Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 6.9% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2010 (232), single-family houses in 2024 (925).

2021–202591.7%92%6.9%1.4%2004–200688.2%88%7.7%4.1%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202591.7%92%6.9%1.4%2004–200688.2%88%7.7%4.1%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 3 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Cleveland, with 2,141 units or 48% of the total, followed by Bradley County (unincorporated) with 1,290.

  • Cleveland48% (2,141 units)
  • Bradley County (unincorporated)29% (1,290 units)
  • Polk County (unincorporated)23% (1,021 units)

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

Relative to population

With 134,057 residents in July 2025, Cleveland, TN authorized 6.8 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, 1.5 times the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Dover (6.8) and Knoxville (6.8).

The wider Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton region

The Census Bureau groups Cleveland, TN with 2 neighboring metro areas in the Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 4,709 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Cleveland, TN accounted for 19%. The others, with their yearly averages: Chattanooga (3,264), Dalton (555).

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 9 other metro areas, among them Helena, Idaho Falls, Midland, MI. Annual permits fell from 859 during the mid-2000s boom to 351 in 2009, a drop of 59%. The nearest bust profile in the East South Central states was Dothan's (61%). The 2021–2025 pace of 890 units a year is 5.7% above the 2004–2006 pace.

Where in the metro

Bradley County accounted for 77% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Polk County for 23%.

  • Bradley County77% (788 in 2025)
  • Polk County23% (150 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Wheeling, WV-OH50.260%
Cleveland, TN9386.81.4%
Battle Creek, MI1200.80%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA3734.454%
Napa, CA3645.165%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Cleveland, TN beside Wheeling

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