HousingPermits

Metro area in Alabama · part of the Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope, AL combined area

Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL

The Daphne-Fairhope-Foley metro area authorized 2,665 new housing units in 2025. Relative to population, the rate was 14.2 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the highest rate of the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states. The housing bust cut annual permits by 90%, from 6,715 at the 2004–2006 high to 696 in 2010, the deepest drop among the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states.

02,0004,0006,0008,0002004: 4,759 units (3,442 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 1,218 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 6,715 units (4,145 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 2,530 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 5,686 units (2,776 single-family, 53 in 2–4 unit, 2,857 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,271 units (1,992 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 247 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,166 units (1,268 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 863 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 983 units (788 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 189 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 696 units (682 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 10 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 756 units (738 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 18 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,184 units (1,184 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,327 units (1,217 single-family, 110 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,384 units (1,364 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,203 units (1,622 single-family, 131 in 2–4 unit, 450 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,520 units (2,137 single-family, 171 in 2–4 unit, 212 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,417 units (2,207 single-family, 190 in 2–4 unit, 20 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,047 units (2,459 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 570 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,150 units (2,740 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 346 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,614 units (3,395 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 205 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,705 units (3,315 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 390 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,417 units (3,141 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 240 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 4,363 units (3,316 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 1,015 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,883 units (3,394 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 481 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,665 units (2,517 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 132 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 6,7152010 low · 69602,5005,0007,5002004: 4,759 units (3,442 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 1,218 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 6,715 units (4,145 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 2,530 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 5,686 units (2,776 single-family, 53 in 2–4 unit, 2,857 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,271 units (1,992 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 247 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,166 units (1,268 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 863 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 983 units (788 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 189 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 696 units (682 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 10 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 756 units (738 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 18 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,184 units (1,184 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,327 units (1,217 single-family, 110 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,384 units (1,364 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,203 units (1,622 single-family, 131 in 2–4 unit, 450 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,520 units (2,137 single-family, 171 in 2–4 unit, 212 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,417 units (2,207 single-family, 190 in 2–4 unit, 20 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,047 units (2,459 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 570 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,150 units (2,740 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 346 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,614 units (3,395 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 205 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,705 units (3,315 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 390 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,417 units (3,141 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 240 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 4,363 units (3,316 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 1,015 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,883 units (3,394 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 481 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,665 units (2,517 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 132 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 6,715

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its population grew 15% between 2020 and 2025, the tenth-fastest growth among the 387 US metro areas.

Houses or apartments

In Daphne, 87% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 12% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Merced (12% in five-plus buildings). Apartment building has lost ground since 2004–2006, when the five-plus share was 38%.

2021–202587.0%87%0.5%12.5%12%2004–200660.4%60%1.1%38.5%38%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202587.0%87%0.5%12.5%2004–200660.4%60%1.1%38.5%38%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Daphne authorized the most units in 2005 (6,715); 2025 reached 40% of that. Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Bend, Lynchburg, Evansville. The 2021–2025 pace of 3,607 units a year is 37% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 6 years in a row up to 2016. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 31%.

The wider Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope region

The Census Bureau groups Daphne with one neighboring metro area in the Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope, AL combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 4,708 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Daphne accounted for 77%. The other, with its yearly average: Mobile (1,101).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 12 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Foley, with 4,450 units or 25% of the total, followed by Baldwin County (unincorporated) with 4,142.

  • Foley25% (4,450 units)
  • Baldwin County (unincorporated)23% (4,142 units)
  • Gulf Shores10% (1,874 units)
  • Fairhope9.6% (1,727 units)
  • Daphne8.9% (1,602 units)
  • Orange Beach6.4% (1,149 units)
  • Loxley5.4% (971 units)
  • Silverhill town4.2% (756 units)

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

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Fargo, ND-MN1,4987.448%
Lynchburg, VA1,1153.921%
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL2,66514.212%
Bend, OR3,12210.335%
Erie, PA2430.933%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Daphne beside Bend

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