HousingPermits

Metro area in Michigan · part of the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI combined area

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area authorized 8,805 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 15 metro areas based in Michigan. The housing bust cut annual permits by 94%, from 21,808 at the 2004–2006 high to 1,333 in 2009, the deepest drop among the 56 metro areas with 1 million or more residents. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 1.8 units a year in 2021–2025, 39% of the national rate of 4.7.

06,00012k18k24k2004: 21,808 units (17,399 single-family, 593 in 2–4 unit, 3,816 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 16,392 units (13,631 single-family, 447 in 2–4 unit, 2,314 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 8,920 units (7,468 single-family, 291 in 2–4 unit, 1,161 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,325 units (3,833 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 420 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,590 units (1,937 single-family, 239 in 2–4 unit, 414 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,333 units (1,261 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 33 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,210 units (2,430 single-family, 199 in 2–4 unit, 581 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,366 units (2,862 single-family, 119 in 2–4 unit, 385 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 4,525 units (4,107 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 336 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 6,352 units (5,442 single-family, 265 in 2–4 unit, 645 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 6,295 units (4,830 single-family, 260 in 2–4 unit, 1,205 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 7,304 units (5,192 single-family, 241 in 2–4 unit, 1,871 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 7,659 units (5,711 single-family, 302 in 2–4 unit, 1,646 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 10,089 units (6,838 single-family, 332 in 2–4 unit, 2,919 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 7,163 units (6,131 single-family, 231 in 2–4 unit, 801 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 7,813 units (5,193 single-family, 242 in 2–4 unit, 2,378 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 7,165 units (5,193 single-family, 240 in 2–4 unit, 1,732 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 8,598 units (5,666 single-family, 271 in 2–4 unit, 2,661 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 7,945 units (4,698 single-family, 371 in 2–4 unit, 2,876 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 6,734 units (4,541 single-family, 393 in 2–4 unit, 1,800 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 7,704 units (4,878 single-family, 557 in 2–4 unit, 2,269 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 8,805 units (4,859 single-family, 723 in 2–4 unit, 3,223 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 21,8082009 low · 1,33308,00016k24k2004: 21,808 units (17,399 single-family, 593 in 2–4 unit, 3,816 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 16,392 units (13,631 single-family, 447 in 2–4 unit, 2,314 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 8,920 units (7,468 single-family, 291 in 2–4 unit, 1,161 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,325 units (3,833 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 420 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,590 units (1,937 single-family, 239 in 2–4 unit, 414 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,333 units (1,261 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 33 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,210 units (2,430 single-family, 199 in 2–4 unit, 581 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,366 units (2,862 single-family, 119 in 2–4 unit, 385 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 4,525 units (4,107 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 336 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 6,352 units (5,442 single-family, 265 in 2–4 unit, 645 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 6,295 units (4,830 single-family, 260 in 2–4 unit, 1,205 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 7,304 units (5,192 single-family, 241 in 2–4 unit, 1,871 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 7,659 units (5,711 single-family, 302 in 2–4 unit, 1,646 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 10,089 units (6,838 single-family, 332 in 2–4 unit, 2,919 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 7,163 units (6,131 single-family, 231 in 2–4 unit, 801 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 7,813 units (5,193 single-family, 242 in 2–4 unit, 2,378 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 7,165 units (5,193 single-family, 240 in 2–4 unit, 1,732 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 8,598 units (5,666 single-family, 271 in 2–4 unit, 2,661 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 7,945 units (4,698 single-family, 371 in 2–4 unit, 2,876 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 6,734 units (4,541 single-family, 393 in 2–4 unit, 1,800 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 7,704 units (4,878 single-family, 557 in 2–4 unit, 2,269 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 8,805 units (4,859 single-family, 723 in 2–4 unit, 3,223 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 21,808

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Detroit authorized the most units in 2004 (21,808); 2025 reached 40% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Riverside, Minneapolis, Phoenix. The 2021–2025 pace of 7,957 units a year is 49% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 14%.

Where in the metro

Wayne County accounted for 33% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Oakland County for 32%.

  • Wayne County33% (3,922 in 2025)
  • Oakland County32% (2,023 in 2025)
  • Macomb County19% (1,931 in 2025)
  • Livingston County9.5% (531 in 2025)
  • St. Clair County3.9% (219 in 2025)
  • Lapeer County2.3% (179 in 2025)

The wider Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor region

The Census Bureau groups Detroit with 3 neighboring metro areas in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 9,723 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Detroit accounted for 82%. The others, with their yearly averages: Ann Arbor (1,090), Flint (432), Monroe, MI (243).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 160 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Detroit, with 8,166 units or 20% of the total, followed by Livingston County Part (unincorporated) with 2,941. Among the three largest, Detroit put 68% of its units in five-plus buildings, Macomb township 6.1%.

  • Detroit20% (8,166 units)
  • Livingston County Part (unincorporated)7.4% (2,941 units)
  • Macomb township4.4% (1,739 units)
  • Canton charter township3.8% (1,516 units)
  • Sterling Heights3.7% (1,468 units)
  • Lyon charter township3.6% (1,418 units)
  • Shelby charter township2.6% (1,037 units)
  • Chesterfield township2.2% (885 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Detroit, 62% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 32% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Portland, ME (32% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 16%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.8% of units, against 3.5% nationally.

2021–202561.9%62%5.8%32.2%32%2004–200681.7%82%2.8%15.5%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202561.9%62%5.8%32.2%32%2004–200681.7%82%2.8%15.5%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA15,9373.628%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA7,7502.062%
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI8,8051.832%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA15,6595.361%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI14,5165.249%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Detroit beside Seattle

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