HousingPermits

Metro area in Texas · part of the El Paso-Las Cruces, TX-NM combined area

El Paso, TX

The El Paso metro area authorized 2,050 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 41%, from 5,405 at the 2004–2006 high to 3,191 in 2009, the ninth-mildest drop among the 387 US metro areas. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2005, with 5,405 units; 2025 came to 38% of that.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 3,942 units (3,407 single-family, 420 in 2–4 unit, 115 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,405 units (4,333 single-family, 243 in 2–4 unit, 829 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,140 units (3,877 single-family, 160 in 2–4 unit, 103 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,379 units (3,190 single-family, 210 in 2–4 unit, 979 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,981 units (2,897 single-family, 140 in 2–4 unit, 944 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,191 units (2,640 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 475 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 4,549 units (2,961 single-family, 176 in 2–4 unit, 1,412 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 4,153 units (3,280 single-family, 255 in 2–4 unit, 618 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 4,355 units (3,176 single-family, 83 in 2–4 unit, 1,096 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,097 units (2,613 single-family, 545 in 2–4 unit, 939 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,043 units (2,260 single-family, 234 in 2–4 unit, 549 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 4,491 units (2,518 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 1,869 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,054 units (2,219 single-family, 161 in 2–4 unit, 674 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,277 units (2,373 single-family, 235 in 2–4 unit, 669 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,416 units (1,751 single-family, 184 in 2–4 unit, 481 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,066 units (2,433 single-family, 292 in 2–4 unit, 341 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,562 units (2,330 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 128 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,989 units (2,655 single-family, 135 in 2–4 unit, 199 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,465 units (2,146 single-family, 92 in 2–4 unit, 227 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,247 units (1,967 single-family, 98 in 2–4 unit, 182 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,320 units (2,077 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 143 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,050 units (1,790 single-family, 118 in 2–4 unit, 142 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 5,4052025 low · 2,05002,0004,0006,0002004: 3,942 units (3,407 single-family, 420 in 2–4 unit, 115 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,405 units (4,333 single-family, 243 in 2–4 unit, 829 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,140 units (3,877 single-family, 160 in 2–4 unit, 103 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,379 units (3,190 single-family, 210 in 2–4 unit, 979 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,981 units (2,897 single-family, 140 in 2–4 unit, 944 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,191 units (2,640 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 475 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 4,549 units (2,961 single-family, 176 in 2–4 unit, 1,412 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 4,153 units (3,280 single-family, 255 in 2–4 unit, 618 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 4,355 units (3,176 single-family, 83 in 2–4 unit, 1,096 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,097 units (2,613 single-family, 545 in 2–4 unit, 939 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,043 units (2,260 single-family, 234 in 2–4 unit, 549 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 4,491 units (2,518 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 1,869 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,054 units (2,219 single-family, 161 in 2–4 unit, 674 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,277 units (2,373 single-family, 235 in 2–4 unit, 669 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,416 units (1,751 single-family, 184 in 2–4 unit, 481 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,066 units (2,433 single-family, 292 in 2–4 unit, 341 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,562 units (2,330 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 128 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,989 units (2,655 single-family, 135 in 2–4 unit, 199 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,465 units (2,146 single-family, 92 in 2–4 unit, 227 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,247 units (1,967 single-family, 98 in 2–4 unit, 182 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,320 units (2,077 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 143 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,050 units (1,790 single-family, 118 in 2–4 unit, 142 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 5,405

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 6 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was El Paso, with 9,662 units or 80% of the total, followed by Socorro with 1,127.

  • El Paso80% (9,662 units)
  • Socorro9.3% (1,127 units)
  • Horizon City7.7% (927 units)
  • Vinton village2.2% (267 units)
  • Clint town0.7% (84 units)
  • Anthony town0% (4 units)

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

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Cape Coral, Allentown, Lakeland. Its quietest year came later, in 2025 (2,050 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 2,414 units a year is 46% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 12%.

Houses or apartments

In El Paso, 88% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 7.4% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Scranton (7.5% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2015 (1,869), single-family houses in 2005 (4,333).

2021–202588.1%88%4.5%7.4%2004–200686.1%86%6.1%7.8%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202588.1%88%4.5%7.4%2004–200686.1%86%6.1%7.8%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Relative to population

With 881,291 residents in July 2025, El Paso authorized 2.8 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Lebanon (2.8) and Blacksburg (2.7).

The wider El Paso-Las Cruces region

The Census Bureau groups El Paso with one neighboring metro area in the El Paso-Las Cruces, TX-NM combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 3,434 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); El Paso accounted for 70%. The other, with its yearly average: Las Cruces (1,020).

Where in the metro

El Paso County accounted for 100% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025. Hudspeth County has no permit-issuing places in the survey.

  • El Paso County100% (2,050 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ1,9742.533%
El Paso, TX2,0502.87.4%
Columbia, SC6,0707.017%
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL13,54716.527%
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL8,23613.821%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put El Paso beside Columbia, SC

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