HousingPermits

Metro area in Kentucky · part of the Louisville/Jefferson County--Elizabethtown, KY-IN combined area

Elizabethtown, KY

The Elizabethtown metro area authorized 491 new housing units in 2025. Permits fell 51% between 2024 and 2025, the fifth-steepest decline among the 387 US metro areas. Single-family houses made up 43% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the lowest share among the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states.

05001,0001,5002,0002004: 1,160 units (987 single-family, 57 in 2–4 unit, 116 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,325 units (996 single-family, 242 in 2–4 unit, 87 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,146 units (859 single-family, 155 in 2–4 unit, 132 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,043 units (678 single-family, 75 in 2–4 unit, 290 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 616 units (403 single-family, 113 in 2–4 unit, 100 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 460 units (383 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,242 units (707 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 500 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 714 units (270 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 394 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 507 units (283 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 154 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 427 units (311 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 106 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 407 units (217 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 244 units (218 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 386 units (239 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 129 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 425 units (343 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 380 units (314 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 34 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 383 units (319 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 24 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 632 units (383 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 152 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 413 units (365 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 12 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,034 units (380 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 584 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,742 units (428 single-family, 319 in 2–4 unit, 995 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,010 units (446 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 464 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 491 units (399 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252023 high · 1,7422015 low · 24408001,6002,4002004: 1,160 units (987 single-family, 57 in 2–4 unit, 116 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,325 units (996 single-family, 242 in 2–4 unit, 87 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,146 units (859 single-family, 155 in 2–4 unit, 132 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,043 units (678 single-family, 75 in 2–4 unit, 290 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 616 units (403 single-family, 113 in 2–4 unit, 100 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 460 units (383 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,242 units (707 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 500 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 714 units (270 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 394 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 507 units (283 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 154 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 427 units (311 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 106 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 407 units (217 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 244 units (218 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 386 units (239 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 129 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 425 units (343 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 380 units (314 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 34 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 383 units (319 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 24 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 632 units (383 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 152 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 413 units (365 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 12 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,034 units (380 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 584 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,742 units (428 single-family, 319 in 2–4 unit, 995 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,010 units (446 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 464 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 491 units (399 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252023 high · 1,742

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes supplied 12% of its units in 2021–2025, the second-highest share among the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 6 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Elizabethtown, with 2,828 units or 60% of the total, followed by Hardin County (unincorporated) with 602. Among the three largest, Elizabethtown put 64% of its units in five-plus buildings, Hardin County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Elizabethtown60% (2,828 units)
  • Hardin County (unincorporated)13% (602 units)
  • Radcliff12% (547 units)
  • Vine Grove8.9% (416 units)
  • Larue County (unincorporated)6.3% (296 units)
  • West Point0% (1 unit)

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

Relative to population

With 128,666 residents in July 2025, Elizabethtown authorized 7.3 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, 1.6 times the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Fargo (7.4) and College Station (7.3).

Boom, bust and since

Elizabethtown authorized the most units in 2023 (1,742); 2025 reached 28% of that. Its peak year is shared by 8 other metro areas, among them Flagstaff, Sherman, Santa Fe. Annual permits fell from 1,325 during the mid-2000s boom to 460 in 2009, a drop of 65%. The nearest bust profile in the East South Central states was Gulfport's (66%). Its quietest year came later, in 2015 (244 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 938 units a year is 22% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Colorado Springs (45% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 9.2%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2023 (995), single-family houses in 2005 (996).

2021–202543.0%43%12.3%12%44.7%45%2004–200678.3%78%12.5%13%9.2%9%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202543.0%43%12.3%44.7%45%2004–200678.3%78%12.5%9.2%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider Louisville/Jefferson County--Elizabethtown region

The Census Bureau groups Elizabethtown with one neighboring metro area in the Louisville/Jefferson County--Elizabethtown, KY-IN combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 7,094 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Elizabethtown accounted for 13%. The other, with its yearly average: Louisville (6,156).

Where in the metro

Hardin County accounted for 94% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Larue County for 6.3%.

  • Hardin County94% (432 in 2025)
  • Larue County6.3% (59 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Morristown, TN5896.04.1%
Bozeman, MT1,54415.739%
Missoula, MT8898.259%
Elizabethtown, KY4917.345%
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA1,0867.230%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Elizabethtown beside Missoula

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