HousingPermits

Metro area in North Carolina · part of the Fayetteville-Lumberton-Pinehurst, NC combined area

Fayetteville, NC

The Fayetteville metro area authorized 2,105 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 47%, from 4,325 at the 2004–2006 high to 2,306 in 2008, the third-mildest drop among the 85 metro areas of 250,000 to 499,999 residents. Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 59% below the 2004–2006 average, the weakest recovery by this measure among the 15 metro areas based in North Carolina.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 3,528 units (2,321 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 1,202 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,325 units (2,935 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 1,363 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,115 units (3,187 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 874 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,664 units (2,083 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 565 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,306 units (1,464 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 840 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,664 units (1,798 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 844 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,609 units (1,610 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 1,996 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,807 units (1,465 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 1,336 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,040 units (1,376 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 1,638 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,890 units (1,269 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 621 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,089 units (1,012 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 77 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,386 units (889 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 495 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 953 units (833 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 112 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 935 units (874 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 61 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 819 units (803 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,200 units (908 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 282 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,049 units (977 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 66 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,275 units (1,023 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 252 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,442 units (1,114 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 328 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,490 units (1,456 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,915 units (1,711 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 196 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,105 units (1,379 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 716 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 4,3252018 low · 81901,5003,0004,5002004: 3,528 units (2,321 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 1,202 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,325 units (2,935 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 1,363 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,115 units (3,187 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 874 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,664 units (2,083 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 565 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,306 units (1,464 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 840 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,664 units (1,798 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 844 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,609 units (1,610 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 1,996 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,807 units (1,465 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 1,336 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,040 units (1,376 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 1,638 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,890 units (1,269 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 621 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,089 units (1,012 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 77 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,386 units (889 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 495 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 953 units (833 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 112 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 935 units (874 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 61 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 819 units (803 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,200 units (908 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 282 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,049 units (977 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 66 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,275 units (1,023 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 252 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,442 units (1,114 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 328 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,490 units (1,456 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,915 units (1,711 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 196 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,105 units (1,379 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 716 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 4,325

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its 2025 total was only 49% of the 2005 high of 4,325 units, the furthest below a series peak among the 15 metro areas based in North Carolina.

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Tallahassee, Montgomery, Shreveport. Its quietest year came later, in 2018 (819 units). Permits rose 5 years in a row up to 2025. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 9.9%.

Houses or apartments

In Fayetteville, NC, 81% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 18% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Manhattan (18% in five-plus buildings). Apartment building has lost ground since 2004–2006, when the five-plus share was 29%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2010 (1,996), single-family houses in 2006 (3,187).

2021–202581.2%81%0.3%18.5%18%2004–200670.5%71%0.7%28.7%29%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202581.2%81%0.3%18.5%18%2004–200670.5%71%0.7%28.7%29%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 6 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Fayetteville, with 3,133 units or 38% of the total, followed by Hoke County (unincorporated) with 2,352. Among the three largest, Fayetteville put 38% of its units in five-plus buildings, Cumberland County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Fayetteville38% (3,133 units)
  • Hoke County (unincorporated)29% (2,352 units)
  • Cumberland County (unincorporated)24% (1,999 units)
  • Hope Mills town5.4% (441 units)
  • Spring Lake town1.9% (153 units)
  • Raeford1.8% (149 units)

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

The wider Fayetteville-Lumberton-Pinehurst region

The Census Bureau groups Fayetteville, NC with one neighboring metro area in the Fayetteville-Lumberton-Pinehurst, NC combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 2,604 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Fayetteville, NC accounted for 63%. The other, with its yearly average: Pinehurst (958).

Where in the metro

Cumberland County accounted for 70% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Hoke County for 30%.

  • Cumberland County70% (1,547 in 2025)
  • Hoke County30% (558 in 2025)

Relative to population

With 395,412 residents in July 2025, Fayetteville, NC authorized 4.2 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, close to the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Joplin (4.2) and Green Bay (4.1).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Canton-Massillon, OH6431.723%
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX9603.06.4%
Trenton-Princeton, NJ1,1642.753%
Tallahassee, FL2,7427.048%
Fayetteville, NC2,1054.218%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Fayetteville, NC beside Tallahassee

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