HousingPermits

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

Flint, MI

The Flint metro area authorized 444 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 97%, from 2,398 at the 2004–2006 high to 66 in 2011, the third-deepest drop among the 387 US metro areas. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 1.1 units a year in 2021–2025, 23% of the national rate of 4.7.

08001,6002,4003,2002004: 2,398 units (2,158 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 216 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,854 units (1,756 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 88 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 980 units (777 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 184 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 476 units (434 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 32 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 219 units (146 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 32 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 149 units (83 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 78 units (78 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 66 units (66 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 122 units (122 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 227 units (227 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 343 units (271 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 70 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 413 units (345 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 50 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 374 units (322 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 434 units (404 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 20 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 630 units (435 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 167 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 576 units (441 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 23 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 485 units (393 single-family, 92 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 510 units (489 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 406 units (324 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 26 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 380 units (236 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 420 units (339 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 68 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 444 units (366 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 2,3982011 low · 6601,0002,0003,0002004: 2,398 units (2,158 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 216 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,854 units (1,756 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 88 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 980 units (777 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 184 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 476 units (434 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 32 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 219 units (146 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 32 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 149 units (83 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 78 units (78 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 66 units (66 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 122 units (122 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 227 units (227 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 343 units (271 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 70 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 413 units (345 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 50 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 374 units (322 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 434 units (404 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 20 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 630 units (435 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 167 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 576 units (441 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 23 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 485 units (393 single-family, 92 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 510 units (489 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 406 units (324 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 26 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 380 units (236 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 420 units (339 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 68 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 444 units (366 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 2,398

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Flint authorized the most units in 2004 (2,398); 2025 reached 18% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Canton, Anchorage, Naples. The 2021–2025 pace of 432 units a year is 75% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 5.7%.

Houses or apartments

In Flint, 81% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 11% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Greenville, SC (11% in five-plus buildings). Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 7.4% of units, against 3.5% nationally.

2021–202581.2%81%7.4%11.4%11%2004–200689.7%90%1.0%9.3%9%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202581.2%81%7.4%11.4%2004–200689.7%90%1.0%9.3%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor region

The Census Bureau groups Flint 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); Flint accounted for 4.4%. The others, with their yearly averages: Detroit (7,957), Ann Arbor (1,090), Monroe, MI (243).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 28 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Grand Blanc charter township, with 405 units or 19% of the total, followed by Fenton charter township with 394. Among the three largest, Grand Blanc charter township put 40% of its units in five-plus buildings, Fenton charter township 0%.

  • Grand Blanc charter township19% (405 units)
  • Fenton charter township18% (394 units)
  • Mundy township13% (274 units)
  • Davison township8.1% (175 units)
  • Flint8.1% (175 units)
  • Burton7.5% (161 units)
  • Linden3% (64 units)
  • Fenton2.3% (50 units)

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

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Flint, MI4441.111%
Canton-Massillon, OH6431.723%
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX9603.06.4%
Trenton-Princeton, NJ1,1642.753%
Tallahassee, FL2,7427.048%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Flint beside Canton

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