HousingPermits

Metro area in California · part of the Fresno-Hanford-Corcoran, CA combined area

Fresno, CA

The Fresno metro area authorized 3,518 new housing units in 2025. Single-family houses made up 87% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 56 metro areas with 1 million or more residents. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2005, with 9,668 units; 2025 came to 36% of that.

03,0006,0009,00012k2004: 8,833 units (6,865 single-family, 479 in 2–4 unit, 1,489 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 9,668 units (8,000 single-family, 254 in 2–4 unit, 1,414 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 6,654 units (5,173 single-family, 212 in 2–4 unit, 1,269 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 5,364 units (4,131 single-family, 398 in 2–4 unit, 835 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,800 units (2,327 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 421 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,348 units (2,136 single-family, 106 in 2–4 unit, 106 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,440 units (2,029 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 351 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,913 units (1,401 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 421 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,001 units (1,626 single-family, 53 in 2–4 unit, 322 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,991 units (2,565 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 359 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,106 units (1,821 single-family, 23 in 2–4 unit, 262 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,533 units (2,264 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 262 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,204 units (2,853 single-family, 75 in 2–4 unit, 276 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,348 units (2,211 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 1,025 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,432 units (2,716 single-family, 83 in 2–4 unit, 633 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 4,037 units (3,085 single-family, 273 in 2–4 unit, 679 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,982 units (3,395 single-family, 114 in 2–4 unit, 473 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,968 units (4,435 single-family, 71 in 2–4 unit, 462 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,628 units (3,824 single-family, 90 in 2–4 unit, 714 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 4,263 units (3,485 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 764 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,782 units (3,466 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 304 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,518 units (3,146 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 290 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 9,6682011 low · 1,91304,0008,00012k2004: 8,833 units (6,865 single-family, 479 in 2–4 unit, 1,489 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 9,668 units (8,000 single-family, 254 in 2–4 unit, 1,414 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 6,654 units (5,173 single-family, 212 in 2–4 unit, 1,269 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 5,364 units (4,131 single-family, 398 in 2–4 unit, 835 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,800 units (2,327 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 421 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,348 units (2,136 single-family, 106 in 2–4 unit, 106 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,440 units (2,029 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 351 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,913 units (1,401 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 421 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,001 units (1,626 single-family, 53 in 2–4 unit, 322 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,991 units (2,565 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 359 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,106 units (1,821 single-family, 23 in 2–4 unit, 262 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,533 units (2,264 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 262 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,204 units (2,853 single-family, 75 in 2–4 unit, 276 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,348 units (2,211 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 1,025 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,432 units (2,716 single-family, 83 in 2–4 unit, 633 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 4,037 units (3,085 single-family, 273 in 2–4 unit, 679 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,982 units (3,395 single-family, 114 in 2–4 unit, 473 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,968 units (4,435 single-family, 71 in 2–4 unit, 462 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,628 units (3,824 single-family, 90 in 2–4 unit, 714 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 4,263 units (3,485 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 764 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,782 units (3,466 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 304 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,518 units (3,146 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 290 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 9,668

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Williamsport (12% in five-plus buildings).

2021–202586.8%87%1.3%12.0%12%2004–200679.7%80%3.8%16.6%17%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202586.8%87%1.3%12.0%2004–200679.7%80%3.8%16.6%17%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Hartford, Tucson, Tulsa. Annual permits fell from 9,668 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,913 in 2011, a drop of 80%. The nearest bust profile in the Pacific states was Los Angeles's (80%). The 2021–2025 pace of 4,232 units a year is 50% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 5 years in a row up to 2019. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 7%.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 19 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Fresno, with 8,499 units or 40% of the total, followed by Madera County (unincorporated) with 4,456.

  • Fresno40% (8,499 units)
  • Madera County (unincorporated)21% (4,456 units)
  • Clovis18% (3,711 units)
  • Madera4.3% (916 units)
  • Fresno County (unincorporated)3.3% (698 units)
  • Reedley2.8% (599 units)
  • Sanger1.9% (398 units)
  • Fowler1.8% (389 units)

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

The wider Fresno-Hanford-Corcoran region

The Census Bureau groups Fresno with one neighboring metro area in the Fresno-Hanford-Corcoran, CA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 4,817 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Fresno accounted for 88%. The other, with its yearly average: Hanford (585).

Relative to population

With 1,203,383 residents in July 2025, Fresno authorized 3.6 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Evansville (3.6) and San Luis Obispo (3.5).

Where in the metro

Fresno County accounted for 73% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Madera County for 27%.

  • Fresno County73% (2,271 in 2025)
  • Madera County27% (1,247 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Fresno, CA3,5183.612%
Birmingham, AL4,2193.318%
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI4,2673.530%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT1,5041.558%
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY1,4841.231%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Fresno beside Birmingham

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