HousingPermits

Metro area in Alabama · part of the Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL-TN combined area

Huntsville, AL

The Huntsville metro area authorized 4,519 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 12 metro areas based in Alabama. Recent building has outrun the boom: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 34% above the 2004–2006 average, the second-largest recovery by this measure among the 55 metro areas of 500,000 to 999,999 residents. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 25% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 12 metro areas based in Alabama.

02,0004,0006,0008,0002004: 3,689 units (3,425 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 246 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 3,441 units (3,423 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,470 units (4,154 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 316 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,463 units (3,280 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 1,183 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,164 units (2,425 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 739 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,988 units (2,293 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 684 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,275 units (2,275 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,019 units (2,015 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,347 units (1,927 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 420 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,250 units (1,944 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 262 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,817 units (1,784 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 983 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,607 units (2,121 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 466 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,992 units (2,320 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 672 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,959 units (2,577 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 380 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,941 units (2,870 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,566 units (3,399 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 85 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 4,341 units (4,210 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 90 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 6,172 units (4,230 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 1,910 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,035 units (3,617 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 412 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 5,940 units (3,908 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 1,938 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 5,206 units (3,972 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 1,186 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 4,519 units (3,313 single-family, 80 in 2–4 unit, 1,126 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 6,1722011 low · 2,01902,5005,0007,5002004: 3,689 units (3,425 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 246 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 3,441 units (3,423 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,470 units (4,154 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 316 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,463 units (3,280 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 1,183 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,164 units (2,425 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 739 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,988 units (2,293 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 684 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,275 units (2,275 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,019 units (2,015 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,347 units (1,927 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 420 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,250 units (1,944 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 262 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,817 units (1,784 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 983 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,607 units (2,121 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 466 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,992 units (2,320 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 672 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,959 units (2,577 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 380 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,941 units (2,870 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,566 units (3,399 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 85 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 4,341 units (4,210 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 90 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 6,172 units (4,230 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 1,910 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,035 units (3,617 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 412 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 5,940 units (3,908 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 1,938 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 5,206 units (3,972 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 1,186 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 4,519 units (3,313 single-family, 80 in 2–4 unit, 1,126 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 6,172

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

The housing bust cut annual permits by 55%, from 4,470 at the 2004–2006 high to 2,019 in 2011, the third-mildest drop among the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states.

Relative to population

With 556,444 residents in July 2025, Huntsville authorized 9.8 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, 2.1 times the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Deltona (9.8) and Orlando (9.6).

Boom, bust and since

Huntsville authorized the most units in 2021 (6,172); 2025 reached 73% of that. Its peak year is shared by 27 other metro areas, among them Ogden, Madison, Des Moines. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 13%.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 9 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Huntsville, with 9,968 units or 38% of the total, followed by Madison County (unincorporated) with 7,175. Among the three largest, Madison put 56% of its units in five-plus buildings, Madison County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Huntsville38% (9,968 units)
  • Madison County (unincorporated)28% (7,175 units)
  • Madison17% (4,477 units)
  • Athens11% (2,896 units)
  • Triana3.6% (936 units)
  • Owens Cross Roads1.2% (304 units)
  • New Hope0.3% (85 units)
  • Ardmore town0.1% (19 units)

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

The wider Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville region

The Census Bureau groups Huntsville with one neighboring metro area in the Huntsville-Decatur-Albertville, AL-TN combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 5,467 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Huntsville accounted for 95%. The other, with its yearly average: Decatur, AL (293).

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Grand Island (26% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 4.9%.

2021–202573.6%74%1.0%25.4%25%2004–200694.8%95%0.3%4.9%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202573.6%74%1.0%25.4%25%2004–200694.8%95%0.3%4.9%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Where in the metro

Madison County accounted for 89% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Limestone County for 11%.

  • Madison County89% (4,070 in 2025)
  • Limestone County11% (449 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Port St. Lucie, FL4,85312.116%
Lancaster, PA1,2962.430%
Modesto, CA1,2051.614%
Huntsville, AL4,5199.825%
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL3,3276.53.3%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Huntsville beside Modesto

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