HousingPermits

Metro area in Indiana · part of the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN combined area

Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN

The Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood metro area authorized 11,463 new housing units in 2025, the third-largest total of the 60 metro areas based in the East North Central states. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 5.8 units a year in 2021–2025, 1.2 times the national rate of 4.7. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2005, with 16,046 units; 2025 came to 71% of that.

05,00010k15k20k2004: 15,791 units (12,721 single-family, 740 in 2–4 unit, 2,330 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 16,046 units (12,910 single-family, 683 in 2–4 unit, 2,453 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 11,634 units (9,581 single-family, 680 in 2–4 unit, 1,373 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 8,467 units (7,264 single-family, 459 in 2–4 unit, 744 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 7,034 units (4,428 single-family, 185 in 2–4 unit, 2,421 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 5,635 units (3,628 single-family, 139 in 2–4 unit, 1,868 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 5,943 units (3,845 single-family, 373 in 2–4 unit, 1,725 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 5,317 units (3,669 single-family, 166 in 2–4 unit, 1,482 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 4,977 units (4,047 single-family, 196 in 2–4 unit, 734 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 8,176 units (5,073 single-family, 251 in 2–4 unit, 2,852 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 7,948 units (4,937 single-family, 251 in 2–4 unit, 2,760 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 8,689 units (5,128 single-family, 202 in 2–4 unit, 3,359 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 7,722 units (5,783 single-family, 308 in 2–4 unit, 1,631 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 8,985 units (6,673 single-family, 185 in 2–4 unit, 2,127 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 8,777 units (7,176 single-family, 125 in 2–4 unit, 1,476 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 9,534 units (7,025 single-family, 202 in 2–4 unit, 2,307 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 10,862 units (8,269 single-family, 354 in 2–4 unit, 2,239 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 13,332 units (10,046 single-family, 406 in 2–4 unit, 2,880 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 13,441 units (8,528 single-family, 242 in 2–4 unit, 4,671 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 12,479 units (7,179 single-family, 340 in 2–4 unit, 4,960 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 11,788 units (9,168 single-family, 306 in 2–4 unit, 2,314 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 11,463 units (9,322 single-family, 167 in 2–4 unit, 1,974 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 16,0462012 low · 4,97706,00012k18k2004: 15,791 units (12,721 single-family, 740 in 2–4 unit, 2,330 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 16,046 units (12,910 single-family, 683 in 2–4 unit, 2,453 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 11,634 units (9,581 single-family, 680 in 2–4 unit, 1,373 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 8,467 units (7,264 single-family, 459 in 2–4 unit, 744 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 7,034 units (4,428 single-family, 185 in 2–4 unit, 2,421 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 5,635 units (3,628 single-family, 139 in 2–4 unit, 1,868 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 5,943 units (3,845 single-family, 373 in 2–4 unit, 1,725 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 5,317 units (3,669 single-family, 166 in 2–4 unit, 1,482 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 4,977 units (4,047 single-family, 196 in 2–4 unit, 734 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 8,176 units (5,073 single-family, 251 in 2–4 unit, 2,852 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 7,948 units (4,937 single-family, 251 in 2–4 unit, 2,760 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 8,689 units (5,128 single-family, 202 in 2–4 unit, 3,359 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 7,722 units (5,783 single-family, 308 in 2–4 unit, 1,631 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 8,985 units (6,673 single-family, 185 in 2–4 unit, 2,127 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 8,777 units (7,176 single-family, 125 in 2–4 unit, 1,476 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 9,534 units (7,025 single-family, 202 in 2–4 unit, 2,307 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 10,862 units (8,269 single-family, 354 in 2–4 unit, 2,239 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 13,332 units (10,046 single-family, 406 in 2–4 unit, 2,880 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 13,441 units (8,528 single-family, 242 in 2–4 unit, 4,671 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 12,479 units (7,179 single-family, 340 in 2–4 unit, 4,960 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 11,788 units (9,168 single-family, 306 in 2–4 unit, 2,314 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 11,463 units (9,322 single-family, 167 in 2–4 unit, 1,974 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 16,046

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its population grew 5.4% between 2020 and 2025, the fastest growth among the 60 metro areas based in the East North Central states.

Where in the metro

Hamilton County accounted for 39% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Marion County for 17%.

  • Hamilton County39% (4,146 in 2025)
  • Marion County17% (1,342 in 2025)
  • Hendricks County11% (1,654 in 2025)
  • Johnson County9.5% (1,088 in 2025)
  • Hancock County9.5% (1,212 in 2025)
  • Boone County7.3% (1,195 in 2025)
  • Morgan County2.8% (376 in 2025)
  • Madison County2% (186 in 2025)
  • Shelby County1.6% (192 in 2025)
  • Brown County0.6% (59 in 2025)
  • Tipton County0.2% (13 in 2025)

The wider Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie region

The Census Bureau groups Indianapolis with 3 neighboring metro areas in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 13,034 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Indianapolis accounted for 96%. The others, with their yearly averages: Columbus, IN (196), Muncie (179), Kokomo (158).

Houses or apartments

In Indianapolis, 71% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 27% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Cape Coral (27% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 14%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2023 (4,960), single-family houses in 2005 (12,910).

2021–202570.8%71%2.3%26.9%27%2004–200681.0%81%4.8%14.2%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202570.8%71%2.3%26.9%27%2004–200681.0%81%4.8%14.2%14%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 Kansas City, Las Vegas, Portland, OR. Annual permits fell from 16,046 during the mid-2000s boom to 4,977 in 2012, a drop of 69%. The nearest bust profile in the East North Central states was Columbus, OH's (69%). The 2021–2025 pace of 12,501 units a year is 14% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 58 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Indianapolis, with 9,795 units or 16% of the total, followed by Westfield with 9,476.

  • Indianapolis16% (9,795 units)
  • Westfield15% (9,476 units)
  • Noblesville7.9% (4,963 units)
  • Carmel7.6% (4,772 units)
  • Fishers6.4% (4,019 units)
  • Whitestown town4.4% (2,744 units)
  • Greenwood4.1% (2,552 units)
  • Brownsburg town3.3% (2,037 units)

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

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Kansas City, MO-KS9,8934.439%
Columbus, OH15,7576.052%
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN11,4635.827%
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN19,20311.739%
Cleveland, OH4,1741.821%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Indianapolis beside Nashville

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