HousingPermits

Metro area in New York · part of the Ithaca-Cortland, NY combined area

Ithaca, NY

The Ithaca metro area authorized 471 new housing units in 2025. Relative to population, the rate was 4.5 units per 1,000 residents in 2025, the second-highest rate of the 32 metro areas based in the Middle Atlantic states. Recent building has outrun the boom: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 37% above the 2004–2006 average, the second-largest recovery by this measure among the 32 metro areas based in the Middle Atlantic states.

02505007501,0002004: 241 units (220 single-family, 21 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 340 units (224 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 102 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 307 units (162 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 129 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 273 units (158 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 103 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 231 units (122 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 103 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 127 units (100 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 15 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 153 units (113 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 32 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 153 units (102 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 269 units (112 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 119 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 220 units (115 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 69 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 301 units (140 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 147 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 279 units (138 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 109 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 575 units (121 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 406 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 468 units (115 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 327 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 805 units (155 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 626 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 823 units (87 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 706 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 329 units (76 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 245 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 644 units (107 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 513 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 239 units (173 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 54 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 343 units (146 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 183 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 337 units (145 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 175 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 471 units (146 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 287 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252019 high · 8232009 low · 12703006009002004: 241 units (220 single-family, 21 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 340 units (224 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 102 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 307 units (162 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 129 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 273 units (158 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 103 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 231 units (122 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 103 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 127 units (100 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 15 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 153 units (113 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 32 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 153 units (102 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 269 units (112 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 119 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 220 units (115 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 69 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 301 units (140 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 147 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 279 units (138 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 109 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 575 units (121 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 406 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 468 units (115 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 327 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 805 units (155 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 626 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 823 units (87 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 706 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 329 units (76 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 245 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 644 units (107 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 513 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 239 units (173 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 54 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 343 units (146 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 183 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 337 units (145 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 175 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 471 units (146 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 287 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252019 high · 823

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

In Ithaca, 35% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 60% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Champaign (60% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 26%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.2% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2019 (706), single-family houses in 2005 (224).

2021–202535.3%35%5.2%59.6%60%2004–200668.2%68%5.7%26.0%26%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202535.3%35%5.2%59.6%60%2004–200668.2%68%5.7%26.0%26%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 15 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Ithaca, with 1,048 units or 52% of the total, followed by Lansing town with 282. Among the three largest, Ithaca put 76% of its units in five-plus buildings, Dryden town 51%.

  • Ithaca52% (1,048 units)
  • Lansing town14% (282 units)
  • Dryden town12% (238 units)
  • Dryden village4.2% (86 units)
  • Trumansburg village3.2% (66 units)
  • Enfield town2.7% (54 units)
  • Danby town2.6% (53 units)
  • Lansing village2% (41 units)

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

Boom, bust and since

Ithaca authorized the most units in 2019 (823); 2025 reached 57% of that. Its peak year is shared by 4 other metro areas, among them Hinesville, Elmira, Odessa. Annual permits fell from 340 during the mid-2000s boom to 127 in 2009, a drop of 63%. The nearest bust profile in the Middle Atlantic states was Albany, NY's (62%). From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 40%.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Grand Forks, ND-MN2281.912%
Mankato, MN3564.651%
Fond du Lac, WI1901.78.4%
Ithaca, NY4713.960%
Gadsden, AL1231.46.5%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Ithaca beside Gadsden

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