HousingPermits

Metro area in Tennessee · part of the Knoxville-Morristown-Sevierville, TN combined area

Knoxville, TN

The Knoxville metro area authorized 7,855 new housing units in 2025, the second-largest total of the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states. No year in the 2004–2025 record brought more permits than 2025, a distinction it shares with 16 other metro areas. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 6.8 units a year in 2021–2025, 1.5 times the national rate of 4.7.

02,5005,0007,50010k2004: 6,057 units (5,058 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 900 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,865 units (5,331 single-family, 137 in 2–4 unit, 397 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 6,631 units (5,407 single-family, 79 in 2–4 unit, 1,145 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,986 units (4,173 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 776 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,121 units (2,306 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 733 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,131 units (1,533 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 539 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,427 units (1,606 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 812 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,326 units (1,268 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,050 units (1,577 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 465 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,381 units (2,039 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 330 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,109 units (2,095 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,000 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,060 units (2,592 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 464 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,637 units (2,917 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 710 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 4,574 units (3,372 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 1,196 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 4,413 units (3,690 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 671 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 4,004 units (3,042 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 954 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 5,462 units (3,953 single-family, 136 in 2–4 unit, 1,373 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 6,072 units (4,767 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 1,280 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,907 units (3,878 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 987 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 6,469 units (4,286 single-family, 224 in 2–4 unit, 1,959 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 6,946 units (4,845 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 2,049 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 7,855 units (4,969 single-family, 106 in 2–4 unit, 2,780 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252025 high · 7,8552011 low · 1,32603,0006,0009,0002004: 6,057 units (5,058 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 900 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,865 units (5,331 single-family, 137 in 2–4 unit, 397 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 6,631 units (5,407 single-family, 79 in 2–4 unit, 1,145 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,986 units (4,173 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 776 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,121 units (2,306 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 733 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,131 units (1,533 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 539 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,427 units (1,606 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 812 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,326 units (1,268 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,050 units (1,577 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 465 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,381 units (2,039 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 330 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,109 units (2,095 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,000 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,060 units (2,592 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 464 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,637 units (2,917 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 710 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 4,574 units (3,372 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 1,196 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 4,413 units (3,690 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 671 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 4,004 units (3,042 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 954 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 5,462 units (3,953 single-family, 136 in 2–4 unit, 1,373 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 6,072 units (4,767 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 1,280 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,907 units (3,878 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 987 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 6,469 units (4,286 single-family, 224 in 2–4 unit, 1,959 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 6,946 units (4,845 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 2,049 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 7,855 units (4,969 single-family, 106 in 2–4 unit, 2,780 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252025 high · 7,855

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 29 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Knox County (unincorporated), with 12,086 units or 38% of the total, followed by Knoxville with 6,499. Among the three largest, Knoxville put 72% of its units in five-plus buildings, Blount County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Knox County (unincorporated)38% (12,086 units)
  • Knoxville20% (6,499 units)
  • Blount County (unincorporated)8.9% (2,865 units)
  • Loudon County (unincorporated)6.2% (2,011 units)
  • Lenoir City4.3% (1,378 units)
  • Oak Ridge4% (1,299 units)
  • Roane County (unincorporated)3.1% (1,006 units)
  • Campbell County (unincorporated)2.6% (838 units)

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

Where in the metro

Knox County accounted for 59% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Blount County for 13%.

  • Knox County59% (5,013 in 2025)
  • Blount County13% (790 in 2025)
  • Loudon County12% (869 in 2025)
  • Anderson County6.4% (428 in 2025)
  • Roane County3.3% (380 in 2025)
  • Campbell County2.9% (156 in 2025)
  • Union County2% (154 in 2025)
  • Grainger County1.1% (65 in 2025)
  • Morgan County0% (0 in 2025)

The wider Knoxville-Morristown-Sevierville region

The Census Bureau groups Knoxville with one neighboring metro area in the Knoxville-Morristown-Sevierville, TN combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 7,193 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Knoxville accounted for 90%. The other, with its yearly average: Morristown (743).

Houses or apartments

In Knoxville, 70% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 28% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Terre Haute (28% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 13%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2025 (2,780), single-family houses in 2006 (5,407).

2021–202570.5%70%1.4%28.1%28%2004–200685.1%85%1.7%13.2%13%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202570.5%70%1.4%28.1%28%2004–200685.1%85%1.7%13.2%13%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 16 other metro areas, among them Bridgeport, North Port, Syracuse. Annual permits fell from 6,631 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,326 in 2011, a drop of 80%. The nearest bust profile in the East South Central states was Paducah's (80%). The 2021–2025 pace of 6,450 units a year is 4.3% above the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 13%.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Urban Honolulu, HI1,4461.853%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT3,4782.168%
New Orleans-Metairie, LA1,6942.221%
Knoxville, TN7,8556.828%
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL17,64217.628%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Knoxville beside New Orleans

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