HousingPermits

Metro area in Pennsylvania

Lancaster, PA

The Lancaster metro area authorized 1,296 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 57%, from 2,675 at the 2004–2006 high to 1,160 in 2012, the mildest drop among the 16 metro areas based in Pennsylvania. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 2.4 units a year in 2021–2025, 52% of the national rate of 4.7.

08001,6002,4003,2002004: 2,675 units (2,268 single-family, 166 in 2–4 unit, 241 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,040 units (1,812 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 82 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,887 units (1,705 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 106 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,731 units (1,386 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 301 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,484 units (1,170 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 276 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,262 units (990 single-family, 106 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,381 units (1,149 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 180 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,204 units (731 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 376 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,160 units (781 single-family, 111 in 2–4 unit, 268 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,258 units (980 single-family, 62 in 2–4 unit, 216 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,109 units (970 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 101 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,154 units (968 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 168 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,287 units (1,013 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 240 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,436 units (979 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 385 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,251 units (966 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 217 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,496 units (985 single-family, 58 in 2–4 unit, 453 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,338 units (795 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 456 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,039 units (737 single-family, 89 in 2–4 unit, 213 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,429 units (945 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 408 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,859 units (1,229 single-family, 21 in 2–4 unit, 609 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,184 units (755 single-family, 53 in 2–4 unit, 376 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,296 units (818 single-family, 49 in 2–4 unit, 429 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 2,6752021 low · 1,03901,0002,0003,0002004: 2,675 units (2,268 single-family, 166 in 2–4 unit, 241 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,040 units (1,812 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 82 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,887 units (1,705 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 106 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,731 units (1,386 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 301 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,484 units (1,170 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 276 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,262 units (990 single-family, 106 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,381 units (1,149 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 180 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,204 units (731 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 376 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,160 units (781 single-family, 111 in 2–4 unit, 268 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,258 units (980 single-family, 62 in 2–4 unit, 216 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,109 units (970 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 101 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,154 units (968 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 168 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,287 units (1,013 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 240 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,436 units (979 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 385 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,251 units (966 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 217 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,496 units (985 single-family, 58 in 2–4 unit, 453 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,338 units (795 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 456 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,039 units (737 single-family, 89 in 2–4 unit, 213 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,429 units (945 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 408 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,859 units (1,229 single-family, 21 in 2–4 unit, 609 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,184 units (755 single-family, 53 in 2–4 unit, 376 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,296 units (818 single-family, 49 in 2–4 unit, 429 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 2,675

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Lancaster authorized the most units in 2004 (2,675); 2025 reached 48% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them New Haven, Pensacola, Lexington. Its quietest year came later, in 2021 (1,039 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 1,361 units a year is 38% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 9.5%.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 59 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Lancaster, with 763 units or 11% of the total, followed by Manheim township with 570. Among the three largest, East Lampeter township put 80% of its units in five-plus buildings, Lancaster 25%.

  • Lancaster11% (763 units)
  • Manheim township8.4% (570 units)
  • East Lampeter township8.1% (553 units)
  • East Hempfield township7.7% (526 units)
  • Penn township7.1% (486 units)
  • Pequea township5.4% (367 units)
  • Warwick township5.1% (345 units)
  • Mount Joy township4.5% (309 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Lancaster, 66% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 30% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Waco (30% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 6.5%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2023 (609), single-family houses in 2004 (2,268).

2021–202565.9%66%4.2%29.9%30%2004–200687.6%88%5.9%6.5%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202565.9%66%4.2%29.9%30%2004–200687.6%88%5.9%6.5%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA6391.17.5%
Port St. Lucie, FL4,85312.116%
Lancaster, PA1,2962.430%
Modesto, CA1,2051.614%
Huntsville, AL4,5199.825%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Lancaster beside Modesto

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