HousingPermits

Metro area in New Mexico · part of the El Paso-Las Cruces, TX-NM combined area

Las Cruces, NM

The Las Cruces metro area authorized 833 new housing units in 2025. Relative to population, the rate was 4.5 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the highest rate of the 4 metro areas based in New Mexico. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 1.9% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the lowest share among the 4 metro areas based in New Mexico.

08001,6002,4003,2002004: 1,675 units (1,355 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 307 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,511 units (2,211 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 256 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,385 units (2,070 single-family, 96 in 2–4 unit, 219 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,424 units (1,374 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 985 units (947 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,139 units (854 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 285 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 974 units (799 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 644 units (616 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 951 units (703 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 240 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 784 units (677 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 107 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 617 units (606 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 11 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 760 units (719 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 11 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 770 units (757 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 11 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,126 units (803 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 316 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 965 units (843 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 120 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 978 units (876 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 96 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,109 units (1,033 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,338 units (1,239 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 95 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,105 units (1,079 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 861 units (837 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 964 units (834 single-family, 130 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 833 units (744 single-family, 89 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 2,5112014 low · 61701,0002,0003,0002004: 1,675 units (1,355 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 307 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,511 units (2,211 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 256 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,385 units (2,070 single-family, 96 in 2–4 unit, 219 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,424 units (1,374 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 985 units (947 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,139 units (854 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 285 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 974 units (799 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 644 units (616 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 951 units (703 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 240 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 784 units (677 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 107 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 617 units (606 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 11 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 760 units (719 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 11 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 770 units (757 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 11 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,126 units (803 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 316 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 965 units (843 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 120 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 978 units (876 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 96 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,109 units (1,033 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,338 units (1,239 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 95 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,105 units (1,079 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 861 units (837 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 964 units (834 single-family, 130 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 833 units (744 single-family, 89 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 2,511

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes supplied 5.4% of its units in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 4 metro areas based in New Mexico.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Hinesville (1.9% in five-plus buildings). Apartment building has lost ground since 2004–2006, when the five-plus share was 12%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2017 (316), single-family houses in 2005 (2,211).

2021–202592.8%93%5.4%1.9%2004–200685.8%86%2.3%11.9%12%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202592.8%93%5.4%1.9%2004–200685.8%86%2.3%11.9%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 3 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Las Cruces, with 3,533 units or 69% of the total, followed by Dona Ana County (unincorporated) with 1,168.

  • Las Cruces69% (3,533 units)
  • Dona Ana County (unincorporated)23% (1,168 units)
  • Sunland Park7.8% (400 units)

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

Boom, bust and since

Las Cruces authorized the most units in 2005 (2,511); 2025 reached 33% of that. Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Panama City, Topeka, Monroe, LA. Annual permits fell from 2,511 during the mid-2000s boom to 644 in 2011, a drop of 74%. The nearest bust profile in the Mountain states was Boulder's (75%). Its quietest year came later, in 2014 (617 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 1,020 units a year is 53% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 14%.

The wider El Paso-Las Cruces region

The Census Bureau groups Las Cruces with one neighboring metro area in the El Paso-Las Cruces, TX-NM combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 3,434 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Las Cruces accounted for 30%. The other, with its yearly average: El Paso (2,414).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Las Cruces, NM8334.51.9%
Charlottesville, VA2,1356.834%
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN4,0589.373%
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ1,8179.21.9%
Burlington-South Burlington, VT1,2585.054%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Las Cruces beside Charlottesville

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