HousingPermits

Metro area in Maine · part of the Portland-Lewiston-South Portland, ME combined area

Lewiston-Auburn, ME

The Lewiston-Auburn metro area authorized 453 new housing units in 2025. Relative to population, the rate was 3.2 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the third-highest rate of the 17 metro areas based in the New England states. Permits rose 31% between 2024 and 2025, the third-largest increase among the 17 metro areas based in the New England states.

01503004506002004: 545 units (525 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 521 units (486 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 320 units (304 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 252 units (246 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 219 units (186 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 23 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 167 units (153 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 206 units (162 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 34 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 148 units (146 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 129 units (125 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 123 units (121 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 91 units (91 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 74 units (74 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 185 units (143 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 252 units (169 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 77 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 300 units (177 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 117 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 228 units (156 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 68 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 275 units (179 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 84 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 221 units (178 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 484 units (238 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 242 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 347 units (250 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 81 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 346 units (263 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 57 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 453 units (269 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 164 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 5452015 low · 7402004006002004: 545 units (525 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 521 units (486 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 320 units (304 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 252 units (246 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 219 units (186 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 23 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 167 units (153 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 206 units (162 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 34 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 148 units (146 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 129 units (125 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 123 units (121 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 91 units (91 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 74 units (74 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 185 units (143 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 252 units (169 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 77 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 300 units (177 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 117 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 228 units (156 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 68 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 275 units (179 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 84 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 221 units (178 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 484 units (238 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 242 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 347 units (250 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 81 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 346 units (263 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 57 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 453 units (269 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 164 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 545

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its population grew 4.8% between 2020 and 2025, the second-fastest growth among the 17 metro areas based in the New England states.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 14 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Auburn, with 536 units or 29% of the total, followed by Lewiston with 328. Among the three largest, Auburn put 70% of its units in five-plus buildings, Turner town 0%.

  • Auburn29% (536 units)
  • Lewiston18% (328 units)
  • Turner town7.5% (138 units)
  • Sabattus town7.1% (132 units)
  • Mechanic Falls town5.4% (100 units)
  • Greene town5.2% (97 units)
  • Livermore Falls town4.8% (88 units)
  • Durham town4.6% (85 units)

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

The wider Portland-Lewiston-South Portland region

The Census Bureau groups Lewiston, ME with one neighboring metro area in the Portland-Lewiston-South Portland, ME combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 3,772 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Lewiston, ME accounted for 9.8%. The other, with its yearly average: Portland, ME (3,402).

Boom, bust and since

Lewiston, ME authorized the most units in 2004 (545); 2025 reached 83% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Sheboygan, St. Joseph, Altoona. Annual permits fell from 545 during the mid-2000s boom to 129 in 2012, a drop of 76%. The nearest bust profile in the New England states was Manchester's (76%). Its quietest year came later, in 2015 (74 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 370 units a year is 20% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Houses or apartments

In Lewiston, ME, 65% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 31% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Grand Junction (31% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 1.7%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (242), single-family houses in 2004 (525).

2021–202564.7%65%4.0%31.3%31%2004–200694.9%95%3.4%1.7%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202564.7%65%4.0%31.3%31%2004–200694.9%95%3.4%1.7%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Brunswick-St. Simons, GA6318.017%
Sheboygan, WI3642.841%
Lewiston-Auburn, ME4533.231%
Anniston-Oxford, AL1440.80%
Longview-Kelso, WA3083.415%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Lewiston, ME beside Anniston

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