HousingPermits

Metro area in Kentucky · part of the Lexington-Fayette--Richmond--Frankfort, KY combined area

Lexington-Fayette, KY

The Lexington-Fayette metro area authorized 2,327 new housing units in 2025. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2004, with 5,121 units; 2025 came to 45% of that. Buildings of five or more units took 37% of its 2021–2025 units, more than the national 34%.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 5,121 units (4,175 single-family, 134 in 2–4 unit, 812 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,007 units (4,315 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 638 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,677 units (3,058 single-family, 121 in 2–4 unit, 498 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,569 units (2,342 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 153 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,819 units (1,392 single-family, 147 in 2–4 unit, 1,280 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,633 units (1,279 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 328 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,361 units (1,155 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 180 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,501 units (1,009 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 462 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,318 units (1,218 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 1,040 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,654 units (1,335 single-family, 75 in 2–4 unit, 244 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,888 units (1,319 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 506 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,206 units (1,381 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 777 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,732 units (1,480 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 1,200 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,326 units (1,602 single-family, 90 in 2–4 unit, 634 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,772 units (1,404 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 1,280 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,246 units (1,308 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 909 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,330 units (1,451 single-family, 107 in 2–4 unit, 772 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,943 units (1,760 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 1,139 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,709 units (1,460 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 1,155 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,442 units (1,319 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 1,053 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,201 units (1,392 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 710 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,327 units (1,556 single-family, 110 in 2–4 unit, 661 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 5,1212010 low · 1,36102,0004,0006,0002004: 5,121 units (4,175 single-family, 134 in 2–4 unit, 812 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,007 units (4,315 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 638 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,677 units (3,058 single-family, 121 in 2–4 unit, 498 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,569 units (2,342 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 153 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,819 units (1,392 single-family, 147 in 2–4 unit, 1,280 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,633 units (1,279 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 328 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,361 units (1,155 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 180 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,501 units (1,009 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 462 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,318 units (1,218 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 1,040 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,654 units (1,335 single-family, 75 in 2–4 unit, 244 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,888 units (1,319 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 506 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,206 units (1,381 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 777 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,732 units (1,480 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 1,200 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,326 units (1,602 single-family, 90 in 2–4 unit, 634 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,772 units (1,404 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 1,280 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,246 units (1,308 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 909 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,330 units (1,451 single-family, 107 in 2–4 unit, 772 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,943 units (1,760 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 1,139 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,709 units (1,460 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 1,155 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,442 units (1,319 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 1,053 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,201 units (1,392 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 710 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,327 units (1,556 single-family, 110 in 2–4 unit, 661 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 5,121

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 7 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Lexington-Fayette, with 6,872 units or 54% of the total, followed by Scott County with 2,267. Among the three largest, Lexington-Fayette put 55% of its units in five-plus buildings, Nicholasville 9.8%.

  • Lexington-Fayette54% (6,872 units)
  • Scott County18% (2,267 units)
  • Nicholasville10% (1,323 units)
  • Clark County6.7% (841 units)
  • Woodford County3.8% (485 units)
  • Jessamine County (unincorporated)3.6% (450 units)
  • Bourbon County3% (384 units)

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

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Pensacola, Lancaster, New Haven. Annual permits fell from 5,121 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,361 in 2010, a drop of 73%. The nearest bust profile in the East South Central states was Kingsport's (73%). The 2021–2025 pace of 2,524 units a year is 45% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 5.7%.

Where in the metro

Fayette County accounted for 54% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Scott County for 18%.

  • Fayette County54% (1,052 in 2025)
  • Scott County18% (393 in 2025)
  • Jessamine County14% (512 in 2025)
  • Clark County6.7% (166 in 2025)
  • Woodford County3.8% (95 in 2025)
  • Bourbon County3% (109 in 2025)

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Utica (37% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 14%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2008 (1,280), single-family houses in 2005 (4,315).

2021–202559.3%59%3.3%37.4%37%2004–200683.7%84%2.2%14.1%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202559.3%59%3.3%37.4%37%2004–200683.7%84%2.2%14.1%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Relative to population

With 535,174 residents in July 2025, Lexington authorized 4.8 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, close to the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Johnson City (4.9) and Sacramento (4.7).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Modesto, CA1,2051.614%
Huntsville, AL4,5199.825%
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL3,3276.53.3%
Lexington-Fayette, KY2,3274.837%
Killeen-Temple, TX3,3587.616%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Lexington beside Pensacola

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