HousingPermits

Metro area in Nebraska · part of the Lincoln-Beatrice, NE combined area

Lincoln, NE

The Lincoln metro area authorized 2,402 new housing units in 2025. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 55% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the third-highest share among the 85 metro areas of 250,000 to 499,999 residents. Recent building has outrun the boom: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 27% above the 2004–2006 average, the third-largest recovery by this measure among the 34 metro areas based in the West North Central states.

01,0002,0003,0004,0002004: 2,706 units (2,083 single-family, 77 in 2–4 unit, 546 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,780 units (1,545 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 195 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,424 units (1,198 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 198 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,349 units (1,065 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 238 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 823 units (676 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 83 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 728 units (682 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 42 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,032 units (648 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 312 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,059 units (680 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 373 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,249 units (859 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 386 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,587 units (1,052 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 529 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,994 units (1,052 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 934 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,548 units (1,090 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,454 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,384 units (1,143 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 1,210 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,508 units (1,271 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 1,203 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,804 units (1,117 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 652 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,098 units (1,088 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 982 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,038 units (1,230 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 771 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,607 units (1,378 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 1,203 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,349 units (1,132 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 2,176 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,137 units (849 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 1,259 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,036 units (1,077 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 943 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,402 units (1,024 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,364 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252022 high · 3,3492009 low · 72801,5003,0004,5002004: 2,706 units (2,083 single-family, 77 in 2–4 unit, 546 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,780 units (1,545 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 195 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,424 units (1,198 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 198 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,349 units (1,065 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 238 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 823 units (676 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 83 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 728 units (682 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 42 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,032 units (648 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 312 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,059 units (680 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 373 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,249 units (859 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 386 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,587 units (1,052 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 529 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,994 units (1,052 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 934 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,548 units (1,090 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,454 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,384 units (1,143 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 1,210 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,508 units (1,271 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 1,203 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,804 units (1,117 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 652 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,098 units (1,088 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 982 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,038 units (1,230 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 771 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,607 units (1,378 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 1,203 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,349 units (1,132 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 2,176 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,137 units (849 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 1,259 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,036 units (1,077 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 943 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,402 units (1,024 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,364 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252022 high · 3,349

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 19 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Lincoln, with 11,368 units or 91% of the total, followed by Hickman with 374. Among the three largest, Lincoln put 59% of its units in five-plus buildings, Lancaster County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Lincoln91% (11,368 units)
  • Hickman3% (374 units)
  • Lancaster County (unincorporated)1.8% (230 units)
  • Seward1.3% (169 units)
  • Waverly1% (130 units)
  • Seward County (unincorporated)1% (127 units)
  • Milford0.2% (26 units)
  • Hallam village0.2% (25 units)

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

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Sioux Falls (56% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 16%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (2,176), single-family houses in 2004 (2,083).

2021–202543.6%44%1.0%55.4%55%2004–200681.7%82%2.5%15.9%16%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202543.6%44%1.0%55.4%55%2004–200681.7%82%2.5%15.9%16%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Relative to population

With 352,081 residents in July 2025, Lincoln authorized 7.2 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, 1.6 times the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Logan (7.3) and Wenatchee (7.2).

Boom, bust and since

Lincoln authorized the most units in 2022 (3,349); 2025 reached 72% of that. Its peak year is shared by 19 other metro areas, among them Greeley, Sioux Falls, Salem. Annual permits fell from 2,706 during the mid-2000s boom to 728 in 2009, a drop of 73%. The nearest bust profile in the West North Central states was Duluth's (74%). Permits rose 6 years in a row up to 2015. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 18%.

Where in the metro

Lancaster County accounted for 97% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Seward County for 2.8%.

  • Lancaster County97% (2,346 in 2025)
  • Seward County2.8% (56 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH3090.921%
Peoria, IL2340.726%
Gainesville, FL3,6747.752%
Lincoln, NE2,4027.255%
Clarksville, TN-KY2,9169.941%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Lincoln beside Clarksville

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