HousingPermits

Metro area in Washington · part of the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA combined area

Longview-Kelso, WA

The Longview-Kelso metro area authorized 308 new housing units in 2025. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 15% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the lowest share among the 11 metro areas based in Washington. The housing bust cut annual permits by 84%, from 703 at the 2004–2006 high to 113 in 2011, the deepest drop among the 11 metro areas based in Washington.

02004006008002004: 409 units (383 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 10 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 515 units (469 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 14 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 703 units (620 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 578 units (485 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 83 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 276 units (268 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 147 units (147 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 131 units (116 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 113 units (113 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 132 units (132 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 195 units (155 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 178 units (160 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 178 units (168 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 308 units (273 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 484 units (464 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 318 units (294 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 351 units (309 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 346 units (331 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 348 units (286 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 54 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 585 units (311 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 198 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 308 units (288 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 353 units (297 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 308 units (298 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252006 high · 7032011 low · 11302505007502004: 409 units (383 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 10 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 515 units (469 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 14 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 703 units (620 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 578 units (485 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 83 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 276 units (268 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 147 units (147 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 131 units (116 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 113 units (113 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 132 units (132 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 195 units (155 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 178 units (160 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 178 units (168 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 308 units (273 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 484 units (464 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 318 units (294 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 351 units (309 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 346 units (331 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 348 units (286 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 54 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 585 units (311 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 198 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 308 units (288 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 353 units (297 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 308 units (298 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252006 high · 703

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 6 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Cowlitz County (unincorporated), with 1,277 units or 67% of the total, followed by Longview with 359. Among the three largest, Longview put 26% of its units in five-plus buildings, Kelso 0%.

  • Cowlitz County (unincorporated)67% (1,277 units)
  • Longview19% (359 units)
  • Kelso5.4% (103 units)
  • Kalama4.1% (78 units)
  • Woodland3.7% (71 units)
  • Castle Rock0.7% (14 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 Dalton (15% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 5.4%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 6.8% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (198), single-family houses in 2006 (620).

2021–202577.8%78%6.8%15.4%15%2004–200690.5%90%4.1%5.4%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202577.8%78%6.8%15.4%15%2004–200690.5%90%4.1%5.4%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Longview, WA authorized the most units in 2006 (703); 2025 reached 44% of that. Its peak year is shared by 30 other metro areas, among them Sebring, Farmington, Salisbury. The 2021–2025 pace of 380 units a year is 30% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 13%.

The wider Portland-Vancouver-Salem region

The Census Bureau groups Longview, WA with 4 neighboring metro areas in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 14,535 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Longview, WA accounted for 2.6%. The others, with their yearly averages: Portland, OR (11,431), Salem (2,044), Albany, OR (364), Corvallis (315).

Relative to population

With 114,885 residents in July 2025, Longview, WA authorized 3.4 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Miami (3.4) and Albuquerque (3.3).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Lewiston-Auburn, ME4533.231%
Anniston-Oxford, AL1440.80%
Longview-Kelso, WA3083.415%
Owensboro, KY2552.512%
Muncie, IN3281.634%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Longview, WA beside Owensboro

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