HousingPermits

Metro area in Kentucky, Indiana · part of the Louisville/Jefferson County--Elizabethtown, KY-IN combined area

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

The Louisville/Jefferson County metro area authorized 6,103 new housing units in 2025, the third-largest total of the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states. Its 2025 total reached 70% of the 2004 high, the closest to a series peak among the 6 metro areas based in Kentucky. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 4.5 units a year in 2021–2025, close to the national rate of 4.7.

02,5005,0007,50010k2004: 8,689 units (7,592 single-family, 218 in 2–4 unit, 879 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 7,134 units (6,503 single-family, 130 in 2–4 unit, 501 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 5,665 units (4,709 single-family, 209 in 2–4 unit, 747 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,062 units (4,443 single-family, 156 in 2–4 unit, 1,463 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,691 units (2,561 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 1,058 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,410 units (2,154 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 165 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,525 units (2,009 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 460 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,397 units (1,737 single-family, 69 in 2–4 unit, 591 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,671 units (2,365 single-family, 92 in 2–4 unit, 1,214 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,017 units (2,551 single-family, 79 in 2–4 unit, 1,387 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 4,263 units (2,611 single-family, 121 in 2–4 unit, 1,531 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 4,159 units (2,904 single-family, 152 in 2–4 unit, 1,103 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 5,367 units (3,340 single-family, 45 in 2–4 unit, 1,982 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 6,031 units (3,644 single-family, 122 in 2–4 unit, 2,265 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 5,767 units (3,338 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 2,369 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,169 units (3,457 single-family, 138 in 2–4 unit, 2,574 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 4,963 units (4,000 single-family, 163 in 2–4 unit, 800 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 5,934 units (4,502 single-family, 130 in 2–4 unit, 1,302 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 5,820 units (3,699 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 1,975 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 7,129 units (3,249 single-family, 184 in 2–4 unit, 3,696 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 5,796 units (3,690 single-family, 212 in 2–4 unit, 1,894 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 6,103 units (3,567 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 2,436 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 8,6892011 low · 2,39704,0008,00012k2004: 8,689 units (7,592 single-family, 218 in 2–4 unit, 879 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 7,134 units (6,503 single-family, 130 in 2–4 unit, 501 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 5,665 units (4,709 single-family, 209 in 2–4 unit, 747 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,062 units (4,443 single-family, 156 in 2–4 unit, 1,463 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,691 units (2,561 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 1,058 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,410 units (2,154 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 165 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,525 units (2,009 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 460 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,397 units (1,737 single-family, 69 in 2–4 unit, 591 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,671 units (2,365 single-family, 92 in 2–4 unit, 1,214 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,017 units (2,551 single-family, 79 in 2–4 unit, 1,387 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 4,263 units (2,611 single-family, 121 in 2–4 unit, 1,531 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 4,159 units (2,904 single-family, 152 in 2–4 unit, 1,103 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 5,367 units (3,340 single-family, 45 in 2–4 unit, 1,982 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 6,031 units (3,644 single-family, 122 in 2–4 unit, 2,265 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 5,767 units (3,338 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 2,369 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,169 units (3,457 single-family, 138 in 2–4 unit, 2,574 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 4,963 units (4,000 single-family, 163 in 2–4 unit, 800 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 5,934 units (4,502 single-family, 130 in 2–4 unit, 1,302 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 5,820 units (3,699 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 1,975 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 7,129 units (3,249 single-family, 184 in 2–4 unit, 3,696 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 5,796 units (3,690 single-family, 212 in 2–4 unit, 1,894 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 6,103 units (3,567 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 2,436 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 8,689

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 23 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Louisville-Jefferson County (unincorporated), with 14,181 units or 46% of the total, followed by Jeffersonville with 2,692. Among the three largest, Louisville-Jefferson County (unincorporated) put 57% of its units in five-plus buildings, Bullitt County 18%.

  • Louisville-Jefferson County (unincorporated)46% (14,181 units)
  • Jeffersonville8.7% (2,692 units)
  • Bullitt County7.2% (2,201 units)
  • Oldham County5.7% (1,758 units)
  • Clark County (unincorporated)5.2% (1,606 units)
  • Shelby County5.2% (1,589 units)
  • Nelson County4.3% (1,335 units)
  • Floyd County (unincorporated)3.7% (1,136 units)

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

Where in the metro

Jefferson County accounted for 46% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Clark County for 18%. The part in Indiana supplied 26%.

  • Jefferson County, KY46% (3,001 in 2025)
  • Clark County, IN18% (794 in 2025)
  • Bullitt County, KY7.2% (654 in 2025)
  • Oldham County, KY5.7% (276 in 2025)
  • Shelby County, KY5.2% (269 in 2025)
  • Floyd County, IN4.6% (376 in 2025)
  • Nelson County, KY4.3% (222 in 2025)
  • Harrison County, IN2.6% (159 in 2025)
  • Meade County, KY2.1% (165 in 2025)
  • Spencer County, KY1.8% (85 in 2025)
  • Henry County, KY1% (68 in 2025)
  • Washington County, IN0.6% (34 in 2025)

The wider Louisville/Jefferson County--Elizabethtown region

The Census Bureau groups Louisville with one neighboring metro area in the Louisville/Jefferson County--Elizabethtown, KY-IN combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 7,094 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Louisville accounted for 87%. The other, with its yearly average: Elizabethtown (938).

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids. Annual permits fell from 8,689 during the mid-2000s boom to 2,397 in 2011, a drop of 72%. The nearest bust profile in the East South Central states was Johnson City's (72%). The 2021–2025 pace of 6,156 units a year is 14% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 5.3%.

Houses or apartments

In Louisville, 61% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 37% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Rochester, NY (37% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 9.9%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2023 (3,696), single-family houses in 2004 (7,592).

2021–202560.8%61%2.5%36.7%37%2004–200687.5%88%2.6%9.9%10%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202560.8%61%2.5%36.7%37%2004–200687.5%88%2.6%9.9%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Oklahoma City, OK8,5765.29.5%
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN6,1034.537%
Richmond, VA9,0917.046%
Memphis, TN-MS-AR3,2983.120%
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT7,7026.954%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Louisville beside Richmond

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