HousingPermits

Metro area in Wisconsin · part of the Madison-Janesville-Beloit, WI combined area

Madison, WI

The Madison metro area authorized 6,947 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 13 metro areas based in Wisconsin. Single-family houses made up 26% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the fourth-lowest share among the 387 US metro areas. Relative to population, the rate was 8.9 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the second-highest rate of the 60 metro areas based in the East North Central states.

02,0004,0006,0008,0002004: 5,576 units (3,446 single-family, 678 in 2–4 unit, 1,452 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,391 units (3,083 single-family, 536 in 2–4 unit, 1,772 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,909 units (2,070 single-family, 356 in 2–4 unit, 1,483 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,747 units (1,598 single-family, 233 in 2–4 unit, 916 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,968 units (864 single-family, 152 in 2–4 unit, 952 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,474 units (822 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 606 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,252 units (844 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 347 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,460 units (735 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 673 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,472 units (895 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 1,514 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 3,007 units (1,251 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 1,662 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,805 units (1,243 single-family, 93 in 2–4 unit, 2,469 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,498 units (1,406 single-family, 140 in 2–4 unit, 1,952 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 4,953 units (1,613 single-family, 210 in 2–4 unit, 3,130 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 4,632 units (1,656 single-family, 138 in 2–4 unit, 2,838 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,652 units (1,623 single-family, 184 in 2–4 unit, 1,845 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,343 units (1,536 single-family, 138 in 2–4 unit, 1,669 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 5,268 units (1,723 single-family, 185 in 2–4 unit, 3,360 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 7,194 units (1,737 single-family, 222 in 2–4 unit, 5,235 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 5,579 units (1,530 single-family, 213 in 2–4 unit, 3,836 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 5,361 units (1,534 single-family, 299 in 2–4 unit, 3,528 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 5,838 units (1,679 single-family, 197 in 2–4 unit, 3,962 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 6,947 units (1,725 single-family, 214 in 2–4 unit, 5,008 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 7,1942010 low · 1,25202,5005,0007,5002004: 5,576 units (3,446 single-family, 678 in 2–4 unit, 1,452 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,391 units (3,083 single-family, 536 in 2–4 unit, 1,772 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,909 units (2,070 single-family, 356 in 2–4 unit, 1,483 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,747 units (1,598 single-family, 233 in 2–4 unit, 916 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,968 units (864 single-family, 152 in 2–4 unit, 952 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,474 units (822 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 606 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,252 units (844 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 347 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,460 units (735 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 673 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,472 units (895 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 1,514 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 3,007 units (1,251 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 1,662 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 3,805 units (1,243 single-family, 93 in 2–4 unit, 2,469 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,498 units (1,406 single-family, 140 in 2–4 unit, 1,952 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 4,953 units (1,613 single-family, 210 in 2–4 unit, 3,130 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 4,632 units (1,656 single-family, 138 in 2–4 unit, 2,838 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,652 units (1,623 single-family, 184 in 2–4 unit, 1,845 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,343 units (1,536 single-family, 138 in 2–4 unit, 1,669 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 5,268 units (1,723 single-family, 185 in 2–4 unit, 3,360 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 7,194 units (1,737 single-family, 222 in 2–4 unit, 5,235 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 5,579 units (1,530 single-family, 213 in 2–4 unit, 3,836 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 5,361 units (1,534 single-family, 299 in 2–4 unit, 3,528 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 5,838 units (1,679 single-family, 197 in 2–4 unit, 3,962 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 6,947 units (1,725 single-family, 214 in 2–4 unit, 5,008 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 7,194

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Recent building has outrun the boom: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 25% above the 2004–2006 average, the second-largest recovery by this measure among the 60 metro areas based in the East North Central states.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Bloomington, IN (69% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 32%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2021 (5,235), single-family houses in 2004 (3,446).

2021–202526.5%26%3.7%69.8%70%2004–200657.8%58%10.6%11%31.6%32%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202526.5%26%3.7%69.8%70%2004–200657.8%58%10.6%31.6%32%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 69 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Madison, with 14,801 units or 48% of the total, followed by Sun Prairie with 2,037. Among the three largest, Madison put 89% of its units in five-plus buildings, Fitchburg 62%.

  • Madison48% (14,801 units)
  • Sun Prairie6.6% (2,037 units)
  • Fitchburg6.2% (1,905 units)
  • Verona5.1% (1,587 units)
  • DeForest village4.9% (1,514 units)
  • Middleton4.8% (1,492 units)
  • Cottage Grove village3.3% (1,025 units)
  • Dane County Part (unincorporated)2.6% (795 units)

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

Boom, bust and since

Madison authorized the most units in 2021 (7,194); 2025 reached 97% of that. Its peak year is shared by 27 other metro areas, among them Ogden, Des Moines, Provo. Annual permits fell from 5,576 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,252 in 2010, a drop of 78%. The nearest bust profile in the East North Central states was Terre Haute's (78%). From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 19%.

The wider Madison-Janesville-Beloit region

The Census Bureau groups Madison with one neighboring metro area in the Madison-Janesville-Beloit, WI combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 6,652 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Madison accounted for 93%. The other, with its yearly average: Janesville (468).

Where in the metro

Dane County accounted for 94% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Columbia County for 3%.

  • Dane County94% (6,629 in 2025)
  • Columbia County3% (167 in 2025)
  • Iowa County1.4% (69 in 2025)
  • Green County1.2% (82 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY2,2203.261%
Winston-Salem, NC4,6997.220%
Madison, WI6,9478.970%
Akron, OH7512.136%
Ogden, UT3,5996.440%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Madison beside Winston

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