HousingPermits

Metro area in Alabama · part of the Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope, AL combined area

Mobile, AL

The Mobile metro area authorized 1,102 new housing units in 2025. Permits fell 36% between 2024 and 2025, the third-steepest decline among the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2006, with 2,777 units; 2025 came to 40% of that.

08001,6002,4003,2002004: 2,370 units (1,749 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 587 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,183 units (1,861 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 322 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,777 units (2,316 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 409 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,484 units (1,828 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 651 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,416 units (1,434 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 972 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,635 units (1,217 single-family, 47 in 2–4 unit, 1,371 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,026 units (895 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 128 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,541 units (706 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 796 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 896 units (712 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 156 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 872 units (624 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 234 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 746 units (746 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 907 units (648 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 249 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,195 units (754 single-family, 33 in 2–4 unit, 408 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 998 units (660 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 332 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 783 units (763 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 20 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 742 units (739 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 934 units (934 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,022 units (970 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 52 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 750 units (738 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 917 units (851 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 56 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,715 units (1,377 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 264 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,102 units (986 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 102 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252006 high · 2,7772019 low · 74201,0002,0003,0002004: 2,370 units (1,749 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 587 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,183 units (1,861 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 322 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,777 units (2,316 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 409 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,484 units (1,828 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 651 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,416 units (1,434 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 972 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,635 units (1,217 single-family, 47 in 2–4 unit, 1,371 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,026 units (895 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 128 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,541 units (706 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 796 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 896 units (712 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 156 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 872 units (624 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 234 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 746 units (746 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 907 units (648 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 249 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,195 units (754 single-family, 33 in 2–4 unit, 408 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 998 units (660 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 332 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 783 units (763 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 20 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 742 units (739 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 934 units (934 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,022 units (970 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 52 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 750 units (738 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 917 units (851 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 56 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,715 units (1,377 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 264 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,102 units (986 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 102 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252006 high · 2,777

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

In Mobile, 89% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 8.6% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Blacksburg (8.7% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2009 (1,371), single-family houses in 2006 (2,316).

2021–202589.4%89%2.0%8.6%9%2004–200680.8%81%1.2%18.0%18%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202589.4%89%2.0%8.6%2004–200680.8%81%1.2%18.0%18%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 30 other metro areas, among them Lafayette, LA, Corpus Christi, Springfield, MA. Annual permits fell from 2,777 during the mid-2000s boom to 896 in 2012, a drop of 68%. The nearest bust profile in the East South Central states was Auburn's (68%). Its quietest year came later, in 2019 (742 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 1,101 units a year is 55% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 12 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Mobile County (unincorporated), with 2,640 units or 48% of the total, followed by Mobile with 1,324. Among the three largest, Mobile put 28% of its units in five-plus buildings, Mobile County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Mobile County (unincorporated)48% (2,640 units)
  • Mobile24% (1,324 units)
  • Semmes9.3% (511 units)
  • Saraland6.4% (354 units)
  • Dauphin Island town4.5% (248 units)
  • Prichard2.6% (145 units)
  • Satsuma2.5% (138 units)
  • Creola town0.9% (51 units)

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

Relative to population

With 411,658 residents in July 2025, Mobile authorized 2.7 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are St. Louis (2.7) and Roanoke (2.7).

The wider Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope region

The Census Bureau groups Mobile with one neighboring metro area in the Mobile-Daphne-Fairhope, AL combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 4,708 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Mobile accounted for 23%. The other, with its yearly average: Daphne (3,607).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Naples-Marco Island, FL2,73610.928%
Mobile, AL1,1022.78.6%
Spartanburg, SC4,3598.73.4%
Anchorage, AK2971.320%
Flint, MI4441.111%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Mobile beside Spartanburg

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