HousingPermits

Metro area in California · part of the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA combined area

Modesto, CA

The Modesto metro area authorized 1,205 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 96%, from 4,525 at the 2004–2006 high to 164 in 2011, the fifth-deepest drop among the 387 US metro areas. Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 77% below the 2004–2006 average, the weakest recovery by this measure among the 55 metro areas of 500,000 to 999,999 residents.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 4,521 units (4,027 single-family, 77 in 2–4 unit, 417 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,525 units (4,085 single-family, 47 in 2–4 unit, 393 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,644 units (2,271 single-family, 80 in 2–4 unit, 293 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,865 units (1,352 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 461 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 481 units (460 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 364 units (279 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 85 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 292 units (159 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 133 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 164 units (113 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 51 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 285 units (183 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 100 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 319 units (280 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 39 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 454 units (404 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 50 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 413 units (413 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 573 units (573 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 719 units (644 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 67 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 759 units (684 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 65 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 699 units (611 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 81 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 552 units (512 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 811 units (667 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 140 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 674 units (636 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 29 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 810 units (716 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 84 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 902 units (833 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 63 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,205 units (894 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 300 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 4,5252011 low · 16402,0004,0006,0002004: 4,521 units (4,027 single-family, 77 in 2–4 unit, 417 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,525 units (4,085 single-family, 47 in 2–4 unit, 393 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,644 units (2,271 single-family, 80 in 2–4 unit, 293 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,865 units (1,352 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 461 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 481 units (460 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 364 units (279 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 85 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 292 units (159 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 133 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 164 units (113 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 51 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 285 units (183 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 100 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 319 units (280 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 39 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 454 units (404 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 50 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 413 units (413 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 573 units (573 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 719 units (644 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 67 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 759 units (684 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 65 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 699 units (611 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 81 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 552 units (512 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 811 units (667 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 140 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 674 units (636 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 29 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 810 units (716 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 84 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 902 units (833 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 63 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,205 units (894 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 300 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 4,525

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its 2025 total was only 27% of the 2005 high of 4,525 units, the third-furthest below a series peak among the 55 metro areas of 500,000 to 999,999 residents.

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Port St. Lucie, Portland, ME, Reno. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 34%.

Relative to population

With 557,719 residents in July 2025, Modesto authorized 1.6 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Redding (1.6) and Monroe, MI (1.6).

Houses or apartments

In Modesto, 85% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 14% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Albany, GA (14% in five-plus buildings).

2021–202585.1%85%0.9%14.0%14%2004–200688.8%89%1.7%9.4%9%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202585.1%85%0.9%14.0%14%2004–200688.8%89%1.7%9.4%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 10 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Modesto, with 1,540 units or 35% of the total, followed by Riverbank with 746. Among the three largest, Modesto put 34% of its units in five-plus buildings, Riverbank 0%.

  • Modesto35% (1,540 units)
  • Riverbank17% (746 units)
  • Turlock13% (562 units)
  • Patterson8.9% (392 units)
  • Stanislaus County (unincorporated)8% (353 units)
  • Hughson7.8% (345 units)
  • Oakdale5.5% (240 units)
  • Waterford2.4% (104 units)

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

The wider San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland region

The Census Bureau groups Modesto with 7 neighboring metro areas in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 22,449 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Modesto accounted for 3.9%. The others, with their yearly averages: San Francisco (9,196), San Jose (5,974), Stockton (3,269), Vallejo (1,256), Merced (691), Napa (688) and 1 more.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Port St. Lucie, FL4,85312.116%
Lancaster, PA1,2962.430%
Modesto, CA1,2051.614%
Huntsville, AL4,5199.825%
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL3,3276.53.3%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Modesto beside Huntsville

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