HousingPermits

Metro area in Tennessee · part of the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro, TN combined area

Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN

The Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin metro area authorized 19,203 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 31 metro areas based in the East South Central states. Recent building has outrun the boom: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 38% above the 2004–2006 average, the second-largest recovery by this measure among the 56 metro areas with 1 million or more residents. Relative to population, the rate was 11.7 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the third-highest rate of the 56 metro areas with 1 million or more residents.

010k20k30k40k2004: 17,983 units (14,567 single-family, 471 in 2–4 unit, 2,945 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 18,590 units (16,000 single-family, 407 in 2–4 unit, 2,183 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 17,283 units (15,625 single-family, 335 in 2–4 unit, 1,323 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 14,860 units (12,039 single-family, 193 in 2–4 unit, 2,628 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 8,816 units (6,291 single-family, 66 in 2–4 unit, 2,459 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 5,300 units (4,324 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 932 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 5,433 units (4,279 single-family, 65 in 2–4 unit, 1,089 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 5,796 units (4,487 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 1,218 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 8,789 units (5,882 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 2,851 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 11,578 units (7,697 single-family, 263 in 2–4 unit, 3,618 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 14,944 units (9,075 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 5,775 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 18,291 units (11,417 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 6,746 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 20,182 units (12,830 single-family, 153 in 2–4 unit, 7,199 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 20,631 units (13,650 single-family, 182 in 2–4 unit, 6,799 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 19,159 units (13,470 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 5,590 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 22,812 units (14,564 single-family, 113 in 2–4 unit, 8,135 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 27,242 units (15,631 single-family, 355 in 2–4 unit, 11,256 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 32,322 units (17,551 single-family, 293 in 2–4 unit, 14,478 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 28,438 units (15,507 single-family, 337 in 2–4 unit, 12,594 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 23,676 units (13,960 single-family, 139 in 2–4 unit, 9,577 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 20,038 units (14,465 single-family, 163 in 2–4 unit, 5,410 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 19,203 units (13,267 single-family, 109 in 2–4 unit, 5,827 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 32,3222009 low · 5,300015k30k45k2004: 17,983 units (14,567 single-family, 471 in 2–4 unit, 2,945 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 18,590 units (16,000 single-family, 407 in 2–4 unit, 2,183 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 17,283 units (15,625 single-family, 335 in 2–4 unit, 1,323 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 14,860 units (12,039 single-family, 193 in 2–4 unit, 2,628 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 8,816 units (6,291 single-family, 66 in 2–4 unit, 2,459 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 5,300 units (4,324 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 932 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 5,433 units (4,279 single-family, 65 in 2–4 unit, 1,089 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 5,796 units (4,487 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 1,218 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 8,789 units (5,882 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 2,851 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 11,578 units (7,697 single-family, 263 in 2–4 unit, 3,618 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 14,944 units (9,075 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 5,775 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 18,291 units (11,417 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 6,746 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 20,182 units (12,830 single-family, 153 in 2–4 unit, 7,199 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 20,631 units (13,650 single-family, 182 in 2–4 unit, 6,799 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 19,159 units (13,470 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 5,590 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 22,812 units (14,564 single-family, 113 in 2–4 unit, 8,135 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 27,242 units (15,631 single-family, 355 in 2–4 unit, 11,256 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 32,322 units (17,551 single-family, 293 in 2–4 unit, 14,478 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 28,438 units (15,507 single-family, 337 in 2–4 unit, 12,594 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 23,676 units (13,960 single-family, 139 in 2–4 unit, 9,577 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 20,038 units (14,465 single-family, 163 in 2–4 unit, 5,410 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 19,203 units (13,267 single-family, 109 in 2–4 unit, 5,827 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 32,322

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its population grew 8.7% between 2020 and 2025, the fastest growth among the 10 metro areas based in Tennessee.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 58 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Nashville-Davidson, with 54,444 units or 44% of the total, followed by Murfreesboro with 7,517. Among the three largest, Nashville-Davidson put 70% of its units in five-plus buildings, Lebanon 4.4%.

  • Nashville-Davidson44% (54,444 units)
  • Murfreesboro6.1% (7,517 units)
  • Lebanon5.2% (6,417 units)
  • Gallatin5% (6,177 units)
  • Rutherford County (unincorporated)3.6% (4,462 units)
  • Columbia3.3% (4,100 units)
  • Franklin3.1% (3,854 units)
  • Spring Hill2.9% (3,627 units)

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

Where in the metro

Davidson County accounted for 45% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Rutherford County for 13%.

  • Davidson County45% (5,632 in 2025)
  • Rutherford County13% (3,169 in 2025)
  • Wilson County8.5% (1,982 in 2025)
  • Sumner County8.4% (3,045 in 2025)
  • Williamson County8.3% (1,621 in 2025)
  • Maury County7.2% (1,408 in 2025)
  • Robertson County3.6% (823 in 2025)
  • Dickson County2.1% (590 in 2025)
  • Cheatham County1.3% (285 in 2025)
  • Macon County0.6% (175 in 2025)
  • Smith County0.6% (153 in 2025)
  • Hickman County0.5% (116 in 2025)

2 smaller counties not shown.

Boom, bust and since

Nashville authorized the most units in 2021 (32,322); 2025 reached 59% of that. Its peak year is shared by 27 other metro areas, among them Austin, Charlotte, Salt Lake City. Annual permits fell from 18,590 during the mid-2000s boom to 5,300 in 2009, a drop of 72%. The nearest bust profile in the East South Central states was Chattanooga's (71%). Permits rose 8 years in a row up to 2017.

Houses or apartments

In Nashville, 60% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 39% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Wausau (39% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 12%.

2021–202560.4%60%0.8%38.7%39%2004–200685.8%86%2.3%12.0%12%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202560.4%60%0.8%38.7%39%2004–200685.8%86%2.3%12.0%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Kansas City, MO-KS9,8934.439%
Columbus, OH15,7576.052%
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN11,4635.827%
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN19,20311.739%
Cleveland, OH4,1741.821%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Nashville beside Indianapolis

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