HousingPermits

Metro area in Louisiana · part of the New Orleans-Metairie-Slidell, LA-MS combined area

New Orleans-Metairie, LA

The New Orleans-Metairie metro area authorized 1,694 new housing units in 2025. Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes supplied 19% of its units in 2021–2025, the tenth-highest share among the 387 US metro areas. Single-family houses made up 60% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the lowest share among the 10 metro areas based in Louisiana.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 3,054 units (2,625 single-family, 278 in 2–4 unit, 151 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,444 units (2,192 single-family, 186 in 2–4 unit, 66 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,892 units (2,441 single-family, 260 in 2–4 unit, 191 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,739 units (2,423 single-family, 377 in 2–4 unit, 1,939 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,772 units (1,870 single-family, 610 in 2–4 unit, 1,292 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,281 units (1,639 single-family, 337 in 2–4 unit, 305 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,633 units (1,335 single-family, 215 in 2–4 unit, 83 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,667 units (1,286 single-family, 277 in 2–4 unit, 104 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,398 units (1,120 single-family, 230 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,476 units (1,303 single-family, 147 in 2–4 unit, 26 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,676 units (1,200 single-family, 203 in 2–4 unit, 273 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,240 units (844 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 342 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,575 units (1,087 single-family, 117 in 2–4 unit, 371 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,528 units (1,292 single-family, 138 in 2–4 unit, 98 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,434 units (1,624 single-family, 188 in 2–4 unit, 622 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,391 units (1,618 single-family, 251 in 2–4 unit, 522 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,683 units (1,898 single-family, 305 in 2–4 unit, 480 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,322 units (2,062 single-family, 336 in 2–4 unit, 924 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,951 units (1,452 single-family, 399 in 2–4 unit, 100 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,246 units (1,047 single-family, 503 in 2–4 unit, 696 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,611 units (1,007 single-family, 336 in 2–4 unit, 268 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,694 units (922 single-family, 454 in 2–4 unit, 318 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252007 high · 4,7392015 low · 1,24002,0004,0006,0002004: 3,054 units (2,625 single-family, 278 in 2–4 unit, 151 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,444 units (2,192 single-family, 186 in 2–4 unit, 66 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,892 units (2,441 single-family, 260 in 2–4 unit, 191 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,739 units (2,423 single-family, 377 in 2–4 unit, 1,939 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,772 units (1,870 single-family, 610 in 2–4 unit, 1,292 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,281 units (1,639 single-family, 337 in 2–4 unit, 305 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,633 units (1,335 single-family, 215 in 2–4 unit, 83 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,667 units (1,286 single-family, 277 in 2–4 unit, 104 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,398 units (1,120 single-family, 230 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,476 units (1,303 single-family, 147 in 2–4 unit, 26 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,676 units (1,200 single-family, 203 in 2–4 unit, 273 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,240 units (844 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 342 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,575 units (1,087 single-family, 117 in 2–4 unit, 371 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,528 units (1,292 single-family, 138 in 2–4 unit, 98 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,434 units (1,624 single-family, 188 in 2–4 unit, 622 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,391 units (1,618 single-family, 251 in 2–4 unit, 522 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,683 units (1,898 single-family, 305 in 2–4 unit, 480 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,322 units (2,062 single-family, 336 in 2–4 unit, 924 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,951 units (1,452 single-family, 399 in 2–4 unit, 100 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,246 units (1,047 single-family, 503 in 2–4 unit, 696 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,611 units (1,007 single-family, 336 in 2–4 unit, 268 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,694 units (922 single-family, 454 in 2–4 unit, 318 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252007 high · 4,739

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 15 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was New Orleans, with 5,126 units or 47% of the total, followed by Jefferson Parish (unincorporated) with 2,326. Among the three largest, New Orleans put 32% of its units in five-plus buildings, St. Bernard Parish 0%.

  • New Orleans47% (5,126 units)
  • Jefferson Parish (unincorporated)22% (2,326 units)
  • St. Bernard Parish8.2% (889 units)
  • St. Charles Parish5.3% (577 units)
  • Kenner4.5% (482 units)
  • Plaquemines Parish4.1% (447 units)
  • St. John the Baptist Parish2.8% (305 units)
  • St. James Parish (unincorporated)2.7% (292 units)

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

Relative to population

With 970,849 residents in July 2025, New Orleans authorized 2.2 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Niles (2.2) and Santa Maria (2.2).

Boom, bust and since

New Orleans authorized the most units in 2007 (4,739); 2025 reached 36% of that. Its peak year is shared by 19 other metro areas, among them Gulfport, Beaumont, Yakima. Annual permits fell from 3,054 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,398 in 2012, a drop of 54%. The nearest bust profile in the West South Central states was Lake Charles's (54%). Its quietest year came later, in 2015 (1,240 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 2,165 units a year is 23% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 5.2%.

Where in the metro

Orleans Parish accounted for 47% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Jefferson Parish for 29%.

  • Orleans Parish47% (882 in 2025)
  • Jefferson Parish29% (410 in 2025)
  • St. Bernard Parish8.2% (115 in 2025)
  • St. Charles Parish5.3% (116 in 2025)
  • Plaquemines Parish4.1% (47 in 2025)
  • St. James Parish2.9% (64 in 2025)
  • St. John the Baptist Parish2.8% (60 in 2025)

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is College Station (21% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 4.9%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2007 (1,939), single-family houses in 2004 (2,625).

2021–202560.0%60%18.7%19%21.3%21%2004–200686.5%87%8.6%9%4.9%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202560.0%60%18.7%19%21.3%21%2004–200686.5%87%8.6%4.9%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider New Orleans-Metairie-Slidell region

The Census Bureau groups New Orleans with one neighboring metro area in the New Orleans-Metairie-Slidell, LA-MS combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 3,453 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); New Orleans accounted for 63%. The other, with its yearly average: Slidell (1,288).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Urban Honolulu, HI1,4461.853%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT3,4782.168%
New Orleans-Metairie, LA1,6942.221%
Knoxville, TN7,8556.828%
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL17,64217.628%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put New Orleans beside Knoxville

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