HousingPermits

Metro area in Connecticut · part of the New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT combined area

Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT

The Norwich-New London-Willimantic metro area authorized 440 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 84%, from 1,323 at the 2004–2006 high to 208 in 2011, the deepest drop among the 17 metro areas based in the New England states. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 1.5 units a year in 2021–2025, 33% of the national rate of 4.7.

04008001,2001,6002004: 1,323 units (962 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 307 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,227 units (952 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 197 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,007 units (802 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 169 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 717 units (571 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 102 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 356 units (301 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 24 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 432 units (264 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 153 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 408 units (293 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 109 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 208 units (194 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 279 units (261 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 354 units (320 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 637 units (279 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 340 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 517 units (224 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 287 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 315 units (243 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 28 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 291 units (222 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 53 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 655 units (286 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 357 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 538 units (250 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 246 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 443 units (294 single-family, 69 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 426 units (384 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 20 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 425 units (359 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 52 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 335 units (206 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 123 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 509 units (261 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 242 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 440 units (285 single-family, 43 in 2–4 unit, 112 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 1,3232011 low · 20805001,0001,5002004: 1,323 units (962 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 307 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,227 units (952 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 197 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,007 units (802 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 169 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 717 units (571 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 102 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 356 units (301 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 24 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 432 units (264 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 153 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 408 units (293 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 109 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 208 units (194 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 279 units (261 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 354 units (320 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 637 units (279 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 340 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 517 units (224 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 287 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 315 units (243 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 28 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 291 units (222 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 53 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 655 units (286 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 357 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 538 units (250 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 246 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 443 units (294 single-family, 69 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 426 units (384 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 20 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 425 units (359 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 52 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 335 units (206 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 123 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 509 units (261 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 242 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 440 units (285 single-family, 43 in 2–4 unit, 112 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 1,323

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Norwich authorized the most units in 2004 (1,323); 2025 reached 33% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them San Luis Obispo, Duluth, Cedar Rapids. The 2021–2025 pace of 427 units a year is 64% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 14%.

The wider New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury region

The Census Bureau groups Norwich with 3 neighboring metro areas in the New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 3,706 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Norwich accounted for 12%. The others, with their yearly averages: Hartford (1,754), New Haven (1,045), Waterbury (481).

Houses or apartments

In Norwich, 70% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 26% 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, OR (26% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2018 (357), single-family houses in 2004 (962).

2021–202570.0%70%4.3%25.7%26%2004–200676.4%76%4.7%18.9%19%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202570.0%70%4.3%25.7%26%2004–200676.4%76%4.7%18.9%19%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 21 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Waterford town, with 363 units or 17% of the total, followed by Stonington town with 298. Among the three largest, Waterford town put 60% of its units in five-plus buildings, East Lyme town 32%.

  • Waterford town17% (363 units)
  • Stonington town14% (298 units)
  • East Lyme town11% (238 units)
  • Norwich6.9% (147 units)
  • Griswold town6.6% (140 units)
  • Ledyard town6.5% (139 units)
  • New London5.2% (111 units)
  • Colchester town5% (106 units)

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

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Utica-Rome, NY3081.137%
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT4401.526%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA1,7806.747%
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA6633.529%
Tuscaloosa, AL6163.224%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Norwich beside Bremerton

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