HousingPermits

Metro area in Washington · part of the Seattle-Tacoma, WA combined area

Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA

The Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater metro area authorized 1,669 new housing units in 2025. Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 40% below the 2004–2006 average, the weakest recovery by this measure among the 11 metro areas based in Washington. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2006, with 3,204 units; 2025 came to 52% of that.

01,0002,0003,0004,0002004: 2,253 units (2,099 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 113 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,570 units (2,530 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 12 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,204 units (2,493 single-family, 220 in 2–4 unit, 491 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,603 units (2,027 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 532 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,361 units (1,212 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 119 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,317 units (1,083 single-family, 166 in 2–4 unit, 68 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,156 units (1,053 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 93 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,028 units (858 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 161 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,012 units (959 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,289 units (929 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 357 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,003 units (934 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 59 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,020 units (881 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 125 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,081 units (1,084 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 936 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,067 units (950 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 102 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,750 units (912 single-family, 45 in 2–4 unit, 793 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,713 units (812 single-family, 55 in 2–4 unit, 846 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,161 units (708 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 411 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,054 units (752 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 1,220 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,538 units (584 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 913 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,512 units (816 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 667 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,222 units (672 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 508 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,669 units (743 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 908 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252006 high · 3,2042014 low · 1,00301,5003,0004,5002004: 2,253 units (2,099 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 113 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,570 units (2,530 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 12 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,204 units (2,493 single-family, 220 in 2–4 unit, 491 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,603 units (2,027 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 532 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,361 units (1,212 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 119 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,317 units (1,083 single-family, 166 in 2–4 unit, 68 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,156 units (1,053 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 93 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,028 units (858 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 161 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,012 units (959 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,289 units (929 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 357 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,003 units (934 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 59 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,020 units (881 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 125 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,081 units (1,084 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 936 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,067 units (950 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 102 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,750 units (912 single-family, 45 in 2–4 unit, 793 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,713 units (812 single-family, 55 in 2–4 unit, 846 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,161 units (708 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 411 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,054 units (752 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 1,220 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,538 units (584 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 913 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,512 units (816 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 667 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,222 units (672 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 508 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,669 units (743 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 908 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252006 high · 3,204

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

In Olympia, 45% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 53% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Trenton (53% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 7.7%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2021 (1,220), single-family houses in 2005 (2,530).

2021–202544.6%45%2.7%52.7%53%2004–200688.7%89%3.6%7.7%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202544.6%45%2.7%52.7%53%2004–200688.7%89%3.6%7.7%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 Utica, Tuscaloosa, Laredo. Annual permits fell from 3,204 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,012 in 2012, a drop of 68%. The nearest bust profile in the Pacific states was Spokane's (69%). Its quietest year came later, in 2014 (1,003 units). From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 37%.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 7 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Thurston County (unincorporated), with 2,572 units or 32% of the total, followed by Lacey with 2,415. Among the three largest, Lacey put 84% of its units in five-plus buildings, Thurston County (unincorporated) 25%.

  • Thurston County (unincorporated)32% (2,572 units)
  • Lacey30% (2,415 units)
  • Olympia15% (1,203 units)
  • Tumwater15% (1,192 units)
  • Yelm7% (557 units)
  • Rainier0.4% (29 units)
  • Tenino0.3% (27 units)

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

The wider Seattle-Tacoma region

The Census Bureau groups Olympia with 3 neighboring metro areas in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 25,684 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Olympia accounted for 6.2%. The others, with their yearly averages: Seattle (21,641), Bremerton (1,864), Mount Vernon (580).

Relative to population

With 304,261 residents in July 2025, Olympia authorized 5.3 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, close to the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Laredo (5.3) and Seattle (5.3).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Sioux Falls, SD-MN2,32712.056%
Waco, TX1,4604.530%
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA1,6695.353%
Longview, TX2881.520%
Merced, CA7802.412%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Olympia beside Waco

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