HousingPermits

Metro area in Nebraska, Iowa · part of the Omaha-Fremont, NE-IA combined area

Omaha, NE-IA

The Omaha metro area authorized 6,377 new housing units in 2025, the third-largest total of the 34 metro areas based in the West North Central states. Its 2025 total reached 89% of the 2024 high, the second-closest to a series peak among the 34 metro areas based in the West North Central states. The housing bust cut annual permits by 53%, from 6,631 at the 2004–2006 high to 3,133 in 2011, the third-mildest drop among the 56 metro areas with 1 million or more residents.

02,0004,0006,0008,0002004: 6,400 units (5,559 single-family, 93 in 2–4 unit, 748 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 6,631 units (5,877 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 626 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 5,466 units (4,199 single-family, 173 in 2–4 unit, 1,094 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 5,048 units (3,857 single-family, 66 in 2–4 unit, 1,125 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 4,521 units (3,151 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 1,311 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,464 units (3,081 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 358 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,223 units (2,305 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 870 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,133 units (2,156 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 963 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,462 units (2,479 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 948 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,464 units (3,039 single-family, 55 in 2–4 unit, 1,370 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 4,192 units (2,639 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 1,533 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 4,157 units (2,973 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 1,165 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 4,240 units (2,906 single-family, 55 in 2–4 unit, 1,279 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 4,955 units (3,158 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 1,772 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 4,788 units (2,791 single-family, 65 in 2–4 unit, 1,932 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 4,100 units (2,633 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 1,431 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 5,473 units (3,454 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 1,956 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 6,382 units (3,677 single-family, 117 in 2–4 unit, 2,588 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 6,120 units (2,651 single-family, 347 in 2–4 unit, 3,122 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 4,719 units (2,763 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 1,892 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 7,197 units (3,505 single-family, 149 in 2–4 unit, 3,543 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 6,377 units (3,360 single-family, 201 in 2–4 unit, 2,816 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252024 high · 7,1972011 low · 3,13302,5005,0007,5002004: 6,400 units (5,559 single-family, 93 in 2–4 unit, 748 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 6,631 units (5,877 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 626 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 5,466 units (4,199 single-family, 173 in 2–4 unit, 1,094 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 5,048 units (3,857 single-family, 66 in 2–4 unit, 1,125 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 4,521 units (3,151 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 1,311 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,464 units (3,081 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 358 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,223 units (2,305 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 870 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,133 units (2,156 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 963 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,462 units (2,479 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 948 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,464 units (3,039 single-family, 55 in 2–4 unit, 1,370 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 4,192 units (2,639 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 1,533 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 4,157 units (2,973 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 1,165 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 4,240 units (2,906 single-family, 55 in 2–4 unit, 1,279 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 4,955 units (3,158 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 1,772 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 4,788 units (2,791 single-family, 65 in 2–4 unit, 1,932 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 4,100 units (2,633 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 1,431 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 5,473 units (3,454 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 1,956 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 6,382 units (3,677 single-family, 117 in 2–4 unit, 2,588 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 6,120 units (2,651 single-family, 347 in 2–4 unit, 3,122 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 4,719 units (2,763 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 1,892 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 7,197 units (3,505 single-family, 149 in 2–4 unit, 3,543 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 6,377 units (3,360 single-family, 201 in 2–4 unit, 2,816 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252024 high · 7,197

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 51 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Omaha, with 18,122 units or 59% of the total, followed by Papillion with 3,566. Among the three largest, Omaha put 57% of its units in five-plus buildings, Gretna 1.1%.

  • Omaha59% (18,122 units)
  • Papillion12% (3,566 units)
  • Gretna5.8% (1,777 units)
  • Bellevue4.8% (1,486 units)
  • Council Bluffs3.8% (1,156 units)
  • Sarpy County (unincorporated)2.7% (817 units)
  • Douglas County (unincorporated)2.2% (666 units)
  • La Vista1.4% (423 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Omaha, 52% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 45% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Reno (45% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 13%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2024 (3,543), single-family houses in 2005 (5,877).

2021–202551.8%52%2.9%45.3%45%2004–200684.5%85%2.1%13.3%13%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202551.8%52%2.9%45.3%45%2004–200684.5%85%2.1%13.3%13%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Relative to population

With 1,009,836 residents in July 2025, Omaha authorized 6.2 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, 1.3 times the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Atlanta (6.4) and Sebastian (6.2).

Where in the metro

Douglas County accounted for 62% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Sarpy County for 26%. The part in Iowa supplied 5.7%.

  • Douglas County, NE62% (3,963 in 2025)
  • Sarpy County, NE26% (1,594 in 2025)
  • Pottawattamie County, IA4.8% (334 in 2025)
  • Saunders County, NE2.4% (180 in 2025)
  • Washington County, NE1.7% (206 in 2025)
  • Cass County, NE1.7% (55 in 2025)
  • Harrison County, IA0.5% (20 in 2025)
  • Mills County, IA0.4% (25 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 9 other metro areas, among them Augusta, Asheville, Trenton. The 2021–2025 pace of 6,159 units a year is 0.1% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 11%.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC8,2558.911%
Omaha, NE-IA6,3776.245%
Urban Honolulu, HI1,4461.853%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT3,4782.168%
New Orleans-Metairie, LA1,6942.221%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Omaha beside Greenville, SC

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