HousingPermits

Metro area in Pennsylvania · part of the Pittsburgh-Weirton-Steubenville, PA-OH-WV combined area

Pittsburgh, PA

The Pittsburgh metro area authorized 5,797 new housing units in 2025, the third-largest total of the 32 metro areas based in the Middle Atlantic states. Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 7.3% below the 2004–2006 average, the largest recovery by this measure among the 16 metro areas based in Pennsylvania. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 2.4 units a year in 2021–2025, 51% of the national rate of 4.7.

02,0004,0006,0008,0002004: 7,084 units (5,762 single-family, 450 in 2–4 unit, 872 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,770 units (4,841 single-family, 306 in 2–4 unit, 623 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 5,752 units (4,486 single-family, 241 in 2–4 unit, 1,025 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,777 units (3,928 single-family, 298 in 2–4 unit, 551 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,879 units (3,472 single-family, 127 in 2–4 unit, 280 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,135 units (2,731 single-family, 123 in 2–4 unit, 281 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,720 units (3,501 single-family, 182 in 2–4 unit, 37 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,949 units (2,687 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 165 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,507 units (2,957 single-family, 191 in 2–4 unit, 359 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,606 units (3,294 single-family, 103 in 2–4 unit, 1,209 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 4,231 units (3,123 single-family, 151 in 2–4 unit, 957 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 5,317 units (3,342 single-family, 232 in 2–4 unit, 1,743 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 4,501 units (3,085 single-family, 230 in 2–4 unit, 1,186 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 4,438 units (3,036 single-family, 278 in 2–4 unit, 1,124 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 4,083 units (3,023 single-family, 143 in 2–4 unit, 917 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 4,062 units (2,908 single-family, 150 in 2–4 unit, 1,004 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 4,888 units (3,505 single-family, 336 in 2–4 unit, 1,047 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 5,290 units (3,958 single-family, 286 in 2–4 unit, 1,046 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 5,919 units (3,151 single-family, 204 in 2–4 unit, 2,564 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 6,342 units (3,380 single-family, 131 in 2–4 unit, 2,831 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 5,412 units (3,530 single-family, 133 in 2–4 unit, 1,749 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 5,797 units (3,452 single-family, 127 in 2–4 unit, 2,218 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 7,0842011 low · 2,94902,5005,0007,5002004: 7,084 units (5,762 single-family, 450 in 2–4 unit, 872 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,770 units (4,841 single-family, 306 in 2–4 unit, 623 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 5,752 units (4,486 single-family, 241 in 2–4 unit, 1,025 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,777 units (3,928 single-family, 298 in 2–4 unit, 551 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,879 units (3,472 single-family, 127 in 2–4 unit, 280 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,135 units (2,731 single-family, 123 in 2–4 unit, 281 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,720 units (3,501 single-family, 182 in 2–4 unit, 37 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,949 units (2,687 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 165 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,507 units (2,957 single-family, 191 in 2–4 unit, 359 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,606 units (3,294 single-family, 103 in 2–4 unit, 1,209 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 4,231 units (3,123 single-family, 151 in 2–4 unit, 957 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 5,317 units (3,342 single-family, 232 in 2–4 unit, 1,743 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 4,501 units (3,085 single-family, 230 in 2–4 unit, 1,186 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 4,438 units (3,036 single-family, 278 in 2–4 unit, 1,124 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 4,083 units (3,023 single-family, 143 in 2–4 unit, 917 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 4,062 units (2,908 single-family, 150 in 2–4 unit, 1,004 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 4,888 units (3,505 single-family, 336 in 2–4 unit, 1,047 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 5,290 units (3,958 single-family, 286 in 2–4 unit, 1,046 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 5,919 units (3,151 single-family, 204 in 2–4 unit, 2,564 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 6,342 units (3,380 single-family, 131 in 2–4 unit, 2,831 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 5,412 units (3,530 single-family, 133 in 2–4 unit, 1,749 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 5,797 units (3,452 single-family, 127 in 2–4 unit, 2,218 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 7,084

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 301 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Pittsburgh, with 9,003 units or 31% of the total, followed by Cranberry township with 1,455. Among the three largest, Pittsburgh put 90% of its units in five-plus buildings, Jackson township 0.5%.

  • Pittsburgh31% (9,003 units)
  • Cranberry township5.1% (1,455 units)
  • Jackson township3.2% (923 units)
  • North Strabane township2.8% (815 units)
  • Fayette County Part (unincorporated)2.8% (814 units)
  • Adams township2.7% (763 units)
  • Findlay township2.2% (631 units)
  • Robinson township1.7% (494 units)

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

Where in the metro

Allegheny County accounted for 55% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Butler County for 18%.

  • Allegheny County55% (3,191 in 2025)
  • Butler County18% (1,246 in 2025)
  • Washington County8.7% (359 in 2025)
  • Westmoreland County7.9% (421 in 2025)
  • Beaver County4.1% (285 in 2025)
  • Fayette County3.8% (196 in 2025)
  • Lawrence County1% (70 in 2025)
  • Armstrong County0.9% (29 in 2025)

The wider Pittsburgh-Weirton-Steubenville region

The Census Bureau groups Pittsburgh with one neighboring metro area in the Pittsburgh-Weirton-Steubenville, PA-OH-WV combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 5,776 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Pittsburgh accounted for 100%. The other, with its yearly average: Weirton (24).

Boom, bust and since

Pittsburgh authorized the most units in 2004 (7,084); 2025 reached 82% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Sacramento, Cincinnati, Cleveland, OH. Annual permits fell from 7,084 during the mid-2000s boom to 2,949 in 2011, a drop of 58%. The nearest bust profile in the Middle Atlantic states was Watertown's (58%). From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 7.1%.

Houses or apartments

In Pittsburgh, 61% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 36% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Greensboro (36% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 14%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2023 (2,831), single-family houses in 2004 (5,762).

2021–202560.7%61%3.1%36.2%36%2004–200681.1%81%5.4%13.5%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202560.7%61%3.1%36.2%36%2004–200681.1%81%5.4%13.5%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA8,3184.540%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA10,6894.725%
Pittsburgh, PA5,7972.436%
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV14,4666.123%
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN7,2643.133%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Pittsburgh beside Las Vegas

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