HousingPermits

Metro area in Oregon, Washington · part of the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA combined area

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro area authorized 8,318 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 8 metro areas based in Oregon. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2005, with 17,251 units; 2025 came to 48% of that. Buildings of five or more units took 40% of its 2021–2025 units, more than the national 34%.

05,00010k15k20k2004: 15,859 units (11,285 single-family, 656 in 2–4 unit, 3,918 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 17,251 units (12,789 single-family, 704 in 2–4 unit, 3,758 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 15,376 units (10,210 single-family, 500 in 2–4 unit, 4,666 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 13,115 units (8,410 single-family, 463 in 2–4 unit, 4,242 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 7,408 units (4,285 single-family, 191 in 2–4 unit, 2,932 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 4,020 units (3,011 single-family, 84 in 2–4 unit, 925 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 4,476 units (3,359 single-family, 126 in 2–4 unit, 991 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 5,213 units (3,132 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 1,994 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 7,785 units (4,501 single-family, 177 in 2–4 unit, 3,107 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 11,730 units (5,717 single-family, 151 in 2–4 unit, 5,862 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 12,356 units (5,462 single-family, 213 in 2–4 unit, 6,681 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 13,967 units (7,102 single-family, 311 in 2–4 unit, 6,554 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 14,729 units (7,397 single-family, 234 in 2–4 unit, 7,098 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 15,983 units (6,211 single-family, 268 in 2–4 unit, 9,504 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 14,180 units (6,869 single-family, 263 in 2–4 unit, 7,048 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 16,815 units (7,688 single-family, 408 in 2–4 unit, 8,719 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 13,446 units (7,513 single-family, 252 in 2–4 unit, 5,681 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 15,023 units (8,008 single-family, 468 in 2–4 unit, 6,547 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 12,978 units (6,029 single-family, 195 in 2–4 unit, 6,754 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 11,382 units (6,326 single-family, 252 in 2–4 unit, 4,804 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 9,453 units (6,345 single-family, 195 in 2–4 unit, 2,913 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 8,318 units (6,133 single-family, 190 in 2–4 unit, 1,995 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 17,25106,00012k18k2004: 15,859 units (11,285 single-family, 656 in 2–4 unit, 3,918 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 17,251 units (12,789 single-family, 704 in 2–4 unit, 3,758 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 15,376 units (10,210 single-family, 500 in 2–4 unit, 4,666 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 13,115 units (8,410 single-family, 463 in 2–4 unit, 4,242 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 7,408 units (4,285 single-family, 191 in 2–4 unit, 2,932 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 4,020 units (3,011 single-family, 84 in 2–4 unit, 925 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 4,476 units (3,359 single-family, 126 in 2–4 unit, 991 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 5,213 units (3,132 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 1,994 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 7,785 units (4,501 single-family, 177 in 2–4 unit, 3,107 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 11,730 units (5,717 single-family, 151 in 2–4 unit, 5,862 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 12,356 units (5,462 single-family, 213 in 2–4 unit, 6,681 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 13,967 units (7,102 single-family, 311 in 2–4 unit, 6,554 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 14,729 units (7,397 single-family, 234 in 2–4 unit, 7,098 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 15,983 units (6,211 single-family, 268 in 2–4 unit, 9,504 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 14,180 units (6,869 single-family, 263 in 2–4 unit, 7,048 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 16,815 units (7,688 single-family, 408 in 2–4 unit, 8,719 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 13,446 units (7,513 single-family, 252 in 2–4 unit, 5,681 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 15,023 units (8,008 single-family, 468 in 2–4 unit, 6,547 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 12,978 units (6,029 single-family, 195 in 2–4 unit, 6,754 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 11,382 units (6,326 single-family, 252 in 2–4 unit, 4,804 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 9,453 units (6,345 single-family, 195 in 2–4 unit, 2,913 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 8,318 units (6,133 single-family, 190 in 2–4 unit, 1,995 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 17,251

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Where in the metro

Clark County accounted for 35% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Multnomah County for 24%. The part in Washington supplied 36%.

  • Clark County, WA35% (3,250 in 2025)
  • Multnomah County, OR24% (1,594 in 2025)
  • Washington County, OR23% (1,886 in 2025)
  • Clackamas County, OR13% (1,235 in 2025)
  • Yamhill County, OR3.5% (214 in 2025)
  • Columbia County, OR1% (84 in 2025)
  • Skamania County, WA0.5% (55 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Las Vegas, Kansas City, Baltimore. Annual permits fell from 17,251 during the mid-2000s boom to 4,020 in 2009, a drop of 77%. The nearest bust profile in the Pacific states was Eugene's (77%). The 2021–2025 pace of 11,431 units a year is 29% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 8 years in a row up to 2017. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 12%.

The wider Portland-Vancouver-Salem region

The Census Bureau groups Portland, OR with 4 neighboring metro areas in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 14,535 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Portland, OR accounted for 79%. The others, with their yearly averages: Salem (2,044), Longview, WA (380), Albany, OR (364), Corvallis (315).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 48 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Portland, with 11,237 units or 20% of the total, followed by Vancouver with 7,620. Among the three largest, Vancouver put 75% of its units in five-plus buildings, Clark County (unincorporated) 22%.

  • Portland20% (11,237 units)
  • Vancouver13% (7,620 units)
  • Clark County (unincorporated)12% (6,617 units)
  • Hillsboro5.8% (3,337 units)
  • Washington County (unincorporated)5.4% (3,114 units)
  • Ridgefield3.7% (2,104 units)
  • Tigard3.5% (1,973 units)
  • Happy Valley3.4% (1,936 units)

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

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Chicago (40% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 26%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2017 (9,504), single-family houses in 2005 (12,789).

2021–202557.5%58%2.3%40.3%40%2004–200670.7%71%3.8%25.5%25%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202557.5%58%2.3%40.3%40%2004–200670.7%71%3.8%25.5%25%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Relative to population

With 2,542,282 residents in July 2025, Portland, OR authorized 4.5 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, close to the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Wichita (4.5) and Las Cruces (4.5).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX27,32215.450%
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%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Portland, OR beside Sacramento

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