HousingPermits

Metro area in Rhode Island, Massachusetts · part of the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH combined area

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

The Providence-Warwick metro area authorized an average of 2,365 new housing units a year in 2021–2025, the third-largest total of the 17 metro areas based in the New England states. Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes supplied 16% of its units in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 56 metro areas with 1 million or more residents. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 1.4 units a year in 2021–2025, 30% of the national rate of 4.7.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 4,410 units (3,403 single-family, 202 in 2–4 unit, 805 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,653 units (3,202 single-family, 369 in 2–4 unit, 1,082 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,685 units (2,831 single-family, 513 in 2–4 unit, 341 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,085 units (2,241 single-family, 346 in 2–4 unit, 498 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,598 units (1,368 single-family, 142 in 2–4 unit, 88 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,437 units (1,158 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 133 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,439 units (1,205 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 137 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,178 units (963 single-family, 158 in 2–4 unit, 57 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,361 units (1,144 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 149 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,974 units (1,465 single-family, 124 in 2–4 unit, 385 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,775 units (1,441 single-family, 125 in 2–4 unit, 209 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,818 units (1,482 single-family, 144 in 2–4 unit, 192 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,564 units (1,662 single-family, 219 in 2–4 unit, 683 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,010 units (1,722 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 160 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,963 units (1,553 single-family, 201 in 2–4 unit, 209 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,048 units (1,592 single-family, 281 in 2–4 unit, 175 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,068 units (1,621 single-family, 318 in 2–4 unit, 129 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,258 units (1,788 single-family, 278 in 2–4 unit, 192 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,123 units (1,560 single-family, 306 in 2–4 unit, 257 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,930 units (1,255 single-family, 237 in 2–4 unit, 438 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,620 units (1,339 single-family, 463 in 2–4 unit, 818 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,894 units (1,169 single-family, 545 in 2–4 unit, 1,180 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 4,6532011 low · 1,17802,0004,0006,0002004: 4,410 units (3,403 single-family, 202 in 2–4 unit, 805 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,653 units (3,202 single-family, 369 in 2–4 unit, 1,082 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,685 units (2,831 single-family, 513 in 2–4 unit, 341 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,085 units (2,241 single-family, 346 in 2–4 unit, 498 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,598 units (1,368 single-family, 142 in 2–4 unit, 88 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,437 units (1,158 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 133 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,439 units (1,205 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 137 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,178 units (963 single-family, 158 in 2–4 unit, 57 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,361 units (1,144 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 149 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,974 units (1,465 single-family, 124 in 2–4 unit, 385 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,775 units (1,441 single-family, 125 in 2–4 unit, 209 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,818 units (1,482 single-family, 144 in 2–4 unit, 192 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,564 units (1,662 single-family, 219 in 2–4 unit, 683 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,010 units (1,722 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 160 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,963 units (1,553 single-family, 201 in 2–4 unit, 209 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,048 units (1,592 single-family, 281 in 2–4 unit, 175 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,068 units (1,621 single-family, 318 in 2–4 unit, 129 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,258 units (1,788 single-family, 278 in 2–4 unit, 192 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,123 units (1,560 single-family, 306 in 2–4 unit, 257 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,930 units (1,255 single-family, 237 in 2–4 unit, 438 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,620 units (1,339 single-family, 463 in 2–4 unit, 818 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,894 units (1,169 single-family, 545 in 2–4 unit, 1,180 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 4,653

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Where in the metro

Bristol County accounted for 37% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Providence County for 29%. The part in Massachusetts supplied 37%.

  • Bristol County, MA37% (1,156 in 2025)
  • Providence County, RI29% (1,028 in 2025)
  • Washington County, RI13% (255 in 2025)
  • Kent County, RI12% (248 in 2025)
  • Newport County, RI5.9% (131 in 2025)
  • Bristol County, RI2.1% (76 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Providence authorized the most units in 2005 (4,653); 2025 reached 62% of that. Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Jacksonville, FL, Virginia Beach, Memphis. Annual permits fell from 4,653 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,178 in 2011, a drop of 75%. The nearest bust profile in the New England states was Barnstable Town's (74%). The 2021–2025 pace of 2,365 units a year is 44% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 10%.

The wider Boston-Worcester-Providence region

The Census Bureau groups Providence with 4 neighboring metro areas in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 18,406 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Providence accounted for 13%. The others, with their yearly averages: Boston (12,465), Worcester (1,886), Manchester (1,014), Barnstable Town (675).

Houses or apartments

In Providence, 60% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 24% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Amarillo (24% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2025 (1,180), single-family houses in 2004 (3,403).

2021–202560.1%60%15.5%16%24.4%24%2004–200674.0%74%8.5%9%17.5%17%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202560.1%60%15.5%16%24.4%24%2004–200674.0%74%8.5%17.5%17%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 59 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Taunton, with 1,001 units or 8.5% of the total, followed by Providence with 951.

  • Taunton8.5% (1,001 units)
  • Providence8% (951 units)
  • Warwick5.8% (690 units)
  • North Attleborough Town4.6% (547 units)
  • Rehoboth town4.6% (547 units)
  • East Providence3.6% (428 units)
  • South Kingstown town3.6% (425 units)
  • Raynham town3.6% (422 units)

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

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC3,9533.133%
Jacksonville, FL13,45511.029%
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA2,8941.424%
Raleigh-Cary, NC17,54313.336%
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI3,1052.139%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Providence beside Jacksonville, FL

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