HousingPermits

Metro area in Minnesota · part of the Rochester-Austin-Winona, MN combined area

Rochester, MN

The Rochester metro area authorized 734 new housing units in 2025. Permits fell 50% between 2024 and 2025, the sixth-steepest decline among the 387 US metro areas. Relative to population, the rate was 5.5 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the highest rate of the 5 metro areas based in Minnesota.

05001,0001,5002,0002004: 1,815 units (1,750 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 43 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,689 units (1,246 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 425 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,199 units (934 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 250 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 862 units (726 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 132 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 707 units (543 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 152 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 615 units (461 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 142 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 532 units (388 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 138 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 384 units (354 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 595 units (533 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 62 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 689 units (645 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 832 units (621 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 189 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,776 units (658 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 1,107 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,737 units (744 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 977 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,449 units (818 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 625 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,816 units (690 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 1,110 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,111 units (614 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 484 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 906 units (642 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 245 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,135 units (721 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 402 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,723 units (643 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 1,019 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,174 units (604 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 559 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,484 units (491 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 973 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 734 units (483 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 241 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252018 high · 1,8162011 low · 38408001,6002,4002004: 1,815 units (1,750 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 43 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,689 units (1,246 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 425 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,199 units (934 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 250 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 862 units (726 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 132 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 707 units (543 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 152 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 615 units (461 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 142 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 532 units (388 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 138 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 384 units (354 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 30 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 595 units (533 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 62 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 689 units (645 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 40 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 832 units (621 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 189 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,776 units (658 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 1,107 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,737 units (744 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 977 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,449 units (818 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 625 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,816 units (690 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 1,110 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,111 units (614 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 484 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 906 units (642 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 245 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,135 units (721 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 402 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,723 units (643 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 1,019 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,174 units (604 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 559 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,484 units (491 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 973 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 734 units (483 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 241 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252018 high · 1,816

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Buildings with five or more units accounted for 51% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 5 metro areas based in Minnesota.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 47 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Rochester, with 4,064 units or 65% of the total, followed by Olmsted County Part (unincorporated) with 488. Among the three largest, Rochester put 70% of its units in five-plus buildings, Olmsted County Part (unincorporated) 32%.

  • Rochester65% (4,064 units)
  • Olmsted County Part (unincorporated)7.8% (488 units)
  • Kasson4.8% (299 units)
  • Fillmore County (unincorporated)4% (252 units)
  • Oronoco1.8% (111 units)
  • Rochester township1.7% (108 units)
  • Wabasha County (unincorporated)1.6% (103 units)
  • Byron1.5% (94 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 Mankato (51% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 15%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2018 (1,110), single-family houses in 2004 (1,750).

2021–202547.1%47%1.8%51.1%51%2004–200683.6%84%1.2%15.3%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202547.1%47%1.8%51.1%51%2004–200683.6%84%1.2%15.3%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Rochester, MN authorized the most units in 2018 (1,816); 2025 reached 40% of that. Its peak year is shared by 5 other metro areas, among them Boulder, Cape Girardeau, Corvallis. Annual permits fell from 1,815 during the mid-2000s boom to 384 in 2011, a drop of 79%. The nearest bust profile in the West North Central states was Topeka's (78%). The 2021–2025 pace of 1,250 units a year is 20% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Where in the metro

Olmsted County accounted for 81% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Dodge County for 8.2%.

  • Olmsted County81% (542 in 2025)
  • Dodge County8.2% (83 in 2025)
  • Fillmore County5.8% (58 in 2025)
  • Wabasha County5% (51 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Barnstable Town, MA6302.924%
Topeka, KS6352.222%
Rochester, MN7345.551%
Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL2,29511.521%
Las Cruces, NM8334.51.9%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Rochester, MN beside Panama City

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