HousingPermits

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

Salem, OR

The Salem metro area authorized 1,426 new housing units in 2025. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2022, with 2,817 units; 2025 came to 51% of that. The 2025 count stood 42% below its 2004–2006 average of 2,450 units a year.

08001,6002,4003,2002004: 2,560 units (1,963 single-family, 171 in 2–4 unit, 426 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,438 units (2,083 single-family, 136 in 2–4 unit, 219 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,353 units (1,729 single-family, 144 in 2–4 unit, 480 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,791 units (1,342 single-family, 51 in 2–4 unit, 398 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,055 units (645 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 364 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 835 units (510 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 297 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 699 units (468 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 211 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 431 units (319 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 108 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 721 units (395 single-family, 33 in 2–4 unit, 293 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 950 units (646 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 292 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 944 units (712 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 208 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,297 units (807 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 480 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,478 units (814 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 610 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,555 units (790 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 695 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,684 units (1,168 single-family, 116 in 2–4 unit, 400 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,036 units (1,039 single-family, 96 in 2–4 unit, 901 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,008 units (1,134 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 814 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,154 units (1,368 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 759 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,817 units (874 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 1,873 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,966 units (826 single-family, 86 in 2–4 unit, 1,054 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,859 units (994 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 797 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,426 units (873 single-family, 57 in 2–4 unit, 496 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252022 high · 2,8172011 low · 43101,0002,0003,0002004: 2,560 units (1,963 single-family, 171 in 2–4 unit, 426 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,438 units (2,083 single-family, 136 in 2–4 unit, 219 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,353 units (1,729 single-family, 144 in 2–4 unit, 480 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,791 units (1,342 single-family, 51 in 2–4 unit, 398 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,055 units (645 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 364 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 835 units (510 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 297 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 699 units (468 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 211 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 431 units (319 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 108 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 721 units (395 single-family, 33 in 2–4 unit, 293 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 950 units (646 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 292 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 944 units (712 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 208 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,297 units (807 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 480 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,478 units (814 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 610 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,555 units (790 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 695 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,684 units (1,168 single-family, 116 in 2–4 unit, 400 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,036 units (1,039 single-family, 96 in 2–4 unit, 901 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,008 units (1,134 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 814 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,154 units (1,368 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 759 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,817 units (874 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 1,873 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,966 units (826 single-family, 86 in 2–4 unit, 1,054 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,859 units (994 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 797 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,426 units (873 single-family, 57 in 2–4 unit, 496 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252022 high · 2,817

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 12 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Salem, with 4,384 units or 43% of the total, followed by Woodburn with 2,639. Among the three largest, Woodburn put 60% of its units in five-plus buildings, Marion County (unincorporated) 38%.

  • Salem43% (4,384 units)
  • Woodburn26% (2,639 units)
  • Marion County (unincorporated)10% (1,062 units)
  • Dallas5.6% (568 units)
  • Keizer5.2% (530 units)
  • Stayton2.5% (251 units)
  • Monmouth1.9% (199 units)
  • Silverton1.8% (187 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Salem, 48% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 49% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Athens (49% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 15%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (1,873), single-family houses in 2005 (2,083).

2021–202548.3%48%3.0%48.7%49%2004–200678.6%79%6.1%15.3%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202548.3%48%3.0%48.7%49%2004–200678.6%79%6.1%15.3%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider Portland-Vancouver-Salem region

The Census Bureau groups Salem 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); Salem accounted for 14%. The others, with their yearly averages: Portland, OR (11,431), Longview, WA (380), Albany, OR (364), Corvallis (315).

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 19 other metro areas, among them Greeley, Lincoln, Sioux Falls. Annual permits fell from 2,560 during the mid-2000s boom to 431 in 2011, a drop of 83%. The nearest bust profile in the Pacific states was Albany, OR's (83%). Permits rose 5 years in a row up to 2019. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 23%.

Where in the metro

Marion County accounted for 90% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Polk County for 10%.

  • Marion County90% (1,323 in 2025)
  • Polk County10% (103 in 2025)

Relative to population

With 445,814 residents in July 2025, Salem authorized 4.6 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, close to the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Fort Wayne (4.7) and Lake Charles (4.6).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Corpus Christi, TX2,1165.16%
Salem, OR1,4264.649%
Ocala, FL5,98514.89%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA1,3712.252%
Reading, PA5821.026%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Salem beside Ocala

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