HousingPermits

Metro area in California

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area authorized 11,707 new housing units in 2025. Single-family houses made up 31% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the tenth-lowest share among the 387 US metro areas. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 3.3 units a year in 2021–2025, 71% of the national rate of 4.7.

05,00010k15k20k2004: 15,587 units (9,122 single-family, 1,247 in 2–4 unit, 5,218 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 14,306 units (7,576 single-family, 1,078 in 2–4 unit, 5,652 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 9,191 units (4,743 single-family, 501 in 2–4 unit, 3,947 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 7,435 units (3,422 single-family, 470 in 2–4 unit, 3,543 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 5,357 units (2,361 single-family, 168 in 2–4 unit, 2,828 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,946 units (1,778 single-family, 111 in 2–4 unit, 1,057 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,494 units (2,270 single-family, 191 in 2–4 unit, 1,033 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 5,370 units (2,245 single-family, 167 in 2–4 unit, 2,958 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 5,666 units (2,197 single-family, 449 in 2–4 unit, 3,020 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 8,264 units (2,565 single-family, 334 in 2–4 unit, 5,365 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 6,875 units (2,487 single-family, 291 in 2–4 unit, 4,097 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 9,883 units (3,222 single-family, 283 in 2–4 unit, 6,378 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 10,791 units (2,351 single-family, 451 in 2–4 unit, 7,989 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 10,441 units (4,056 single-family, 698 in 2–4 unit, 5,687 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 9,834 units (3,489 single-family, 678 in 2–4 unit, 5,667 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 8,216 units (3,019 single-family, 516 in 2–4 unit, 4,681 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 9,472 units (2,900 single-family, 466 in 2–4 unit, 6,106 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 10,048 units (3,227 single-family, 422 in 2–4 unit, 6,399 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 9,346 units (3,517 single-family, 488 in 2–4 unit, 5,341 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 11,469 units (3,049 single-family, 468 in 2–4 unit, 7,952 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 11,572 units (3,377 single-family, 947 in 2–4 unit, 7,248 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 11,707 units (3,506 single-family, 890 in 2–4 unit, 7,311 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 15,5872009 low · 2,94606,00012k18k2004: 15,587 units (9,122 single-family, 1,247 in 2–4 unit, 5,218 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 14,306 units (7,576 single-family, 1,078 in 2–4 unit, 5,652 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 9,191 units (4,743 single-family, 501 in 2–4 unit, 3,947 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 7,435 units (3,422 single-family, 470 in 2–4 unit, 3,543 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 5,357 units (2,361 single-family, 168 in 2–4 unit, 2,828 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,946 units (1,778 single-family, 111 in 2–4 unit, 1,057 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,494 units (2,270 single-family, 191 in 2–4 unit, 1,033 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 5,370 units (2,245 single-family, 167 in 2–4 unit, 2,958 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 5,666 units (2,197 single-family, 449 in 2–4 unit, 3,020 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 8,264 units (2,565 single-family, 334 in 2–4 unit, 5,365 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 6,875 units (2,487 single-family, 291 in 2–4 unit, 4,097 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 9,883 units (3,222 single-family, 283 in 2–4 unit, 6,378 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 10,791 units (2,351 single-family, 451 in 2–4 unit, 7,989 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 10,441 units (4,056 single-family, 698 in 2–4 unit, 5,687 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 9,834 units (3,489 single-family, 678 in 2–4 unit, 5,667 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 8,216 units (3,019 single-family, 516 in 2–4 unit, 4,681 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 9,472 units (2,900 single-family, 466 in 2–4 unit, 6,106 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 10,048 units (3,227 single-family, 422 in 2–4 unit, 6,399 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 9,346 units (3,517 single-family, 488 in 2–4 unit, 5,341 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 11,469 units (3,049 single-family, 468 in 2–4 unit, 7,952 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 11,572 units (3,377 single-family, 947 in 2–4 unit, 7,248 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 11,707 units (3,506 single-family, 890 in 2–4 unit, 7,311 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 15,587

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is San Francisco (62% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 38%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.9% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2016 (7,989), single-family houses in 2004 (9,122).

2021–202530.8%31%5.9%63.3%63%2004–200654.9%55%7.2%37.9%38%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202530.8%31%5.9%63.3%63%2004–200654.9%55%7.2%37.9%38%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 19 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was San Diego, with 28,418 units or 52% of the total, followed by San Diego County (unincorporated) with 5,413. Among the three largest, San Diego put 82% of its units in five-plus buildings, San Diego County (unincorporated) 14%.

  • San Diego52% (28,418 units)
  • San Diego County (unincorporated)10% (5,413 units)
  • Chula Vista10% (5,392 units)
  • San Marcos5% (2,690 units)
  • Oceanside4.7% (2,528 units)
  • Escondido3.7% (2,024 units)
  • Carlsbad2.6% (1,418 units)
  • Encinitas2.3% (1,254 units)

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

Boom, bust and since

San Diego authorized the most units in 2004 (15,587); 2025 reached 75% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them St. Louis, Minneapolis, Sacramento. Annual permits fell from 15,587 during the mid-2000s boom to 2,946 in 2009, a drop of 81%. The nearest bust profile in the Pacific states was Corvallis's (81%). The 2021–2025 pace of 10,828 units a year is 17% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL22,7477.436%
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA11,7073.363%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO15,9486.952%
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL27,8459.640%
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC22,2339.630%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put San Diego beside Tampa

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