HousingPermits

Metro area in Georgia · part of the Savannah-Hinesville-Statesboro, GA combined area

Savannah, GA

The Savannah metro area authorized 5,371 new housing units in 2025. No year in the 2004–2025 record brought more permits than 2025, a distinction it shares with 16 other metro areas. Relative to population, the rate was 12.2 units per 1,000 residents in 2025, the highest rate of the 14 metro areas based in Georgia.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 3,082 units (2,671 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 351 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,146 units (3,422 single-family, 223 in 2–4 unit, 501 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,859 units (4,193 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 622 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,698 units (2,794 single-family, 108 in 2–4 unit, 796 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,103 units (1,560 single-family, 93 in 2–4 unit, 450 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,605 units (1,241 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 338 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,301 units (1,020 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 271 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,625 units (1,049 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 550 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,540 units (1,263 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 267 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,750 units (1,517 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 207 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,211 units (1,857 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 348 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,407 units (2,357 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,971 units (1,769 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 194 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,118 units (1,898 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 212 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,158 units (2,080 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 1,066 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,591 units (2,151 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 436 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,026 units (2,061 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 949 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,227 units (2,752 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 441 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,192 units (2,226 single-family, 229 in 2–4 unit, 737 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,388 units (2,620 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 752 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 4,037 units (2,936 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,087 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 5,371 units (3,226 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 2,063 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252025 high · 5,3712010 low · 1,30102,0004,0006,0002004: 3,082 units (2,671 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 351 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,146 units (3,422 single-family, 223 in 2–4 unit, 501 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,859 units (4,193 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 622 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,698 units (2,794 single-family, 108 in 2–4 unit, 796 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,103 units (1,560 single-family, 93 in 2–4 unit, 450 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,605 units (1,241 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 338 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,301 units (1,020 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 271 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,625 units (1,049 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 550 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,540 units (1,263 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 267 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,750 units (1,517 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 207 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,211 units (1,857 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 348 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,407 units (2,357 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 48 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,971 units (1,769 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 194 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,118 units (1,898 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 212 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,158 units (2,080 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 1,066 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,591 units (2,151 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 436 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,026 units (2,061 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 949 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,227 units (2,752 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 441 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,192 units (2,226 single-family, 229 in 2–4 unit, 737 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,388 units (2,620 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 752 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 4,037 units (2,936 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,087 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 5,371 units (3,226 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 2,063 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252025 high · 5,371

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Permits rose 33% between 2024 and 2025, the largest increase among the 14 metro areas based in Georgia.

The wider Savannah-Hinesville-Statesboro region

The Census Bureau groups Savannah with one neighboring metro area in the Savannah-Hinesville-Statesboro, GA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 4,601 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Savannah accounted for 84%. The other, with its yearly average: Hinesville (758).

Where in the metro

Chatham County accounted for 66% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Bryan County for 17%.

  • Chatham County66% (4,426 in 2025)
  • Bryan County17% (733 in 2025)
  • Effingham County17% (212 in 2025)

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 16 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Port Wentworth, with 4,068 units or 21% of the total, followed by Pooler with 3,911. Among the three largest, Port Wentworth put 50% of its units in five-plus buildings, Savannah 0%.

  • Port Wentworth21% (4,068 units)
  • Pooler20% (3,911 units)
  • Savannah14% (2,654 units)
  • Effingham County (unincorporated)12% (2,359 units)
  • Richmond Hill9.4% (1,815 units)
  • Bryan County (unincorporated)7.3% (1,410 units)
  • Chatham County (unincorporated)6.8% (1,309 units)
  • Bloomingdale3.2% (619 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Savannah, 72% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 26% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Coeur d'Alene (26% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 12%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2025 (2,063), single-family houses in 2006 (4,193).

2021–202571.6%72%2.0%26.4%26%2004–200685.1%85%2.7%12.2%12%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202571.6%72%2.0%26.4%26%2004–200685.1%85%2.7%12.2%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 16 other metro areas, among them Spartanburg, Hickory, Gainesville, FL. Annual permits fell from 4,859 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,301 in 2010, a drop of 73%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Charleston, SC's (73%). The 2021–2025 pace of 3,843 units a year is 4.6% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Ocala, FL5,98514.89%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA1,3712.252%
Reading, PA5821.026%
Savannah, GA5,3719.026%
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX2,7025.418%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Savannah beside Reading

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