HousingPermits

Metro area in Washington · part of the Seattle-Tacoma, WA combined area

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area authorized an average of 21,641 new housing units a year in 2021–2025, the second-largest total of the 48 metro areas based in the Pacific states. Single-family houses made up 32% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the second-lowest share among the 48 metro areas based in the Pacific states. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2021, with 30,743 units; 2025 came to 51% of that.

08,00016k24k32k2004: 24,135 units (16,334 single-family, 1,558 in 2–4 unit, 6,243 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 25,519 units (17,565 single-family, 1,589 in 2–4 unit, 6,365 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 25,743 units (15,211 single-family, 1,780 in 2–4 unit, 8,752 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 25,403 units (12,395 single-family, 2,511 in 2–4 unit, 10,497 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 15,512 units (6,674 single-family, 1,767 in 2–4 unit, 7,071 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 7,419 units (5,036 single-family, 643 in 2–4 unit, 1,740 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 10,040 units (6,139 single-family, 418 in 2–4 unit, 3,483 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 11,230 units (6,078 single-family, 374 in 2–4 unit, 4,778 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 17,666 units (8,047 single-family, 461 in 2–4 unit, 9,158 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 19,517 units (8,773 single-family, 610 in 2–4 unit, 10,134 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 21,953 units (8,665 single-family, 887 in 2–4 unit, 12,401 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 25,008 units (8,646 single-family, 1,045 in 2–4 unit, 15,317 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 25,489 units (9,425 single-family, 979 in 2–4 unit, 15,085 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 27,334 units (9,997 single-family, 1,098 in 2–4 unit, 16,239 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 28,186 units (9,134 single-family, 1,456 in 2–4 unit, 17,596 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 26,599 units (8,737 single-family, 1,436 in 2–4 unit, 16,426 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 23,039 units (8,860 single-family, 1,245 in 2–4 unit, 12,934 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 30,743 units (8,828 single-family, 1,594 in 2–4 unit, 20,321 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 26,661 units (7,029 single-family, 1,652 in 2–4 unit, 17,980 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 17,223 units (6,296 single-family, 1,292 in 2–4 unit, 9,635 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 17,920 units (6,489 single-family, 1,383 in 2–4 unit, 10,048 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 15,659 units (6,136 single-family, 1,324 in 2–4 unit, 8,199 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 30,7432009 low · 7,419015k30k45k2004: 24,135 units (16,334 single-family, 1,558 in 2–4 unit, 6,243 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 25,519 units (17,565 single-family, 1,589 in 2–4 unit, 6,365 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 25,743 units (15,211 single-family, 1,780 in 2–4 unit, 8,752 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 25,403 units (12,395 single-family, 2,511 in 2–4 unit, 10,497 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 15,512 units (6,674 single-family, 1,767 in 2–4 unit, 7,071 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 7,419 units (5,036 single-family, 643 in 2–4 unit, 1,740 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 10,040 units (6,139 single-family, 418 in 2–4 unit, 3,483 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 11,230 units (6,078 single-family, 374 in 2–4 unit, 4,778 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 17,666 units (8,047 single-family, 461 in 2–4 unit, 9,158 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 19,517 units (8,773 single-family, 610 in 2–4 unit, 10,134 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 21,953 units (8,665 single-family, 887 in 2–4 unit, 12,401 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 25,008 units (8,646 single-family, 1,045 in 2–4 unit, 15,317 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 25,489 units (9,425 single-family, 979 in 2–4 unit, 15,085 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 27,334 units (9,997 single-family, 1,098 in 2–4 unit, 16,239 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 28,186 units (9,134 single-family, 1,456 in 2–4 unit, 17,596 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 26,599 units (8,737 single-family, 1,436 in 2–4 unit, 16,426 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 23,039 units (8,860 single-family, 1,245 in 2–4 unit, 12,934 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 30,743 units (8,828 single-family, 1,594 in 2–4 unit, 20,321 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 26,661 units (7,029 single-family, 1,652 in 2–4 unit, 17,980 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 17,223 units (6,296 single-family, 1,292 in 2–4 unit, 9,635 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 17,920 units (6,489 single-family, 1,383 in 2–4 unit, 10,048 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 15,659 units (6,136 single-family, 1,324 in 2–4 unit, 8,199 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 30,743

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Kiryas Joel (61% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 28%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 6.7% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2021 (20,321), single-family houses in 2005 (17,565).

2021–202532.1%32%6.7%61.2%61%2004–200665.1%65%6.5%28.3%28%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202532.1%32%6.7%61.2%61%2004–200665.1%65%6.5%28.3%28%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 75 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Seattle, with 36,530 units or 34% of the total, followed by Pierce County (unincorporated) with 9,957. Among the three largest, Seattle put 80% of its units in five-plus buildings, Snohomish County (unincorporated) 14%.

  • Seattle34% (36,530 units)
  • Pierce County (unincorporated)9.2% (9,957 units)
  • Snohomish County (unincorporated)6% (6,474 units)
  • Tacoma5.4% (5,846 units)
  • Redmond4.7% (5,116 units)
  • Bellevue4.4% (4,776 units)
  • Shoreline3.6% (3,882 units)
  • Marysville3% (3,197 units)

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

The wider Seattle-Tacoma region

The Census Bureau groups Seattle with 3 neighboring metro areas in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 25,684 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Seattle accounted for 84%. The others, with their yearly averages: Bremerton (1,864), Olympia (1,599), Mount Vernon (580).

Where in the metro

King County accounted for 63% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Pierce County for 19%.

  • King County63% (8,505 in 2025)
  • Pierce County19% (3,782 in 2025)
  • Snohomish County18% (3,372 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 27 other metro areas, among them Denver, Charlotte, Austin. Annual permits fell from 25,743 during the mid-2000s boom to 7,419 in 2009, a drop of 71%. The nearest bust profile in the Pacific states was Spokane's (69%). The 2021–2025 pace of 21,641 units a year is 14% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 9 years in a row up to 2018. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 13%.

Relative to population

With 4,161,883 residents in July 2025, Seattle authorized 5.3 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, close to the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Olympia (5.3) and Minneapolis (5.2).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA15,9373.628%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA7,7502.062%
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI8,8051.832%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA15,6595.361%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI14,5165.249%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Seattle beside Detroit

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