HousingPermits

Metro area in Washington · part of the Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID combined area

Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA

The Spokane-Spokane Valley metro area authorized 3,172 new housing units in 2025. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 6.2 units a year in 2021–2025, 1.3 times the national rate of 4.7. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2005, with 4,619 units; 2025 came to 69% of that.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 4,109 units (2,295 single-family, 221 in 2–4 unit, 1,593 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,619 units (3,780 single-family, 214 in 2–4 unit, 625 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,968 units (2,847 single-family, 85 in 2–4 unit, 1,036 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,029 units (2,379 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 590 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,542 units (1,295 single-family, 148 in 2–4 unit, 1,099 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,872 units (893 single-family, 51 in 2–4 unit, 928 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,681 units (1,005 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 648 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,839 units (792 single-family, 66 in 2–4 unit, 981 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,424 units (1,030 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 294 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,718 units (1,365 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 256 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,918 units (1,093 single-family, 103 in 2–4 unit, 722 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,691 units (1,414 single-family, 95 in 2–4 unit, 1,182 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,705 units (1,760 single-family, 156 in 2–4 unit, 1,789 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,600 units (1,744 single-family, 191 in 2–4 unit, 1,665 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,126 units (1,896 single-family, 265 in 2–4 unit, 965 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,300 units (1,888 single-family, 231 in 2–4 unit, 1,181 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,362 units (1,848 single-family, 199 in 2–4 unit, 1,315 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,415 units (1,908 single-family, 296 in 2–4 unit, 1,211 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,022 units (2,022 single-family, 204 in 2–4 unit, 1,796 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,903 units (1,706 single-family, 286 in 2–4 unit, 1,911 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,961 units (1,882 single-family, 215 in 2–4 unit, 1,864 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,172 units (1,571 single-family, 176 in 2–4 unit, 1,425 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 4,6192012 low · 1,42402,0004,0006,0002004: 4,109 units (2,295 single-family, 221 in 2–4 unit, 1,593 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,619 units (3,780 single-family, 214 in 2–4 unit, 625 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,968 units (2,847 single-family, 85 in 2–4 unit, 1,036 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,029 units (2,379 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 590 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,542 units (1,295 single-family, 148 in 2–4 unit, 1,099 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,872 units (893 single-family, 51 in 2–4 unit, 928 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,681 units (1,005 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 648 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,839 units (792 single-family, 66 in 2–4 unit, 981 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,424 units (1,030 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 294 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,718 units (1,365 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 256 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,918 units (1,093 single-family, 103 in 2–4 unit, 722 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,691 units (1,414 single-family, 95 in 2–4 unit, 1,182 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 3,705 units (1,760 single-family, 156 in 2–4 unit, 1,789 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,600 units (1,744 single-family, 191 in 2–4 unit, 1,665 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 3,126 units (1,896 single-family, 265 in 2–4 unit, 965 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,300 units (1,888 single-family, 231 in 2–4 unit, 1,181 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,362 units (1,848 single-family, 199 in 2–4 unit, 1,315 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,415 units (1,908 single-family, 296 in 2–4 unit, 1,211 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,022 units (2,022 single-family, 204 in 2–4 unit, 1,796 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,903 units (1,706 single-family, 286 in 2–4 unit, 1,911 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,961 units (1,882 single-family, 215 in 2–4 unit, 1,864 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,172 units (1,571 single-family, 176 in 2–4 unit, 1,425 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 4,619

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 18 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Spokane County (unincorporated), with 5,815 units or 32% of the total, followed by Spokane with 4,482. Among the three largest, Spokane Valley put 64% of its units in five-plus buildings, Spokane County (unincorporated) 35%.

  • Spokane County (unincorporated)32% (5,815 units)
  • Spokane24% (4,482 units)
  • Spokane Valley24% (4,419 units)
  • Stevens County (unincorporated)6.5% (1,196 units)
  • Liberty Lake6.4% (1,178 units)
  • Deer Park2.5% (462 units)
  • Airway Heights2.2% (414 units)
  • Cheney0.8% (143 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Spokane, 49% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 44% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Baltimore (44% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 26%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 6.4% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2023 (1,911), single-family houses in 2005 (3,780).

2021–202549.2%49%6.4%44.4%44%2004–200670.3%70%4.1%25.6%26%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202549.2%49%6.4%44.4%44%2004–200670.3%70%4.1%25.6%26%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene region

The Census Bureau groups Spokane with one neighboring metro area in the Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 5,655 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Spokane accounted for 65%. The other, with its yearly average: Coeur d'Alene (1,960).

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Chattanooga, Reno, Portland, ME. Annual permits fell from 4,619 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,424 in 2012, a drop of 69%. The nearest bust profile in the Pacific states was Olympia's (68%). The 2021–2025 pace of 3,695 units a year is 13% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 20%.

Where in the metro

Spokane County accounted for 92% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Stevens County for 7.5%.

  • Spokane County92% (2,976 in 2025)
  • Stevens County7.5% (196 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA1,2012.926%
Jackson, MS1,5682.22.9%
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA3,1726.244%
Toledo, OH4931.528%
Chattanooga, TN-GA2,9585.619%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Spokane beside Jackson, MS

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