HousingPermits

Metro area in Connecticut · part of the New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT combined area

Waterbury-Shelton, CT

The Waterbury-Shelton metro area authorized 513 new housing units in 2025. Permits rose 62% between 2024 and 2025, the second-largest increase among the 17 metro areas based in the New England states. Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 65% below the 2004–2006 average, the second-weakest recovery by this measure among the 17 metro areas based in the New England states.

05001,0001,5002,0002004: 1,433 units (1,249 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 173 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,676 units (1,275 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 392 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,045 units (944 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 847 units (732 single-family, 47 in 2–4 unit, 68 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 599 units (489 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 97 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 302 units (295 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 362 units (354 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 298 units (253 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 41 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 591 units (289 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 297 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 531 units (325 single-family, 43 in 2–4 unit, 163 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 454 units (345 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 597 units (309 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 240 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 338 units (321 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 433 units (406 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 351 units (321 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 12 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 370 units (302 single-family, 49 in 2–4 unit, 19 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 721 units (369 single-family, 58 in 2–4 unit, 294 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 490 units (434 single-family, 21 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 446 units (349 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 638 units (355 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 252 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 317 units (264 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 21 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 513 units (288 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 206 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 1,6762011 low · 29806001,2001,8002004: 1,433 units (1,249 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 173 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,676 units (1,275 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 392 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,045 units (944 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 847 units (732 single-family, 47 in 2–4 unit, 68 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 599 units (489 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 97 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 302 units (295 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 362 units (354 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 298 units (253 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 41 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 591 units (289 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 297 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 531 units (325 single-family, 43 in 2–4 unit, 163 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 454 units (345 single-family, 38 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 597 units (309 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 240 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 338 units (321 single-family, 17 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 433 units (406 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 351 units (321 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 12 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 370 units (302 single-family, 49 in 2–4 unit, 19 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 721 units (369 single-family, 58 in 2–4 unit, 294 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 490 units (434 single-family, 21 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 446 units (349 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 638 units (355 single-family, 31 in 2–4 unit, 252 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 317 units (264 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 21 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 513 units (288 single-family, 19 in 2–4 unit, 206 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 1,676

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its 2025 total was only 31% of the 2005 high of 1,676 units, the second-furthest below a series peak among the 17 metro areas based in the New England states.

Relative to population

With 463,349 residents in July 2025, Waterbury authorized 1.1 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Scranton (1.1) and Vineland (1.0).

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them York, Ocala, Brownsville. Annual permits fell from 1,676 during the mid-2000s boom to 298 in 2011, a drop of 82%. The nearest bust profile in the New England states was New Haven's (83%).

The wider New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury region

The Census Bureau groups Waterbury with 3 neighboring metro areas in the New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 3,706 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Waterbury accounted for 13%. The others, with their yearly averages: Hartford (1,754), New Haven (1,045), Norwich (427).

Houses or apartments

In Waterbury, 70% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 24% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Amarillo (24% in five-plus buildings). Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.4% of units, against 3.5% nationally.

2021–202570.3%70%5.4%24.3%24%2004–200683.5%83%1.2%15.3%15%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202570.3%70%5.4%24.3%24%2004–200683.5%83%1.2%15.3%15%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 Shelton, with 419 units or 17% of the total, followed by Cheshire town with 351. Among the three largest, Shelton put 65% of its units in five-plus buildings, Bristol 1.9%.

  • Shelton17% (419 units)
  • Cheshire town15% (351 units)
  • Bristol11% (266 units)
  • Derby8.6% (206 units)
  • Waterbury6.7% (160 units)
  • Oxford town6.3% (152 units)
  • Southbury town6.1% (147 units)
  • Middlebury town5.2% (126 units)

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

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
York-Hanover, PA1,5892.922%
Fort Wayne, IN1,6414.721%
Springfield, MA3180.714%
Waterbury-Shelton, CT5131.124%
Vallejo, CA8812.819%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Waterbury beside Springfield, MA

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