HousingPermits

Mountain division · West

Arizona

Arizona authorized 51,532 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 8 Mountain states. The housing bust cut annual permits by 86%, from 90,851 at the 2004–2006 high to 12,370 in 2010, the fourth-deepest drop among the 50 states and DC. Permits fell 14% between 2024 and 2025, the steepest decline among the 8 Mountain states.

025k50k75k100k2004: 90,644 units (80,778 single-family, 2,258 in 2–4 unit, 7,608 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 90,851 units (80,804 single-family, 1,394 in 2–4 unit, 8,653 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 65,363 units (55,633 single-family, 2,092 in 2–4 unit, 7,638 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 49,642 units (37,666 single-family, 1,407 in 2–4 unit, 10,569 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 26,082 units (19,153 single-family, 613 in 2–4 unit, 6,316 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 14,474 units (12,826 single-family, 154 in 2–4 unit, 1,494 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 12,370 units (10,755 single-family, 152 in 2–4 unit, 1,463 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 13,007 units (10,306 single-family, 169 in 2–4 unit, 2,532 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 21,726 units (16,189 single-family, 454 in 2–4 unit, 5,083 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 25,209 units (18,386 single-family, 427 in 2–4 unit, 6,396 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 26,997 units (16,841 single-family, 367 in 2–4 unit, 9,789 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 28,910 units (22,311 single-family, 447 in 2–4 unit, 6,152 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 35,578 units (24,853 single-family, 652 in 2–4 unit, 10,073 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 39,472 units (28,072 single-family, 705 in 2–4 unit, 10,695 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 41,664 units (32,127 single-family, 910 in 2–4 unit, 8,627 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 46,580 units (33,981 single-family, 1,078 in 2–4 unit, 11,521 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 60,342 units (42,277 single-family, 1,351 in 2–4 unit, 16,714 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 65,334 units (46,561 single-family, 1,668 in 2–4 unit, 17,105 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 61,531 units (37,288 single-family, 2,182 in 2–4 unit, 22,061 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 58,433 units (34,429 single-family, 2,408 in 2–4 unit, 21,596 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 59,616 units (41,944 single-family, 2,154 in 2–4 unit, 15,518 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 51,532 units (33,371 single-family, 1,470 in 2–4 unit, 16,691 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 90,8512010 low · 12,370040k80k120k2004: 90,644 units (80,778 single-family, 2,258 in 2–4 unit, 7,608 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 90,851 units (80,804 single-family, 1,394 in 2–4 unit, 8,653 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 65,363 units (55,633 single-family, 2,092 in 2–4 unit, 7,638 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 49,642 units (37,666 single-family, 1,407 in 2–4 unit, 10,569 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 26,082 units (19,153 single-family, 613 in 2–4 unit, 6,316 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 14,474 units (12,826 single-family, 154 in 2–4 unit, 1,494 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 12,370 units (10,755 single-family, 152 in 2–4 unit, 1,463 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 13,007 units (10,306 single-family, 169 in 2–4 unit, 2,532 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 21,726 units (16,189 single-family, 454 in 2–4 unit, 5,083 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 25,209 units (18,386 single-family, 427 in 2–4 unit, 6,396 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 26,997 units (16,841 single-family, 367 in 2–4 unit, 9,789 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 28,910 units (22,311 single-family, 447 in 2–4 unit, 6,152 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 35,578 units (24,853 single-family, 652 in 2–4 unit, 10,073 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 39,472 units (28,072 single-family, 705 in 2–4 unit, 10,695 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 41,664 units (32,127 single-family, 910 in 2–4 unit, 8,627 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 46,580 units (33,981 single-family, 1,078 in 2–4 unit, 11,521 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 60,342 units (42,277 single-family, 1,351 in 2–4 unit, 16,714 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 65,334 units (46,561 single-family, 1,668 in 2–4 unit, 17,105 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 61,531 units (37,288 single-family, 2,182 in 2–4 unit, 22,061 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 58,433 units (34,429 single-family, 2,408 in 2–4 unit, 21,596 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 59,616 units (41,944 single-family, 2,154 in 2–4 unit, 15,518 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 51,532 units (33,371 single-family, 1,470 in 2–4 unit, 16,691 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 90,851

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Relative to population, the rate was 8.0 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the third-highest rate of the 8 Mountain states.

Houses or apartments

In Arizona, 65% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 31% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 50 other states is Texas (31% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 9.7%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (22,061), single-family houses in 2005 (80,804).

2021–202565.3%65%3.3%31.4%31%2004–200688.0%88%2.3%9.7%10%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202565.3%65%3.3%31.4%31%2004–200688.0%88%2.3%9.7%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Arizona authorized the most units in 2005 (90,851); 2025 reached 57% of that. Its peak year is shared by 19 other states, among them Massachusetts, Missouri, Maryland. The 2021–2025 pace of 59,289 units a year is 28% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 11 years in a row up to 2021.

Metro areas

In 2021–2025, 98% of the units authorized in Arizona fell in counties belonging to one of its 7 metro areas; the other 2.4% came from smaller towns and rural counties. Phoenix leads with 45,917 units a year.

Average units authorized per year, 2021–2025.

Busiest permit offices

Across Arizona, 99 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Phoenix, with 59,950 units or 20% of the total, followed by Pinal County (unincorporated) with 18,776. Among the three largest, Phoenix put 59% of its units in five-plus buildings, Pinal County (unincorporated) 5.6%.

  • Phoenix20% (59,950 units)
  • Pinal County (unincorporated)6.3% (18,776 units)
  • Surprise5.2% (15,342 units)
  • Mesa5.1% (15,215 units)
  • Goodyear4.3% (12,651 units)
  • Buckeye4.2% (12,469 units)
  • Maricopa County (unincorporated)4.1% (12,022 units)
  • Queen Creek town3.4% (10,202 units)

Share of the units authorized in Arizona, 2021–2025.

Reported and estimated

Permit offices in Arizona reported 93% of the 2021–2025 units directly; the Census Bureau estimated 6.6% for offices that missed months (US: 8.2%; closest state: North Carolina, 6.7%).

Similar in size

State2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Washington34,9135.548%
Arizona51,5328.031%
Tennessee43,3746.930%
Massachusetts12,4772.256%
Indiana29,0764.128%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Arizona beside Tennessee

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