Pacific division · West
California
California authorized 103,856 new housing units in 2025, the third-largest total of the 50 states and DC. Permits rose 2.3% between 2024 and 2025, the largest increase among the 5 Pacific states. The housing bust cut annual permits by 83%, from 207,390 at the 2004–2006 high to 35,069 in 2009, the deepest drop among the 5 Pacific states.
Single-family2–4 units5+ units
Buildings with five or more units accounted for 41% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the second-highest share among the 5 Pacific states.
Houses or apartments
The closest match in building mix among the 50 other states is Maryland (40% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 24%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2017 (53,342), single-family houses in 2005 (154,703).
Boom, bust and since
California authorized the most units in 2004 (207,390); 2025 reached 50% of that. Its peak year is shared by 11 other states, among them Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan. The 2021–2025 pace of 111,475 units a year is 42% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 8 years in a row up to 2017.
Relative to population
With 39,355,309 residents in July 2025, California authorized 2.8 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The states with the nearest rates are Maryland (2.9) and Mississippi (2.7).
Metro areas
In 2021–2025, 98% of the units authorized in California fell in counties belonging to one of its 25 metro areas; the other 1.6% came from smaller towns and rural counties. Los Angeles leads with 29,763 units a year.
Average units authorized per year, 2021–2025.
The other 5 smaller metro areas are in the metro table.
Busiest permit offices
Across California, 512 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Los Angeles, with 65,648 units or 12% of the total, followed by San Diego with 28,418. Among the three largest, San Diego put 82% of its units in five-plus buildings, Sacramento 59%.
Share of the units authorized in California, 2021–2025.
Reported and estimated
Permit offices in California reported 94% of the 2021–2025 units directly; the Census Bureau estimated 5.5% for offices that missed months (US: 8.2%; closest state: Oklahoma, 5.4%).
Similar in size
| State | 2004–2025 | 2025 units | Per 1,000 a year | 5+ share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 103,856 | 2.8 | 41% | |
| Texas | 210,217 | 7.8 | 31% | |
| Florida | 178,297 | 8.5 | 32% | |
| New York | 38,667 | 2.3 | 73% | |
| Pennsylvania | 25,709 | 2.3 | 39% |
Rates and shares: 2021–2025.
Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. Counting rules.