HousingPermits

Mountain division · West

Colorado

Colorado authorized 33,754 new housing units in 2025, the second-largest total of the 8 Mountain states. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 44% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 8 Mountain states. Permits rose 4.9% between 2024 and 2025, the second-largest increase among the 8 Mountain states.

015k30k45k60k2004: 46,499 units (40,753 single-family, 1,178 in 2–4 unit, 4,568 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 45,891 units (40,140 single-family, 1,233 in 2–4 unit, 4,518 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 38,343 units (30,365 single-family, 1,217 in 2–4 unit, 6,761 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 29,454 units (20,516 single-family, 859 in 2–4 unit, 8,079 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 18,998 units (11,147 single-family, 471 in 2–4 unit, 7,380 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 9,355 units (7,261 single-family, 235 in 2–4 unit, 1,859 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 11,591 units (8,790 single-family, 412 in 2–4 unit, 2,389 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 13,502 units (8,723 single-family, 393 in 2–4 unit, 4,386 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 23,301 units (12,617 single-family, 401 in 2–4 unit, 10,283 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 27,517 units (15,772 single-family, 556 in 2–4 unit, 11,189 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 28,686 units (17,095 single-family, 678 in 2–4 unit, 10,913 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 31,871 units (20,025 single-family, 621 in 2–4 unit, 11,225 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 38,974 units (21,577 single-family, 798 in 2–4 unit, 16,599 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 40,673 units (24,338 single-family, 759 in 2–4 unit, 15,576 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 42,627 units (26,134 single-family, 788 in 2–4 unit, 15,705 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 38,633 units (24,756 single-family, 722 in 2–4 unit, 13,155 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 40,469 units (26,636 single-family, 1,125 in 2–4 unit, 12,708 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 56,524 units (30,246 single-family, 1,996 in 2–4 unit, 24,282 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 48,341 units (23,691 single-family, 1,532 in 2–4 unit, 23,118 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 39,404 units (19,641 single-family, 1,006 in 2–4 unit, 18,757 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 32,185 units (20,434 single-family, 792 in 2–4 unit, 10,959 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 33,754 units (17,406 single-family, 702 in 2–4 unit, 15,646 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 56,5242009 low · 9,355020k40k60k2004: 46,499 units (40,753 single-family, 1,178 in 2–4 unit, 4,568 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 45,891 units (40,140 single-family, 1,233 in 2–4 unit, 4,518 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 38,343 units (30,365 single-family, 1,217 in 2–4 unit, 6,761 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 29,454 units (20,516 single-family, 859 in 2–4 unit, 8,079 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 18,998 units (11,147 single-family, 471 in 2–4 unit, 7,380 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 9,355 units (7,261 single-family, 235 in 2–4 unit, 1,859 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 11,591 units (8,790 single-family, 412 in 2–4 unit, 2,389 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 13,502 units (8,723 single-family, 393 in 2–4 unit, 4,386 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 23,301 units (12,617 single-family, 401 in 2–4 unit, 10,283 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 27,517 units (15,772 single-family, 556 in 2–4 unit, 11,189 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 28,686 units (17,095 single-family, 678 in 2–4 unit, 10,913 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 31,871 units (20,025 single-family, 621 in 2–4 unit, 11,225 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 38,974 units (21,577 single-family, 798 in 2–4 unit, 16,599 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 40,673 units (24,338 single-family, 759 in 2–4 unit, 15,576 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 42,627 units (26,134 single-family, 788 in 2–4 unit, 15,705 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 38,633 units (24,756 single-family, 722 in 2–4 unit, 13,155 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 40,469 units (26,636 single-family, 1,125 in 2–4 unit, 12,708 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 56,524 units (30,246 single-family, 1,996 in 2–4 unit, 24,282 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 48,341 units (23,691 single-family, 1,532 in 2–4 unit, 23,118 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 39,404 units (19,641 single-family, 1,006 in 2–4 unit, 18,757 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 32,185 units (20,434 single-family, 792 in 2–4 unit, 10,959 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 33,754 units (17,406 single-family, 702 in 2–4 unit, 15,646 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 56,524

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 50 other states is South Dakota (45% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 12%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2021 (24,282), single-family houses in 2004 (40,753).

2021–202553.0%53%2.9%44.1%44%2004–200685.1%85%2.8%12.1%12%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202553.0%53%2.9%44.1%44%2004–200685.1%85%2.8%12.1%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Colorado authorized the most units in 2021 (56,524); 2025 reached 60% of that. Its peak year is shared by 7 other states, among them Tennessee, Washington, Utah. Annual permits fell from 46,499 during the mid-2000s boom to 9,355 in 2009, a drop of 80%. The nearest bust profile among the states was Minnesota's (79%). The 2021–2025 pace of 42,042 units a year is 3.5% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 9 years in a row up to 2018.

Relative to population

With 6,012,561 residents in July 2025, Colorado authorized 7.1 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, 1.5 times the national 4.7. The states with the nearest rates are South Dakota (7.8) and Tennessee (6.9).

Metro areas

In 2021–2025, 90% of the units authorized in Colorado fell in counties belonging to one of its 7 metro areas; the other 10% came from smaller towns and rural counties. Denver leads with 21,037 units a year.

Average units authorized per year, 2021–2025.

Busiest permit offices

Across Colorado, 238 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Denver, with 32,742 units or 16% of the total, followed by El Paso County (unincorporated) with 32,504. Among the three largest, Denver put 82% of its units in five-plus buildings, El Paso County (unincorporated) 46%.

  • Denver16% (32,742 units)
  • El Paso County (unincorporated)16% (32,504 units)
  • Aurora7.2% (15,237 units)
  • Douglas County (unincorporated)3.6% (7,561 units)
  • Commerce City2.4% (5,016 units)
  • Mesa County (unincorporated)2.3% (4,845 units)
  • Fort Collins2.2% (4,642 units)
  • Greeley2.2% (4,578 units)

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

Reported and estimated

Permit offices in Colorado reported 96% of the 2021–2025 units directly; the Census Bureau estimated 3.9% for offices that missed months (US: 8.2%; closest state: Minnesota, 4.4%).

Similar in size

State2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Missouri17,4743.131%
Maryland13,3582.940%
Colorado33,7547.144%
Wisconsin25,5694.040%
Minnesota20,9474.645%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Colorado beside Wisconsin

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