HousingPermits

South Atlantic division · South

Delaware

Delaware authorized 6,468 new housing units in 2025. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 11% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the second-lowest share among the 50 states and DC. Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes supplied 2.9% of its units in 2021–2025, the second-highest share among the 9 South Atlantic states.

02,5005,0007,50010k2004: 7,858 units (7,532 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 308 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 8,195 units (6,715 single-family, 443 in 2–4 unit, 1,037 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 6,504 units (5,015 single-family, 353 in 2–4 unit, 1,136 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 5,291 units (4,403 single-family, 234 in 2–4 unit, 654 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,346 units (2,680 single-family, 160 in 2–4 unit, 506 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,156 units (2,676 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 404 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,072 units (2,673 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 311 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,954 units (2,441 single-family, 155 in 2–4 unit, 358 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 4,091 units (2,890 single-family, 287 in 2–4 unit, 914 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,827 units (3,759 single-family, 208 in 2–4 unit, 860 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 5,194 units (4,144 single-family, 237 in 2–4 unit, 813 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 5,221 units (4,239 single-family, 207 in 2–4 unit, 775 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 5,804 units (4,687 single-family, 271 in 2–4 unit, 846 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 6,601 units (5,218 single-family, 320 in 2–4 unit, 1,063 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 6,003 units (5,472 single-family, 223 in 2–4 unit, 308 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,539 units (5,573 single-family, 251 in 2–4 unit, 715 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 8,455 units (7,101 single-family, 381 in 2–4 unit, 973 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 8,500 units (7,261 single-family, 307 in 2–4 unit, 932 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 6,417 units (5,855 single-family, 176 in 2–4 unit, 386 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 5,765 units (4,684 single-family, 108 in 2–4 unit, 973 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 7,141 units (6,236 single-family, 226 in 2–4 unit, 679 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 6,468 units (5,422 single-family, 170 in 2–4 unit, 876 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 8,5002011 low · 2,95403,0006,0009,0002004: 7,858 units (7,532 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 308 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 8,195 units (6,715 single-family, 443 in 2–4 unit, 1,037 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 6,504 units (5,015 single-family, 353 in 2–4 unit, 1,136 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 5,291 units (4,403 single-family, 234 in 2–4 unit, 654 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,346 units (2,680 single-family, 160 in 2–4 unit, 506 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,156 units (2,676 single-family, 76 in 2–4 unit, 404 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,072 units (2,673 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 311 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,954 units (2,441 single-family, 155 in 2–4 unit, 358 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 4,091 units (2,890 single-family, 287 in 2–4 unit, 914 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,827 units (3,759 single-family, 208 in 2–4 unit, 860 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 5,194 units (4,144 single-family, 237 in 2–4 unit, 813 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 5,221 units (4,239 single-family, 207 in 2–4 unit, 775 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 5,804 units (4,687 single-family, 271 in 2–4 unit, 846 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 6,601 units (5,218 single-family, 320 in 2–4 unit, 1,063 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 6,003 units (5,472 single-family, 223 in 2–4 unit, 308 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,539 units (5,573 single-family, 251 in 2–4 unit, 715 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 8,455 units (7,101 single-family, 381 in 2–4 unit, 973 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 8,500 units (7,261 single-family, 307 in 2–4 unit, 932 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 6,417 units (5,855 single-family, 176 in 2–4 unit, 386 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 5,765 units (4,684 single-family, 108 in 2–4 unit, 973 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 7,141 units (6,236 single-family, 226 in 2–4 unit, 679 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 6,468 units (5,422 single-family, 170 in 2–4 unit, 876 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 8,500

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its 2025 total reached 76% of the 2021 high, the third-closest to a series peak among the 9 South Atlantic states.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 50 other states is West Virginia (12% in five-plus buildings).

2021–202585.9%86%2.9%11.2%11%2004–200685.4%85%3.6%11.0%11%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202585.9%86%2.9%11.2%2004–200685.4%85%3.6%11.0%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 7 other states, among them Montana, Idaho, Utah. Annual permits fell from 8,195 during the mid-2000s boom to 2,954 in 2011, a drop of 64%. The nearest bust profile among the states was Vermont's (64%). The 2021–2025 pace of 6,858 units a year is 8.8% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 6 years in a row up to 2017. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 9.4%.

Relative to population

With 1,059,952 residents in July 2025, Delaware authorized 6.6 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, 1.4 times the national 4.7. The states with the nearest rates are Tennessee (6.9) and Nevada (6.2).

Metro areas

In 2021–2025, 38% of the units authorized in Delaware fell in counties belonging to one of its 2 metro areas; the other 62% came from smaller towns and rural counties. Philadelphia leads with 17,962 units a year (counting its part in neighboring states).

Average units authorized per year, 2021–2025.

Busiest permit offices

Across Delaware, 16 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Sussex County, with 21,348 units or 62% of the total, followed by New Castle County (unincorporated) with 4,470.

  • Sussex County62% (21,348 units)
  • New Castle County (unincorporated)13% (4,470 units)
  • Kent County (unincorporated)11% (3,824 units)
  • Wilmington3.7% (1,273 units)
  • Milford2.8% (947 units)
  • Dover2.1% (735 units)
  • Middletown town1.5% (498 units)
  • Cheswold town1% (345 units)

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

Reported and estimated

Permit offices in Delaware reported 100% of the 2021–2025 units directly; the Census Bureau estimated 0.1% for offices that missed months (US: 8.2%; closest state: District of Columbia, 0%).

Similar in size

State2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Montana5,2585.140%
Rhode Island1,7381.423%
Delaware6,4686.611%
South Dakota5,3057.845%
North Dakota2,4403.731%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Delaware beside Rhode Island

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