HousingPermits

Mountain division · West

Idaho

Idaho authorized 17,944 new housing units in 2025. Relative to population, the rate was 9.5 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the highest rate of the 50 states and DC. Its 2025 total reached 83% of the 2021 high, the closest to a series peak among the 8 Mountain states.

06,00012k18k24k2004: 18,108 units (15,273 single-family, 1,969 in 2–4 unit, 866 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 21,578 units (19,172 single-family, 1,336 in 2–4 unit, 1,070 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 17,075 units (14,789 single-family, 1,182 in 2–4 unit, 1,104 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 12,105 units (9,551 single-family, 1,415 in 2–4 unit, 1,139 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 6,470 units (5,673 single-family, 470 in 2–4 unit, 327 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 4,863 units (4,274 single-family, 213 in 2–4 unit, 376 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 4,153 units (3,568 single-family, 86 in 2–4 unit, 499 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,815 units (3,163 single-family, 220 in 2–4 unit, 432 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 6,265 units (5,036 single-family, 405 in 2–4 unit, 824 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 8,110 units (6,360 single-family, 258 in 2–4 unit, 1,492 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 8,797 units (6,293 single-family, 557 in 2–4 unit, 1,947 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 9,954 units (7,784 single-family, 608 in 2–4 unit, 1,562 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 12,165 units (9,739 single-family, 517 in 2–4 unit, 1,909 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 14,183 units (11,019 single-family, 679 in 2–4 unit, 2,485 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 15,824 units (12,176 single-family, 702 in 2–4 unit, 2,946 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 17,716 units (12,978 single-family, 900 in 2–4 unit, 3,838 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 19,130 units (14,969 single-family, 980 in 2–4 unit, 3,181 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 21,732 units (16,154 single-family, 1,273 in 2–4 unit, 4,305 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 18,706 units (11,912 single-family, 1,137 in 2–4 unit, 5,657 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 17,919 units (12,081 single-family, 821 in 2–4 unit, 5,017 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 17,630 units (14,821 single-family, 684 in 2–4 unit, 2,125 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 17,944 units (14,112 single-family, 906 in 2–4 unit, 2,926 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 21,7322011 low · 3,81508,00016k24k2004: 18,108 units (15,273 single-family, 1,969 in 2–4 unit, 866 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 21,578 units (19,172 single-family, 1,336 in 2–4 unit, 1,070 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 17,075 units (14,789 single-family, 1,182 in 2–4 unit, 1,104 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 12,105 units (9,551 single-family, 1,415 in 2–4 unit, 1,139 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 6,470 units (5,673 single-family, 470 in 2–4 unit, 327 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 4,863 units (4,274 single-family, 213 in 2–4 unit, 376 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 4,153 units (3,568 single-family, 86 in 2–4 unit, 499 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,815 units (3,163 single-family, 220 in 2–4 unit, 432 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 6,265 units (5,036 single-family, 405 in 2–4 unit, 824 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 8,110 units (6,360 single-family, 258 in 2–4 unit, 1,492 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 8,797 units (6,293 single-family, 557 in 2–4 unit, 1,947 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 9,954 units (7,784 single-family, 608 in 2–4 unit, 1,562 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 12,165 units (9,739 single-family, 517 in 2–4 unit, 1,909 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 14,183 units (11,019 single-family, 679 in 2–4 unit, 2,485 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 15,824 units (12,176 single-family, 702 in 2–4 unit, 2,946 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 17,716 units (12,978 single-family, 900 in 2–4 unit, 3,838 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 19,130 units (14,969 single-family, 980 in 2–4 unit, 3,181 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 21,732 units (16,154 single-family, 1,273 in 2–4 unit, 4,305 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 18,706 units (11,912 single-family, 1,137 in 2–4 unit, 5,657 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 17,919 units (12,081 single-family, 821 in 2–4 unit, 5,017 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 17,630 units (14,821 single-family, 684 in 2–4 unit, 2,125 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 17,944 units (14,112 single-family, 906 in 2–4 unit, 2,926 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 21,732

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Buildings with five or more units accounted for 21% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the third-lowest share among the 8 Mountain states.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 50 other states is Maine (21% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 5.4%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.1% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (5,657), single-family houses in 2005 (19,172).

2021–202573.5%74%5.1%21.3%21%2004–200686.7%87%7.9%5.4%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202573.5%74%5.1%21.3%21%2004–200686.7%87%7.9%5.4%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, Delaware, Utah. Annual permits fell from 21,578 during the mid-2000s boom to 3,815 in 2011, a drop of 82%. The nearest bust profile among the states was California's (83%). The 2021–2025 pace of 18,786 units a year is 0.7% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 10 years in a row up to 2021.

Metro areas

In 2021–2025, 82% of the units authorized in Idaho fell in counties belonging to one of its 7 metro areas; the other 18% came from smaller towns and rural counties. Boise City leads with 10,213 units a year.

Average units authorized per year, 2021–2025.

Busiest permit offices

Across Idaho, 177 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Meridian, with 11,057 units or 12% of the total, followed by Nampa with 8,403. Among the three largest, Boise City put 58% of its units in five-plus buildings, Nampa 24%.

  • Meridian12% (11,057 units)
  • Nampa8.9% (8,403 units)
  • Boise City7.7% (7,216 units)
  • Caldwell7.3% (6,859 units)
  • Idaho Falls4.7% (4,404 units)
  • Star4.5% (4,258 units)
  • Kuna3.7% (3,473 units)
  • Post Falls2.9% (2,712 units)

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

Reported and estimated

Permit offices in Idaho reported 95% of the 2021–2025 units directly; the Census Bureau estimated 5.3% for offices that missed months (US: 8.2%; closest state: Oklahoma, 5.4%).

Similar in size

State2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
New Mexico7,7473.818%
Idaho17,9449.521%
Nebraska10,5965.243%
West Virginia3,9622.212%
Hawaii3,7082.734%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Idaho beside Nebraska

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