HousingPermits

South Atlantic division · South

Maryland

Maryland authorized 13,358 new housing units in 2025. Permits fell 21% between 2024 and 2025, the second-steepest decline among the 50 states and DC. The housing bust cut annual permits by 63%, from 30,180 at the 2004–2006 high to 11,123 in 2009, the mildest drop among the 9 South Atlantic states.

08,00016k24k32k2004: 27,382 units (21,553 single-family, 363 in 2–4 unit, 5,466 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 30,180 units (22,909 single-family, 389 in 2–4 unit, 6,882 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 23,262 units (17,858 single-family, 180 in 2–4 unit, 5,224 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 18,582 units (13,232 single-family, 119 in 2–4 unit, 5,231 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 13,018 units (8,927 single-family, 109 in 2–4 unit, 3,982 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 11,123 units (8,133 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 2,918 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 11,931 units (8,489 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 3,348 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 13,481 units (8,362 single-family, 189 in 2–4 unit, 4,930 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 15,217 units (9,232 single-family, 222 in 2–4 unit, 5,763 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 17,918 units (10,667 single-family, 222 in 2–4 unit, 7,029 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 16,331 units (10,541 single-family, 213 in 2–4 unit, 5,577 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 17,057 units (11,108 single-family, 160 in 2–4 unit, 5,789 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 17,044 units (11,059 single-family, 206 in 2–4 unit, 5,779 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 16,224 units (12,384 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 3,740 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 18,647 units (12,975 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 5,573 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 18,491 units (12,053 single-family, 247 in 2–4 unit, 6,191 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 17,982 units (12,993 single-family, 201 in 2–4 unit, 4,788 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 18,496 units (12,520 single-family, 120 in 2–4 unit, 5,856 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 22,860 units (10,117 single-family, 130 in 2–4 unit, 12,613 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 18,453 units (10,490 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 7,889 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 16,823 units (10,885 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 5,878 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 13,358 units (9,345 single-family, 443 in 2–4 unit, 3,570 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 30,180015k30k45k2004: 27,382 units (21,553 single-family, 363 in 2–4 unit, 5,466 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 30,180 units (22,909 single-family, 389 in 2–4 unit, 6,882 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 23,262 units (17,858 single-family, 180 in 2–4 unit, 5,224 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 18,582 units (13,232 single-family, 119 in 2–4 unit, 5,231 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 13,018 units (8,927 single-family, 109 in 2–4 unit, 3,982 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 11,123 units (8,133 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 2,918 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 11,931 units (8,489 single-family, 94 in 2–4 unit, 3,348 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 13,481 units (8,362 single-family, 189 in 2–4 unit, 4,930 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 15,217 units (9,232 single-family, 222 in 2–4 unit, 5,763 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 17,918 units (10,667 single-family, 222 in 2–4 unit, 7,029 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 16,331 units (10,541 single-family, 213 in 2–4 unit, 5,577 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 17,057 units (11,108 single-family, 160 in 2–4 unit, 5,789 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 17,044 units (11,059 single-family, 206 in 2–4 unit, 5,779 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 16,224 units (12,384 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 3,740 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 18,647 units (12,975 single-family, 99 in 2–4 unit, 5,573 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 18,491 units (12,053 single-family, 247 in 2–4 unit, 6,191 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 17,982 units (12,993 single-family, 201 in 2–4 unit, 4,788 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 18,496 units (12,520 single-family, 120 in 2–4 unit, 5,856 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 22,860 units (10,117 single-family, 130 in 2–4 unit, 12,613 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 18,453 units (10,490 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 7,889 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 16,823 units (10,885 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 5,878 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 13,358 units (9,345 single-family, 443 in 2–4 unit, 3,570 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 30,180

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Buildings with five or more units accounted for 40% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the second-highest share among the 9 South Atlantic states.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 50 other states is Montana (40% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 22%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (12,613), single-family houses in 2005 (22,909).

2021–202559.3%59%0.9%39.8%40%2004–200677.1%77%1.2%21.7%22%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202559.3%59%0.9%39.8%40%2004–200677.1%77%1.2%21.7%22%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Maryland authorized the most units in 2005 (30,180); 2025 reached 44% of that. Its peak year is shared by 19 other states, among them Missouri, South Carolina, Massachusetts. The 2021–2025 pace of 17,998 units a year is 33% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Relative to population

With 6,265,347 residents in July 2025, Maryland authorized 2.9 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The states with the nearest rates are Missouri (3.1) and California (2.8).

Metro areas

In 2021–2025, 95% of the units authorized in Maryland fell in counties belonging to one of its 6 metro areas; the other 5.2% came from smaller towns and rural counties. Washington leads with 25,128 units a year (counting its part in neighboring states).

Average units authorized per year, 2021–2025.

Busiest permit offices

Across Maryland, 75 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Prince Georges County (unincorporated), with 14,268 units or 16% of the total, followed by Montgomery County (unincorporated) with 12,510. Among the three largest, Montgomery County (unincorporated) put 66% of its units in five-plus buildings, Anne Arundel County (unincorporated) 30%.

  • Prince Georges County (unincorporated)16% (14,268 units)
  • Montgomery County (unincorporated)14% (12,510 units)
  • Anne Arundel County (unincorporated)8.1% (7,300 units)
  • Baltimore7.6% (6,873 units)
  • Baltimore County6.7% (6,036 units)
  • Frederick6.3% (5,710 units)
  • Howard County5.2% (4,713 units)
  • Charles County (unincorporated)4.9% (4,403 units)

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

Reported and estimated

Permit offices in Maryland reported 100% of the 2021–2025 units directly; the Census Bureau estimated 0.5% for offices that missed months (US: 8.2%; closest state: Delaware, 0.1%).

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 Maryland beside Missouri

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