HousingPermits

Middle Atlantic division · Northeast

New Jersey

New Jersey authorized 27,661 new housing units in 2025. Permits fell 21% between 2024 and 2025, the steepest decline among the 50 states and DC. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 54% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the fifth-highest share among the 50 states and DC.

015k30k45k60k2004: 35,936 units (22,429 single-family, 4,776 in 2–4 unit, 8,731 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 38,588 units (22,264 single-family, 4,649 in 2–4 unit, 11,675 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 34,323 units (17,113 single-family, 4,796 in 2–4 unit, 12,414 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 25,389 units (13,066 single-family, 3,003 in 2–4 unit, 9,320 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 18,363 units (9,169 single-family, 1,075 in 2–4 unit, 8,119 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 12,421 units (7,211 single-family, 606 in 2–4 unit, 4,604 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 13,535 units (7,378 single-family, 956 in 2–4 unit, 5,201 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 12,952 units (6,475 single-family, 613 in 2–4 unit, 5,864 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 17,939 units (7,279 single-family, 929 in 2–4 unit, 9,731 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 24,209 units (10,377 single-family, 1,091 in 2–4 unit, 12,741 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 28,155 units (11,019 single-family, 1,164 in 2–4 unit, 15,972 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 30,560 units (10,518 single-family, 999 in 2–4 unit, 19,043 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 26,793 units (9,626 single-family, 1,159 in 2–4 unit, 16,008 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 28,501 units (10,148 single-family, 1,481 in 2–4 unit, 16,872 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 27,942 units (10,348 single-family, 1,494 in 2–4 unit, 16,100 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 36,505 units (11,526 single-family, 1,998 in 2–4 unit, 22,981 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 36,146 units (12,289 single-family, 1,874 in 2–4 unit, 21,983 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 37,094 units (13,913 single-family, 1,837 in 2–4 unit, 21,344 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 36,906 units (13,185 single-family, 1,923 in 2–4 unit, 21,798 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 32,840 units (13,228 single-family, 2,134 in 2–4 unit, 17,478 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 34,932 units (14,807 single-family, 2,041 in 2–4 unit, 18,084 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 27,661 units (12,820 single-family, 1,551 in 2–4 unit, 13,290 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 38,588015k30k45k2004: 35,936 units (22,429 single-family, 4,776 in 2–4 unit, 8,731 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 38,588 units (22,264 single-family, 4,649 in 2–4 unit, 11,675 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 34,323 units (17,113 single-family, 4,796 in 2–4 unit, 12,414 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 25,389 units (13,066 single-family, 3,003 in 2–4 unit, 9,320 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 18,363 units (9,169 single-family, 1,075 in 2–4 unit, 8,119 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 12,421 units (7,211 single-family, 606 in 2–4 unit, 4,604 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 13,535 units (7,378 single-family, 956 in 2–4 unit, 5,201 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 12,952 units (6,475 single-family, 613 in 2–4 unit, 5,864 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 17,939 units (7,279 single-family, 929 in 2–4 unit, 9,731 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 24,209 units (10,377 single-family, 1,091 in 2–4 unit, 12,741 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 28,155 units (11,019 single-family, 1,164 in 2–4 unit, 15,972 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 30,560 units (10,518 single-family, 999 in 2–4 unit, 19,043 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 26,793 units (9,626 single-family, 1,159 in 2–4 unit, 16,008 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 28,501 units (10,148 single-family, 1,481 in 2–4 unit, 16,872 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 27,942 units (10,348 single-family, 1,494 in 2–4 unit, 16,100 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 36,505 units (11,526 single-family, 1,998 in 2–4 unit, 22,981 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 36,146 units (12,289 single-family, 1,874 in 2–4 unit, 21,983 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 37,094 units (13,913 single-family, 1,837 in 2–4 unit, 21,344 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 36,906 units (13,185 single-family, 1,923 in 2–4 unit, 21,798 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 32,840 units (13,228 single-family, 2,134 in 2–4 unit, 17,478 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 34,932 units (14,807 single-family, 2,041 in 2–4 unit, 18,084 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 27,661 units (12,820 single-family, 1,551 in 2–4 unit, 13,290 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 38,588

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 50 other states is Massachusetts (56% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 30%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.6% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2019 (22,981), single-family houses in 2004 (22,429).

2021–202540.1%40%5.6%54.3%54%2004–200656.8%57%13.1%13%30.2%30%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202540.1%40%5.6%54.3%54%2004–200656.8%57%13.1%13%30.2%30%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

New Jersey authorized the most units in 2005 (38,588); 2025 reached 72% of that. Its peak year is shared by 19 other states, among them Georgia, Arizona, Massachusetts. Annual permits fell from 38,588 during the mid-2000s boom to 12,421 in 2009, a drop of 68%. The nearest bust profile among the states was Tennessee's (68%). The 2021–2025 pace of 33,887 units a year is 6.6% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Relative to population

With 9,548,215 residents in July 2025, New Jersey authorized 3.6 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The states with the nearest rates are North Dakota (3.7) and Oklahoma (3.5).

Metro areas

In 2021–2025, 100% of the units authorized in New Jersey fell in counties belonging to one of its 6 metro areas. New York leads with 58,185 units a year (counting its part in neighboring states).

Average units authorized per year, 2021–2025.

Busiest permit offices

Across New Jersey, 539 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Jersey City, with 14,011 units or 8.3% of the total, followed by Newark with 8,360. Among the three largest, Jersey City put 88% of its units in five-plus buildings, Lakewood township 14%.

  • Jersey City8.3% (14,011 units)
  • Newark4.9% (8,360 units)
  • Lakewood township4% (6,843 units)
  • Weehawken township1.9% (3,206 units)
  • West New York town1.9% (3,201 units)
  • Union township1.7% (2,845 units)
  • Paterson1.2% (2,115 units)
  • City of Orange township1.2% (2,042 units)

Share of the units authorized in New Jersey, 2021–2025.

Reported and estimated

Permit offices in New Jersey reported 82% of the 2021–2025 units directly; the Census Bureau estimated 18% for offices that missed months (US: 8.2%; closest state: South Carolina, 18%).

Similar in size

State2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
North Carolina86,1678.628%
Michigan23,0752.225%
New Jersey27,6613.654%
Virginia33,0944.238%
Washington34,9135.548%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put New Jersey beside Michigan

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