HousingPermits

Middle Atlantic division · Northeast

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania authorized 25,709 new housing units in 2025. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 2.3 units a year in 2021–2025, 50% of the national rate of 4.7. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2004, with 49,665 units; 2025 came to 52% of that.

015k30k45k60k2004: 49,665 units (41,496 single-family, 1,727 in 2–4 unit, 6,442 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 44,525 units (37,268 single-family, 1,489 in 2–4 unit, 5,768 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 39,128 units (33,121 single-family, 1,250 in 2–4 unit, 4,757 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 33,665 units (27,497 single-family, 1,118 in 2–4 unit, 5,050 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 24,577 units (20,238 single-family, 672 in 2–4 unit, 3,667 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 18,275 units (15,341 single-family, 700 in 2–4 unit, 2,234 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 19,740 units (16,886 single-family, 947 in 2–4 unit, 1,907 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 14,967 units (11,790 single-family, 865 in 2–4 unit, 2,312 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 18,796 units (13,432 single-family, 1,141 in 2–4 unit, 4,223 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 21,650 units (15,505 single-family, 1,148 in 2–4 unit, 4,997 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 25,059 units (16,371 single-family, 1,084 in 2–4 unit, 7,604 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 22,854 units (15,420 single-family, 998 in 2–4 unit, 6,436 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 23,303 units (16,457 single-family, 1,301 in 2–4 unit, 5,545 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 22,584 units (15,703 single-family, 1,370 in 2–4 unit, 5,511 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 23,325 units (15,335 single-family, 1,376 in 2–4 unit, 6,614 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 23,539 units (14,878 single-family, 1,564 in 2–4 unit, 7,097 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 25,706 units (15,846 single-family, 1,939 in 2–4 unit, 7,921 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 47,894 units (18,764 single-family, 2,540 in 2–4 unit, 26,590 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 28,149 units (18,150 single-family, 1,341 in 2–4 unit, 8,658 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 25,320 units (15,912 single-family, 951 in 2–4 unit, 8,457 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 24,810 units (16,348 single-family, 1,270 in 2–4 unit, 7,192 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 25,709 units (15,812 single-family, 1,222 in 2–4 unit, 8,675 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 49,6652011 low · 14,967020k40k60k2004: 49,665 units (41,496 single-family, 1,727 in 2–4 unit, 6,442 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 44,525 units (37,268 single-family, 1,489 in 2–4 unit, 5,768 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 39,128 units (33,121 single-family, 1,250 in 2–4 unit, 4,757 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 33,665 units (27,497 single-family, 1,118 in 2–4 unit, 5,050 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 24,577 units (20,238 single-family, 672 in 2–4 unit, 3,667 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 18,275 units (15,341 single-family, 700 in 2–4 unit, 2,234 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 19,740 units (16,886 single-family, 947 in 2–4 unit, 1,907 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 14,967 units (11,790 single-family, 865 in 2–4 unit, 2,312 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 18,796 units (13,432 single-family, 1,141 in 2–4 unit, 4,223 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 21,650 units (15,505 single-family, 1,148 in 2–4 unit, 4,997 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 25,059 units (16,371 single-family, 1,084 in 2–4 unit, 7,604 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 22,854 units (15,420 single-family, 998 in 2–4 unit, 6,436 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 23,303 units (16,457 single-family, 1,301 in 2–4 unit, 5,545 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 22,584 units (15,703 single-family, 1,370 in 2–4 unit, 5,511 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 23,325 units (15,335 single-family, 1,376 in 2–4 unit, 6,614 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 23,539 units (14,878 single-family, 1,564 in 2–4 unit, 7,097 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 25,706 units (15,846 single-family, 1,939 in 2–4 unit, 7,921 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 47,894 units (18,764 single-family, 2,540 in 2–4 unit, 26,590 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 28,149 units (18,150 single-family, 1,341 in 2–4 unit, 8,658 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 25,320 units (15,912 single-family, 951 in 2–4 unit, 8,457 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 24,810 units (16,348 single-family, 1,270 in 2–4 unit, 7,192 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 25,709 units (15,812 single-family, 1,222 in 2–4 unit, 8,675 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 49,665

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

In Pennsylvania, 56% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 39% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 50 other states is Wisconsin (40% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 13%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2021 (26,590), single-family houses in 2004 (41,496).

2021–202556.0%56%4.8%39.2%39%2004–200683.9%84%3.3%12.7%13%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202556.0%56%4.8%39.2%39%2004–200683.9%84%3.3%12.7%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 11 other states, among them Ohio, Michigan, Virginia. Annual permits fell from 49,665 during the mid-2000s boom to 14,967 in 2011, a drop of 70%. The nearest bust profile among the states was Maine's (69%). The 2021–2025 pace of 30,376 units a year is 32% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Metro areas

In 2021–2025, 92% of the units authorized in Pennsylvania fell in counties belonging to one of its 16 metro areas; the other 7.5% 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 Pennsylvania, 1811 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Philadelphia, with 38,671 units or 26% of the total, followed by Pittsburgh with 9,003. Among the three largest, Pittsburgh put 90% of its units in five-plus buildings, Adams County 0%.

  • Philadelphia26% (38,671 units)
  • Pittsburgh5.9% (9,003 units)
  • Adams County1.3% (2,049 units)
  • Upper Merion township1% (1,523 units)
  • Cranberry township1% (1,455 units)
  • Upper Macungie township0.8% (1,195 units)
  • Bethlehem0.6% (965 units)
  • Hatfield township0.6% (956 units)

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

Reported and estimated

Permit offices in Pennsylvania reported 91% of the 2021–2025 units directly; the Census Bureau estimated 8.7% for offices that missed months (US: 8.2%; closest state: Tennessee, 8.8%).

Similar in size

State2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Pennsylvania25,7092.339%
Illinois18,5511.540%
Ohio33,6402.637%
Georgia61,1966.128%
North Carolina86,1678.628%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Pennsylvania beside Illinois

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