HousingPermits

West South Central division · South

Texas

Texas authorized 210,217 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 50 states and DC. Recent building has outrun the boom: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 17% above the 2004–2006 average, the fourth-largest recovery by this measure among the 50 states and DC. Relative to population, the rate was 7.8 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the highest rate of the 4 West South Central states.

080k160k240k320k2004: 188,842 units (149,056 single-family, 6,756 in 2–4 unit, 33,030 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 210,611 units (166,178 single-family, 5,762 in 2–4 unit, 38,671 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 216,642 units (162,750 single-family, 6,621 in 2–4 unit, 47,271 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 176,992 units (118,455 single-family, 5,341 in 2–4 unit, 53,196 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 129,523 units (79,626 single-family, 2,979 in 2–4 unit, 46,918 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 84,440 units (67,069 single-family, 1,534 in 2–4 unit, 15,837 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 88,461 units (66,973 single-family, 1,747 in 2–4 unit, 19,741 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 97,450 units (65,506 single-family, 1,527 in 2–4 unit, 30,417 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 135,514 units (79,532 single-family, 2,253 in 2–4 unit, 53,729 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 147,460 units (90,832 single-family, 3,013 in 2–4 unit, 53,615 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 166,982 units (99,701 single-family, 3,178 in 2–4 unit, 64,103 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 175,443 units (105,448 single-family, 3,203 in 2–4 unit, 66,792 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 165,853 units (106,511 single-family, 3,709 in 2–4 unit, 55,633 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 175,112 units (116,766 single-family, 3,472 in 2–4 unit, 54,874 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 192,878 units (126,048 single-family, 3,777 in 2–4 unit, 63,053 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 209,895 units (129,094 single-family, 4,361 in 2–4 unit, 76,440 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 230,503 units (158,242 single-family, 4,966 in 2–4 unit, 67,295 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 265,955 units (179,620 single-family, 6,483 in 2–4 unit, 79,852 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 263,007 units (154,793 single-family, 7,380 in 2–4 unit, 100,834 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 232,373 units (149,860 single-family, 8,372 in 2–4 unit, 74,141 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 225,756 units (158,121 single-family, 8,525 in 2–4 unit, 59,110 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 210,217 units (140,579 single-family, 9,133 in 2–4 unit, 60,505 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 265,9552009 low · 84,4400100k200k300k2004: 188,842 units (149,056 single-family, 6,756 in 2–4 unit, 33,030 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 210,611 units (166,178 single-family, 5,762 in 2–4 unit, 38,671 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 216,642 units (162,750 single-family, 6,621 in 2–4 unit, 47,271 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 176,992 units (118,455 single-family, 5,341 in 2–4 unit, 53,196 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 129,523 units (79,626 single-family, 2,979 in 2–4 unit, 46,918 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 84,440 units (67,069 single-family, 1,534 in 2–4 unit, 15,837 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 88,461 units (66,973 single-family, 1,747 in 2–4 unit, 19,741 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 97,450 units (65,506 single-family, 1,527 in 2–4 unit, 30,417 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 135,514 units (79,532 single-family, 2,253 in 2–4 unit, 53,729 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 147,460 units (90,832 single-family, 3,013 in 2–4 unit, 53,615 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 166,982 units (99,701 single-family, 3,178 in 2–4 unit, 64,103 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 175,443 units (105,448 single-family, 3,203 in 2–4 unit, 66,792 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 165,853 units (106,511 single-family, 3,709 in 2–4 unit, 55,633 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 175,112 units (116,766 single-family, 3,472 in 2–4 unit, 54,874 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 192,878 units (126,048 single-family, 3,777 in 2–4 unit, 63,053 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 209,895 units (129,094 single-family, 4,361 in 2–4 unit, 76,440 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 230,503 units (158,242 single-family, 4,966 in 2–4 unit, 67,295 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 265,955 units (179,620 single-family, 6,483 in 2–4 unit, 79,852 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 263,007 units (154,793 single-family, 7,380 in 2–4 unit, 100,834 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 232,373 units (149,860 single-family, 8,372 in 2–4 unit, 74,141 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 225,756 units (158,121 single-family, 8,525 in 2–4 unit, 59,110 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 210,217 units (140,579 single-family, 9,133 in 2–4 unit, 60,505 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 265,955

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Buildings with five or more units accounted for 31% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 4 West South Central states.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 50 other states is Arizona (31% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 19%.

2021–202565.4%65%3.3%31.3%31%2004–200677.6%78%3.1%19.3%19%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202565.4%65%3.3%31.3%31%2004–200677.6%78%3.1%19.3%19%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Texas authorized the most units in 2021 (265,955); 2025 reached 79% of that. Its peak year is shared by 7 other states, among them Washington, Tennessee, Colorado. Annual permits fell from 216,642 during the mid-2000s boom to 84,440 in 2009, a drop of 61%. The nearest bust profile among the states was Louisiana's (60%). Permits rose 6 years in a row up to 2015. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 6.9%.

Metro areas

In 2021–2025, 97% of the units authorized in Texas fell in counties belonging to one of its 26 metro areas; the other 3.1% came from smaller towns and rural counties. Dallas leads with 72,526 units a year.

Average units authorized per year, 2021–2025.

The other 6 smaller metro areas are in the metro table.

Busiest permit offices

Across Texas, 902 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Harris County (unincorporated), with 89,692 units or 7.5% of the total, followed by Houston with 71,200. Among the three largest, Austin put 79% of its units in five-plus buildings, Harris County (unincorporated) 36%.

  • Harris County (unincorporated)7.5% (89,692 units)
  • Houston5.9% (71,200 units)
  • Austin5.8% (69,189 units)
  • Fort Worth4.7% (56,197 units)
  • Montgomery County (unincorporated)4.3% (52,162 units)
  • San Antonio3.8% (46,077 units)
  • Dallas3.3% (39,698 units)
  • Fort Bend County (unincorporated)2.9% (34,709 units)

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

Reported and estimated

Permit offices in Texas reported 94% of the 2021–2025 units directly; the Census Bureau estimated 6.1% for offices that missed months (US: 8.2%; closest state: South Dakota, 6%).

Similar in size

State2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
California103,8562.841%
Texas210,2177.831%
Florida178,2978.532%
New York38,6672.373%
Pennsylvania25,7092.339%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Texas beside California

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