HousingPermits

Pacific division · West

Washington

Washington authorized 34,913 new housing units in 2025, the second-largest total of the 5 Pacific states. Relative to population, the rate was 5.5 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the highest rate of the 5 Pacific states. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 48% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the highest share among the 5 Pacific states.

015k30k45k60k2004: 50,089 units (36,489 single-family, 3,009 in 2–4 unit, 10,591 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 52,988 units (41,407 single-family, 2,654 in 2–4 unit, 8,927 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 50,033 units (35,611 single-family, 2,648 in 2–4 unit, 11,774 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 47,397 units (30,390 single-family, 3,293 in 2–4 unit, 13,714 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 28,919 units (17,440 single-family, 2,253 in 2–4 unit, 9,226 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 17,011 units (12,991 single-family, 1,047 in 2–4 unit, 2,973 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 20,691 units (14,702 single-family, 643 in 2–4 unit, 5,346 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 20,864 units (13,159 single-family, 666 in 2–4 unit, 7,039 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 28,118 units (16,508 single-family, 857 in 2–4 unit, 10,753 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 32,962 units (18,396 single-family, 1,132 in 2–4 unit, 13,434 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 33,898 units (17,905 single-family, 1,329 in 2–4 unit, 14,664 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 40,374 units (19,797 single-family, 1,443 in 2–4 unit, 19,134 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 44,077 units (22,463 single-family, 1,657 in 2–4 unit, 19,957 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 45,794 units (23,115 single-family, 1,687 in 2–4 unit, 20,992 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 47,746 units (23,676 single-family, 2,411 in 2–4 unit, 21,659 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 48,424 units (23,300 single-family, 2,498 in 2–4 unit, 22,626 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 43,881 units (23,542 single-family, 2,077 in 2–4 unit, 18,262 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 56,941 units (25,076 single-family, 3,020 in 2–4 unit, 28,845 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 49,030 units (20,400 single-family, 2,783 in 2–4 unit, 25,847 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 37,097 units (18,056 single-family, 2,209 in 2–4 unit, 16,832 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 37,778 units (19,136 single-family, 2,284 in 2–4 unit, 16,358 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 34,913 units (17,780 single-family, 2,132 in 2–4 unit, 15,001 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252021 high · 56,9412009 low · 17,011020k40k60k2004: 50,089 units (36,489 single-family, 3,009 in 2–4 unit, 10,591 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 52,988 units (41,407 single-family, 2,654 in 2–4 unit, 8,927 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 50,033 units (35,611 single-family, 2,648 in 2–4 unit, 11,774 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 47,397 units (30,390 single-family, 3,293 in 2–4 unit, 13,714 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 28,919 units (17,440 single-family, 2,253 in 2–4 unit, 9,226 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 17,011 units (12,991 single-family, 1,047 in 2–4 unit, 2,973 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 20,691 units (14,702 single-family, 643 in 2–4 unit, 5,346 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 20,864 units (13,159 single-family, 666 in 2–4 unit, 7,039 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 28,118 units (16,508 single-family, 857 in 2–4 unit, 10,753 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 32,962 units (18,396 single-family, 1,132 in 2–4 unit, 13,434 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 33,898 units (17,905 single-family, 1,329 in 2–4 unit, 14,664 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 40,374 units (19,797 single-family, 1,443 in 2–4 unit, 19,134 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 44,077 units (22,463 single-family, 1,657 in 2–4 unit, 19,957 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 45,794 units (23,115 single-family, 1,687 in 2–4 unit, 20,992 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 47,746 units (23,676 single-family, 2,411 in 2–4 unit, 21,659 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 48,424 units (23,300 single-family, 2,498 in 2–4 unit, 22,626 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 43,881 units (23,542 single-family, 2,077 in 2–4 unit, 18,262 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 56,941 units (25,076 single-family, 3,020 in 2–4 unit, 28,845 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 49,030 units (20,400 single-family, 2,783 in 2–4 unit, 25,847 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 37,097 units (18,056 single-family, 2,209 in 2–4 unit, 16,832 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 37,778 units (19,136 single-family, 2,284 in 2–4 unit, 16,358 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 34,913 units (17,780 single-family, 2,132 in 2–4 unit, 15,001 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252021 high · 56,941

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 15% below the 2004–2006 average, the largest recovery by this measure among the 5 Pacific states.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 50 other states is Minnesota (45% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 20%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.8% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2021 (28,845), single-family houses in 2005 (41,407).

2021–202546.6%47%5.8%47.7%48%2004–200674.1%74%5.4%20.4%20%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202546.6%47%5.8%47.7%48%2004–200674.1%74%5.4%20.4%20%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Washington authorized the most units in 2021 (56,941); 2025 reached 61% of that. Its peak year is shared by 7 other states, among them Tennessee, Colorado, Utah. Annual permits fell from 52,988 during the mid-2000s boom to 17,011 in 2009, a drop of 68%. The nearest bust profile among the states was Tennessee's (68%). Permits rose 10 years in a row up to 2019. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 7.6%.

Metro areas

In 2021–2025, 91% of the units authorized in Washington fell in counties belonging to one of its 13 metro areas; the other 8.9% came from smaller towns and rural counties. Seattle leads with 21,641 units a year.

Average units authorized per year, 2021–2025.

Busiest permit offices

Across Washington, 280 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Seattle, with 36,530 units or 17% of the total, followed by Pierce County (unincorporated) with 9,957. Among the three largest, Seattle put 80% of its units in five-plus buildings, Pierce County (unincorporated) 15%.

  • Seattle17% (36,530 units)
  • Pierce County (unincorporated)4.6% (9,957 units)
  • Vancouver3.5% (7,620 units)
  • Clark County (unincorporated)3.1% (6,617 units)
  • Snohomish County (unincorporated)3% (6,474 units)
  • Tacoma2.7% (5,846 units)
  • Spokane County (unincorporated)2.7% (5,815 units)
  • Redmond2.4% (5,116 units)

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

Reported and estimated

Permit offices in Washington reported 93% of the 2021–2025 units directly; the Census Bureau estimated 7.4% for offices that missed months (US: 8.2%; closest state: Missouri, 7.2%).

Similar in size

State2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Virginia33,0944.238%
Washington34,9135.548%
Arizona51,5328.031%
Tennessee43,3746.930%
Massachusetts12,4772.256%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Washington beside Arizona

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