This story originally appeared on Porch.
For decades, metropolitan areas throughout the U.S. have invested in high-density housing — building more apartment buildings, condos, and other new housing developments.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting this long-standing demand for housing in high-density areas and buildings. Even as the distancing measures from COVID-19 ultimately subside, recent research suggests that people may continue to seek housing in less densely populated areas and structures. Cities that have invested heavily in high-density housing may have trouble finding residents to fill these new units.
Since the early 1990s, high-density housing — buildings with five or more units — has accounted for a growing share of total new residential development. Even after a brief decline during the Great Recession, the share of high-density housing has continued to rise.
While in 1992, only about 13% of new housing units were in high-density structures, in 2019, 35% of the 1.4 million housing units authorized in the United States were high-density.
To find the metropolitan areas that have been investing most in high-density housing, researchers at Porch analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Building Permits Survey and 2019 American Community Survey One-Year Estimates. Their researchers found the proportion of 2019 building permits in each location issued for housing units in structures containing five units or more.
Following are the metropolitan areas that have been investing the most in high-density housing.
15. Louisville, Kentucky
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 44.6%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 16.1%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 2,574
- Total new housing units (2019): 5,766
14. Philadelphia
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 48.3%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 17.3%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 7,540
- Total new housing units (2019): 15,607
13. Washington, D.C.
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 50.7%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 30.8%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 13,597
- Total new housing units (2019): 26,804
12. Chicago
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 51.7%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 25.7%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 9,346
- Total new housing units (2019): 18,085
11. Portland, Oregon
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 51.9%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 23.2%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 8,719
- Total new housing units (2019): 16,815
10. Salt Lake City
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 52.2%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 21.9%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 5,572
- Total new housing units (2019): 10,680
9. Minneapolis
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 56.1%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 23.4%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 12,567
- Total new housing units (2019): 22,414
8. San Diego
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 57.0%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 29.8%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 4,681
- Total new housing units (2019): 8,216
7. San Jose, California
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 57.0%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 29.0%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 3,552
- Total new housing units (2019): 6,230
6. Seattle
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 61.8%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 29.5%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 16,426
- Total new housing units (2019): 26,599
5. Miami
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 62.7%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 40.1%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 12,964
- Total new housing units (2019): 20,688
4. Los Angeles
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 62.8%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 33.4%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 19,196
- Total new housing units (2019): 30,554
3. Boston
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 65.8%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 25.4%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 9,929
- Total new housing units (2019): 15,088
2. San Francisco
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 68.6%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 30.0%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 9,528
- Total new housing units (2019): 13,881
1. New York City
- Share of new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 76.9%
- Share of existing housing units in high-density structures: 39.4%
- Total new housing units in high-density structures (2019): 47,021
- Total new housing units (2019): 61,168
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