County or equivalent · 25017
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Annual housing permits and reporting coverage
- Published estimate · 2025
- 2,341
- Reported only · 2025
- 1,950
- Added by estimation · 2025
- 391
Reported and estimated units by year
| Year and source | Published estimate | Reported only | Added by estimation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Census file | 3,894 | 3,549 | 345 |
| 2024 Census file | 3,495 | 3,054 | 441 |
| 2025 Census file | 2,341 | 1,950 | 391 |
2024 to 2025 · published estimate -1,154 units · reported only -1,104 · added by estimation -50. This split describes the difference between the published columns.
What types of housing were authorized?
| Units in building | Published estimate | Reported only | Added by estimation |
|---|---|---|---|
| One unit | 862 | 766 | 96 |
| Two units | 82 | 76 | 6 |
| Three or four units | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| Five or more units | 1,372 | 1,083 | 289 |
Local housing and rent context
| Measure | Estimate and margin |
|---|---|
| Housing units · Census table B25001 | 664,267 ± 238 |
| Median gross monthly rent · Census table B25064 | $2,201 ± $17 |
| Gross rent at least 30% of income · Census table B25070 | 47.1% ± 0.9 percentage points |
| Gross rent at least 50% of income | 23.2% ± 0.8 percentage points |
| Estimated households with a computed rent-to-income ratio | 233,800 |
The 2025 permit estimate amounts to 3.5 authorized units per 1,000 housing units in the ACS estimate. The numerator and denominator cover different periods.
The Vintage 2025 Census housing stock estimate changed from 672,476 in 2024 to 676,712 in 2025 (+4,236 units). This is a separate model-based inventory estimate.
Permit offices listed under this county code
Use the office pages for their own histories and source coverage notes.
- Acton townPermit office 25003000 · Middlesex County · 1 authorized units
- Arlington townPermit office 25019000 · Middlesex County · 21 authorized units
- Ashby townPermit office 25023000 · Middlesex County · 7 authorized units
- Ashland townPermit office 25027000 · Middlesex County · 2 authorized units
- Ayer townPermit office 25037000 · Middlesex County · 11 authorized units
- Bedford townPermit office 25047000 · Middlesex County · 47 authorized units
- Belmont townPermit office 25053000 · Middlesex County · 6 authorized units
- Billerica townPermit office 25065000 · Middlesex County · 26 authorized units
- Boxborough townPermit office 25077000 · Middlesex County · Latest year unavailable
- Burlington townPermit office 25101000 · Middlesex County · 34 authorized units
- CambridgePermit office 25103000 · Middlesex County · 59 authorized units
- Carlisle townPermit office 25107000 · Middlesex County · 13 authorized units
- Chelmsford townPermit office 25117000 · Middlesex County · 17 authorized units
- Concord townPermit office 25139000 · Middlesex County · 23 authorized units
- Dracut townPermit office 25163000 · Middlesex County · 16 authorized units
- Dunstable townPermit office 25169000 · Middlesex County · 10 authorized units
- EverettPermit office 25195000 · Middlesex County · 197 authorized units
- FraminghamPermit office 25209000 · Middlesex County · 29 authorized units
- Groton townPermit office 25241000 · Middlesex County · 20 authorized units
- Holliston townPermit office 25287000 · Middlesex County · 14 authorized units
- Hopkinton townPermit office 25293000 · Middlesex County · 41 authorized units
- Hudson townPermit office 25297000 · Middlesex County · 22 authorized units
- Lexington townPermit office 25325000 · Middlesex County · 408 authorized units
- Lincoln townPermit office 25329000 · Middlesex County · 34 authorized units
- Littleton townPermit office 25331000 · Middlesex County · 9 authorized units
- LowellPermit office 25335000 · Middlesex County · 188 authorized units
- MaldenPermit office 25345000 · Middlesex County · 52 authorized units
- MarlboroughPermit office 25355000 · Middlesex County · 4 authorized units
- Maynard townPermit office 25363000 · Middlesex County · 10 authorized units
- MedfordPermit office 25367000 · Middlesex County · 8 authorized units
- MelrosePermit office 25371000 · Middlesex County · 52 authorized units
- Natick townPermit office 25415000 · Middlesex County · 81 authorized units
- NewtonPermit office 25433000 · Middlesex County · 152 authorized units
- North Reading townPermit office 25447000 · Middlesex County · 14 authorized units
- Pepperell townPermit office 25485000 · Middlesex County · 4 authorized units
- Reading townPermit office 25515000 · Middlesex County · 21 authorized units
- Sherborn townPermit office 25561000 · Middlesex County · 6 authorized units
- Shirley townPermit office 25563000 · Middlesex County · 2 authorized units
- SomervillePermit office 25571000 · Middlesex County · 90 authorized units
- Stoneham townPermit office 25591000 · Middlesex County · 20 authorized units
- Stow townPermit office 25595000 · Middlesex County · 3 authorized units
- Sudbury townPermit office 25599000 · Middlesex County · 8 authorized units
- Tewksbury townPermit office 25615000 · Middlesex County · 18 authorized units
- Townsend townPermit office 25623000 · Middlesex County · 20 authorized units
- Tyngsborough townPermit office 25627000 · Middlesex County · 19 authorized units
- Wakefield townPermit office 25635000 · Middlesex County · 28 authorized units
- WalthamPermit office 25641000 · Middlesex County · 29 authorized units
- WatertownPermit office 25653000 · Middlesex County · 153 authorized units
- Wayland townPermit office 25655000 · Middlesex County · 3 authorized units
- Westford townPermit office 25685000 · Middlesex County · 31 authorized units
- Weston townPermit office 25691000 · Middlesex County · 191 authorized units
- Wilmington townPermit office 25709000 · Middlesex County · 13 authorized units
- Winchester townPermit office 25713000 · Middlesex County · 23 authorized units
- WoburnPermit office 25719000 · Middlesex County · 31 authorized units
Sources and definitions
How to read these figures
- The Census Building Permits Survey counts new privately owned housing units authorized by permits. One permit can cover multiple units. The counts describe authorizations, a stage before starts and completions.
- The published estimate includes reported units and Census estimates that fill gaps. The difference is calculated from those two columns. Reported-only units can include records from approved alternative sources. A missing report can leave an office without a usable count.
- County and state totals come from their own Census files. Permit offices can cover places across county lines or areas served by another jurisdiction. The office’s county field is used for navigation.
- ACS housing inventory and rents are survey estimates for 2020–2024. Gross rent includes rent and separately paid utilities or fuels. Rent burden is the share paying at least 30% of income among cash-rent households with a computed ratio. Margins are at 90% confidence. The margin for rent burden is approximate.
- Vintage 2025 county housing stock is a separate Census series. Its model uses building-permit data alongside other inputs. Read stock change and permits as separate measures.
Public sources retrieved November 10, 2026. Building Permits Survey annual data · Survey methodology · American Community Survey data · Download the comparison