FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2026
Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little commented today on new information from the Idaho Department of Labor that shows Idaho led the nation in housing unit growth in 2025.
“Idaho’s nation-leading housing unit growth is no accident. We have prioritized permitting reform, cut red tape, and invested in LAUNCH and other career training programs to grow the skilled workforce needed to meet demand. None of this progress would be possible without the hardworking men and women in Idaho’s construction and trade industries who are helping build stronger communities across our state.
“While this report shows Idaho is moving in the right direction, we recognize housing affordability and accessibility remain top concerns for Idaho families, and we have more work to do to ensure the American dream remains within reach for the next generation,” Governor Little said.
Information from the Idaho Department of Labor:
Idaho’s housing unit estimates increased by 2.1% in 2025 — the fastest growth rate out of all states for the second consecutive year — and added over 17,000 units. Since 2020, the state has held either the number one or number two ranking for annual housing unit growth (Figure 1).
A housing unit is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as one intended for occupancy as its own separate living quarters with direct access either from the building’s exterior or through a common hall.
From 2020-2025, Idaho increased its housing count by 12.3% while completing over 93,000 units. This is the second highest rate of increase nationally, sitting behind Utah (12.9%) but ahead of Texas (10.4%). Idaho’s growth rate is more than two times the 5.3% reported for the U.S. Five of Idaho’s counties — Teton, Canyon, Ada, Bonneville and Kootenai — each increased available housing units by over 14% during this five-year period.
Idaho’s housing unit growth in 2025 ranged from an increase of one unit in Clark County to a high of 5,026 in Ada. The counties with the fastest housing unit growth rates were Teton (5%), Bonneville (4.4%) and Canyon (3.7%). Their growth rates ranked in the top 30 nationally for counties with at least 5,000 housing units and they were also Idaho’s fastest growing counties in the previous year of 2024.
