Wyoming continues to trail most of the country in developing new multi-family housing, according to a new analysis from Construction Coverage. As the U.S. grapples with a housing shortage of 3.7 million homes, states are being pushed to add density and affordability — and multi-family construction is emerging as a major focus on both sides of the political aisle.
Multi-family homes — including apartments, condos, and townhomes — provide faster, more cost-efficient ways to increase supply, especially in growing cities and workforce hubs. But in Wyoming, low-density development patterns still dominate.
The study shows:
These figures reflect ongoing demand for detached homes, larger lots and lower-density living — typical for Mountain West states with more open land and smaller urban cores.
Following decades of sluggish construction after the 2008 financial crisis, demand for apartments surged — especially as younger generations shifted toward cities. Multi-family construction jumped from 24.3% of new U.S. housing in 2009 to 41.1% in 2015 before stabilizing.
Wyoming’s distinct development patterns are shaped by:
These factors reduce economic pressure to build upward instead of outward.
With affordability concerns mounting nationwide, federal and state leaders across the political spectrum are increasingly supporting higher-density development through:
Even states with historically low multi-family representation — like Alaska and Montana — are seeing a surge in new dense housing permits.
Whether Wyoming will follow this trend remains uncertain, but advocates argue that more diverse housing stock will be needed to retain workers, support employers and ensure communities remain livable for future generations.
The full analysis, detailed methodology and comparisons by city and state are available in U.S. Cities Building the Most Multi-Family Housing from Construction Coverage.
Originally reported by Wyoming News Now.
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