Walker County experienced record housing growth in 2023, despite high interest rates and inflation impacting home buyers and home builders across the nation. The number of new homes under construction in unincorporated Walker County last year was so robust, it actually outpaced the previous two years combined.
The Walker County Planning Office issued 352 permits for the construction of new single-family homes in 2023, a nearly 148% increase over 2022. “We’re excited home builders are recognizing the value of developing new housing stock in our community,” said Chairman Shannon Whitfield, Walker County Board of Commissioners. “Part of our strategy to grow the county’s sales tax base has been to attract new housing, since retail follows rooftops.”
A majority of the new home construction occurred in unincorporated areas near Rossville, LaFayette and Chickamauga. Homebuilders pulled 233 permits in the Rossville district, which includes homes in a new subdivision off Happy Valley Road. In 2022, only five new homes were built near Rossville.
Construction on 42 homes also got underway in the LaFayette district and 35 homes near Chickamauga. In addition, over a dozen permits were issued in both the Rock Spring and Rising Fawn areas last year.
The average size of a new home built in unincorporated Walker County contracted a bit to 2,457 square feet in 2023 from 2,691 in 2022. Smaller home sizes also kept the average cost of construction lower at $243,060 versus $273,096 per home in 2022. Total valuation of all homes built in 2023 in unincorporated Walker County reached over $85 million, more than twice the investment made in 2022.
| Walker County Single Family Home Permits – 2023 to 2014 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| 2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
2018 |
2017 |
2016 |
2015 |
2014 |
| 352 |
142 |
157 |
150 |
128 |
124 |
135 |
123 |
86 |
73 |
