Nicholas Irwin

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Associate Professor of Economics

Research Director, UNLV Lied Center for Real Estate

Expertise: Economy, Microeconomics, Urban Economics, Environmental Economics, Real Estate, Sustainability

Biography

UNLV Lee Business School professor Nicholas Irwin studies microeconomics, particularly environmental and urban economics with a focus on the implications of these areas on real estate markets, human decision making, and demographics. His expertise is used to provide insight into proposed environmental or urban policies in Nevada and the economic implications surrounding them.

Irwin has conducted research on issues including the implications of COVID-19 on the housing market and water use, homeowners' response to new information about environmental hazards, the role of neighbors in homeowner decision making, and the implications of wildfire and other risks on housing demand and supply.

Irwin's work has been published in leading environmental and urban journals, including the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Energy Policy, Land Economics, and the Journal of Real Estate Research.

Education

Ph.D., Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, The Ohio State University
M.S., Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, The Ohio State University
M.A., Economics, American University
B.A., Economics, The Ohio State University

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Nicholas Irwin In The News

These Sun Belt States Are Falling Behind on Home Permitting, Study Finds

Realtor.com

In an era of strained housing affordability, new-home construction is one of the keys to easing the housing shortage. And some states are building faster than others. South Carolina, Idaho, and North Carolina lead the nation in permitting new homes, according to data from the Lied Center for Real Estate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. On the other hand, the more affordable Midwest was stagnant. UNLV looked at data from the U.S. Census Bureau in the first eight months of this year compared to 2025.

These maps show which states are actually building housing

Business Insider

The US housing pipeline is stalling — an indicator that affordable housing may remain hard to find nationwide. From January to August 2026, housing permits remained "essentially flat" nationwide, with a 0.05% increase since 2025, but a 4.1% drop since 2023, according to an October research report from the Lied Center for Real Estate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Map Shows Which States Are Building Most New Homes

Newsweek

South Carolina, the state with the fastest-growing population in the country, is also the one that is building the most new homes, according to a new analysis by University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) researchers.

Nevada ranks 49th nationally in issuing housing permits, UNLV report finds

Nevada ranks 49th out of 50 states and Washington, D.C., for its housing supply pipeline, according to a new report from UNLV’s Lied Center for Real Estate.

Articles Featuring Nicholas Irwin

UNLV Study: Where U.S. States Rank on New Housing Supply Pipeline

An aerial image of rows of housing subdivisions

Business and Community | November 3, 2026

Lied Center for Real Estate report pinpoints where permit, planning, and zoning choices are most likely to drive down prices; Nevada ranks 49 out of 51.

UNLV Newsmakers 2026: Summer Edition