Cities in California by housing units authorized by building permits

Los Angeles, CA had the highest housing units authorized by building permits of 368 cities in 2023, at 13,154. San Marino, CA had the lowest, at 0. The median was 81 and the figure for California was 111,760. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest13,154Los Angeles, CA

Lowest0San Marino, CA

Median81368 cities

California111,760History

Top 40 cities, 2023

count. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2023 count	Change on 2022
1	Los Angeles, CA Estimated	13,154	-21.3%
2	San Diego, CA Estimated	5,765	+30.4%
3	Ontario, CA Estimated	2,796	+161.1%
4	San Jose, CA Estimated	2,650	+32.3%
5	Sacramento, CA Estimated	2,517	+22.5%
6	Roseville, CA Estimated	1,966	+9.1%
7	Fontana, CA Estimated	1,930	+70.8%
8	Fresno, CA Estimated	1,802	-14%
9	Santa Ana, CA Estimated	1,530	+88.4%
10	Folsom, CA Estimated	1,507	+42%
11	Bakersfield, CA Estimated	1,471	-17.4%
12	Santa Rosa, CA Estimated	1,346	+12.4%
13	Temecula, CA Estimated	1,293	+92.7%
14	Elk Grove, CA Estimated	1,149	+97.8%
15	San Francisco, CA Estimated	1,136	-43.6%
16	Moreno Valley, CA Estimated	1,065	+243.5%
17	Irvine, CA Estimated	1,029	-31%
18	Menifee, CA Estimated	1,000	+10.6%
19	Santa Clarita, CA Estimated	966	+347.2%
20	Riverside, CA Estimated	947	+126%
21	Santa Clara, CA Estimated	898	-64.7%
22	Palm Desert, CA Estimated	865	+110%
23	Anaheim, CA Estimated	851	+26.6%
24	Chula Vista, CA Estimated	843	-18.5%
25	San Marcos, CA Estimated	766	+46.5%
26	Rancho Cordova, CA Estimated	714	-6.9%
27	Clovis, CA Estimated	701	-2.8%
28	Lancaster, CA Estimated	689	+274.5%
29	Fremont, CA Estimated	681	-36.9%
30	Santa Monica, CA Estimated	658	+280.3%
31	Murrieta, CA Estimated	648	-10.9%
32	Long Beach, CA Estimated	635	+28.5%
33	Lincoln, CA Estimated	627	-24.1%
34	Wildomar, CA Estimated	600	+400%
35	Escondido, CA Estimated	593	+160.1%
36	Beaumont, CA Estimated	591	-25.2%
36	Huntington Beach, CA Estimated	591	+155.8%
38	Carlsbad, CA Estimated	589	+609.6%
39	Manteca, CA Estimated	571	-38.7%
40	Lathrop, CA Estimated	566	-41.8%
41	Sunnyvale, CA Estimated	558	-39.7%
42	Fairfield, CA Estimated	510	+71.1%
43	Victorville, CA Estimated	509	-11.9%
44	Pomona, CA Estimated	495	+6%
45	Stockton, CA Estimated	491	-0.4%
46	Hanford, CA Estimated	487	+67.4%
47	Oakland, CA Estimated	479	-66.8%
48	Oxnard, CA Estimated	472	+200.6%
48	Tulare, CA Estimated	472	+4.9%
50	Vacaville, CA Estimated	453	+29.4%
51	Berkeley, CA Estimated	433	-45.5%
52	Milpitas, CA Estimated	408	+84.6%
53	Perris, CA Estimated	397	+111.2%
54	Burlingame, CA Estimated	396	+20.7%
55	Monrovia, CA Estimated	390	-46.6%
56	Dublin, CA Estimated	386	+119.3%
57	Mountain View, CA Estimated	384	-75.5%
58	Palmdale, CA Estimated	376	-8.7%
59	Gardena, CA Estimated	375	+89.4%
60	Paradise, CA Estimated	374	-33.1%
61	Antioch, CA Estimated	366	+23.6%
62	San Luis Obispo, CA Estimated	353	-25.2%
63	Rancho Cucamonga, CA Estimated	351	-65.9%
64	Oceanside, CA Estimated	345	-33.4%
65	Concord, CA Estimated	339	+143.9%
66	Indio, CA Estimated	338	-58.2%
67	Visalia, CA Estimated	337	-73.1%
68	Laguna Niguel, CA Estimated	318	+176.5%
69	Santa Cruz, CA Estimated	310	+121.4%
70	Burbank, CA Estimated	295	+90.3%
71	Banning, CA Estimated	294	+92.2%
72	Dixon, CA Estimated	283	-8.1%
73	Solana Beach, CA Estimated	282	+1,310%
74	Modesto, CA Estimated	273	+0.7%
75	Woodland, CA Estimated	268	-26%
76	Jurupa Valley, CA Estimated	267	-18.8%
77	La Quinta, CA Estimated	259	-48.3%
77	Lake Forest, CA Estimated	259	-32%
79	Inglewood, CA Estimated	252	-14.9%
80	Glendale, CA Estimated	247	-73.6%
80	Montebello, CA Estimated	247	+70.3%
82	Merced, CA Estimated	241	-57.6%
83	Chino, CA Estimated	232	-56.9%
83	Rohnert Park, CA Estimated	232	-4.9%
85	Davis, CA Estimated	227	+887%
86	Yucaipa, CA Estimated	222	-16.5%
87	Petaluma, CA Estimated	221	+145.6%
88	Rocklin, CA Estimated	217	-61.2%
89	Chico, CA Estimated	215	-73.3%
90	Hollister, CA Estimated	213	-7%
91	Vista, CA Estimated	206	+19.1%
92	San Bernardino, CA Estimated	203	+21.6%
92	Windsor, CA Estimated	203	+256.1%
94	San Juan Capistrano, CA Estimated	201	+16.2%
95	Simi Valley, CA Estimated	199	-58.9%
96	Rosemead, CA Estimated	197	-2%
97	Encinitas, CA Estimated	196	+23.3%
98	El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA Estimated	195	-29.6%
99	Garden Grove, CA Estimated	192	-32.2%
100	South Gate, CA Estimated	190	+6.7%
101	Redlands, CA Estimated	189	+45.4%
102	Reedley, CA Estimated	186	+113.8%
103	Galt, CA Estimated	185	+96.8%
104	Lake Elsinore, CA Estimated	183	-42.5%
104	Westminster, CA Estimated	183	+1.1%
106	Delano, CA Estimated	178	+747.6%
106	Shafter, CA Estimated	178	-15.6%
108	Hesperia, CA Estimated	175	-53%
109	San Jacinto, CA Estimated	173	-19.2%
110	Palo Alto, CA Estimated	171	+23%
111	Hayward, CA Estimated	170	-56.4%
112	Arcadia, CA Estimated	169	-6.6%
113	San Bruno, CA Estimated	168	+500%
114	Santa Maria, CA Estimated	166	-80%
115	Newport Beach, CA Estimated	157	-10.3%
116	Torrance, CA Estimated	156	-60.7%
116	West Sacramento, CA Estimated	156	-67.4%
118	Downey, CA Estimated	154	-1.9%
118	Salinas, CA Estimated	154	+152.5%
120	Arcata, CA Estimated	148	+428.6%
120	Riverbank, CA Estimated	148	+49.5%
122	Hemet, CA Estimated	146	-8.8%
122	San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA Estimated	146	-48.4%
124	Culver City, CA Estimated	143	+66.3%
125	Corona, CA Estimated	139	+202.2%
125	Madera, CA Estimated	139	-51.9%
125	Tracy, CA Estimated	139	-73.2%
128	Alameda, CA Estimated	138	-29.9%
128	Tustin, CA Estimated	138	-42.3%
130	Pleasanton, CA Estimated	137	-2.8%
131	National City, CA Estimated	136	+1.5%
132	El Cajon, CA Estimated	135	+114.3%
132	Marina, CA Estimated	135	-60.8%
134	Gilroy, CA Estimated	133	-39.3%
134	Greenfield, CA Estimated	133	-18.4%
134	Lemoore, CA Estimated	133	+504.5%
137	East Palo Alto, CA Estimated	132	+6,500%
137	Turlock, CA Estimated	132	+73.7%
139	Redondo Beach, CA Estimated	130	-45.1%
140	Richmond, CA Estimated	129	+101.6%
141	Alhambra, CA Estimated	128	+9.4%
142	Poway, CA Estimated	124	-51.9%
143	Palm Springs, CA Estimated	123	-53.2%
143	Pittsburg, CA Estimated	123	+73.2%
145	Cupertino, CA Estimated	120	+17.6%
145	La Mesa, CA Estimated	120	+34.8%
147	Brentwood, CA Estimated	119	-42.8%
148	Atascadero, CA Estimated	117	+91.8%
148	San Ramon, CA Estimated	117	-47.5%
150	Calexico, CA Estimated	114	-21.9%
150	Oroville, CA Estimated	114	-49.6%
152	Desert Hot Springs, CA Estimated	113	-28%
152	Lynwood, CA Estimated	113	-41.8%
152	Morgan Hill, CA Estimated	113	-87.8%
155	Napa, CA Estimated	112	-88.3%
156	Lemon Grove, CA Estimated	109	+70.3%
157	Lodi, CA Estimated	107	-61.4%
158	Sanger, CA Estimated	106	+186.5%
159	Emeryville, CA Estimated	100	+2,400%
160	Cathedral City, CA Estimated	99	+73.7%
160	Danville, CA Estimated	99	+102%
162	El Monte, CA Estimated	98	+12.6%
162	McFarland, CA Estimated	98	-3%
164	Saratoga, CA Estimated	97	-26.5%
165	Coachella, CA Estimated	95	-9.5%
165	Upland, CA Estimated	95	-45.1%
167	Los Banos, CA Estimated	94	0%
167	Redding, CA Estimated	94	-60.3%
167	South San Francisco, CA Estimated	94	-37.7%
170	Temple City, CA Estimated	93	+13.4%
171	Buena Park, CA Estimated	92	+104.4%
172	Compton, CA Estimated	91	-27.8%
172	Oakley, CA Estimated	91	-61.9%
172	Rancho Mirage, CA Estimated	91	-50.3%
172	Santa Paula, CA Estimated	91	-45.5%
176	La Habra, CA Estimated	87	+625%
176	Laguna Beach, CA Estimated	87	+11.5%
176	Pico Rivera, CA Estimated	87	+58.2%
176	West Covina, CA Estimated	87	-25%
180	Manhattan Beach, CA Estimated	85	-16.7%
181	South El Monte, CA Estimated	84	+2,000%
182	Martinez, CA Estimated	83	+97.6%
182	Placentia, CA Estimated	83	-26.5%
184	Brawley, CA Estimated	81	-50%
184	Porterville, CA Estimated	81	-59.5%
184	Santa Barbara, CA Estimated	81	+20.9%
187	American Canyon, CA Estimated	80	-26.6%
187	La Verne, CA Estimated	80	+370.6%
189	Glendora, CA Estimated	78	-13.3%
189	South Lake Tahoe, CA Estimated	78	-23.5%
191	San Rafael, CA Estimated	76	+1.3%
192	Adelanto, CA Estimated	75	+257.1%
192	Rio Vista, CA Estimated	75	-27.2%
194	Mission Viejo, CA Estimated	70	+7.7%
194	Newark, CA Estimated	70	-81.7%
196	San Pablo, CA Estimated	69	+16.9%
196	Watsonville, CA Estimated	69	-47.3%
198	Oakdale, CA Estimated	68	+209.1%
198	Santee, CA Estimated	68	-57%
198	Thousand Oaks, CA Estimated	68	+871.4%
201	Bellflower, CA Estimated	65	+32.7%
201	Citrus Heights, CA Estimated	65	-44.9%
203	Azusa, CA Estimated	64	-52.2%
203	Camarillo, CA Estimated	64	-57.3%
205	San Gabriel, CA Estimated	60	-34.1%
206	Imperial Beach, CA Estimated	59	+227.8%
206	Menlo Park, CA Estimated	59	-92.8%
206	Yucca Valley, CA Estimated	59	+1.7%
209	California City, CA Estimated	58	+107.1%
209	Stanton, CA Estimated	58	+13.7%
211	King City, CA Estimated	57	-21.9%
211	Pasadena, CA Estimated	57	-40.6%
211	Truckee, CA Estimated	57	-56.5%
214	Whittier, CA Estimated	56	-50.9%
215	Fillmore, CA Estimated	55	+243.8%
215	Orange, CA Estimated	55	-29.5%
217	Apple Valley, CA Estimated	54	-40.7%
218	Campbell, CA Estimated	53	+15.2%
218	Kerman, CA Estimated	53	-34.6%
218	Redwood City, CA Estimated	53	+8.2%
221	Highland, CA Estimated	51	-82.8%
222	Cudahy, CA Estimated	49	+308.3%
222	Vallejo, CA Estimated	49	+188.2%
224	San Leandro, CA Estimated	48	-83.2%
225	Lakewood, CA Estimated	46	+100%
225	Pinole, CA Estimated	46	n/a
225	Wasco, CA Estimated	46	-62.9%
228	Dinuba, CA Estimated	45	+9.8%
228	Los Gatos, CA Estimated	45	-52.1%
228	Walnut, CA Estimated	45	-52.1%
231	South Pasadena, CA Estimated	44	+29.4%
231	Yuba City, CA Estimated	44	-8.3%
233	Baldwin Park, CA Estimated	43	-43.4%
233	Beverly Hills, CA Estimated	43	+95.5%
233	Diamond Bar, CA Estimated	43	+4.9%
233	El Cerrito, CA Estimated	43	+16.2%
233	Lawndale, CA Estimated	43	+186.7%
233	Patterson, CA Estimated	43	-8.5%
239	Avenal, CA Estimated	42	+133.3%
240	Hillsborough, CA Estimated	41	-25.5%
240	Livermore, CA Estimated	41	+7.9%
240	Newman, CA Estimated	41	+720%
243	Colton, CA Estimated	40	-35.5%
243	Mill Valley, CA Estimated	40	+8.1%
245	El Segundo, CA Estimated	39	-20.4%
245	Lompoc, CA Estimated	39	+254.5%
247	Carson, CA Estimated	38	-72.1%
247	Kingsburg, CA Estimated	38	-68.3%
247	Norco, CA Estimated	38	+111.1%
247	Ridgecrest, CA Estimated	38	-26.9%

Showing the top 250 of 368. The Excel download has every row.

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of new privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in the year or month, from the US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey. Annual totals for the nation, states and counties; monthly counts for the nation and states.

Counts housing units, not buildings, starts, completions or sales. Monthly counts are not seasonally adjusted and do not add up exactly to the annual total, which includes later corrections; the national seasonally adjusted annual rate in the monthly New Residential Construction release is a different measure.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. 4 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2023 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2024). Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation (Cities in California by housing units authorized by building permits, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt

MLA 9

Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, Cities in California by housing units authorized by building permits, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 24 Apr. 2024, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/california-cities?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2024. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Cities in California by housing units authorized by building permits, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/california-cities?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2024) Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, Cities in California by housing units authorized by building permits, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/california-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation: Cities in California by housing units authorized by building permits, 2023}},
  year = {2024},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/california-cities?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West\%20Region/we2023a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation: Cities in California by housing units authorized by building permits, 2023
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/04/24
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/california-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/california-cities?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Questions

Which city has the highest housing units authorized by building permits?

Los Angeles, CA, with 13,154 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest housing units authorized by building permits?

San Marino, CA, with 0 in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Retrieved 2026-10-12. 4 cities have no value for 2023 and are not ranked.