Cities in Florida by housing units authorized by building permits

Jacksonville, FL had the highest housing units authorized by building permits of 171 cities in 2018, at 7,003. Sweetwater, FL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 111 and the figure for Florida was 144,427. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest7,003Jacksonville, FL

Lowest0Sweetwater, FL

Median111171 cities

Florida144,427History

Top 40 cities, 2018

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

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2018 count	Change on 2017
1	Jacksonville, FL Estimated	7,003	+19.1%
2	Miami, FL Estimated	4,625	-2.9%
3	Orlando, FL Estimated	3,079	+87.1%
4	Port St. Lucie, FL Estimated	2,943	+83.8%
5	Fort Myers, FL Estimated	2,777	+141.3%
6	Cape Coral, FL Estimated	2,601	+2%
7	Doral, FL Estimated	2,112	+463.2%
8	Tampa, FL Estimated	1,788	-43.7%
9	Bonita Springs, FL Estimated	1,541	+114.3%
10	Tallahassee, FL Estimated	1,524	-0.7%
11	North Port, FL Estimated	1,274	+17.1%
12	Bradenton, FL Estimated	1,024	+137%
13	St. Petersburg, FL Estimated	1,003	+7.4%
14	St. Cloud, FL Estimated	960	+29.9%
15	Gainesville, FL Estimated	942	-28.5%
16	Palm Coast, FL Estimated	909	+30.4%
17	Winter Haven, FL Estimated	774	+9.8%
18	Kissimmee, FL Estimated	749	+18.3%
19	Clermont, FL Estimated	707	+36.5%
20	Palm Bay, FL Estimated	689	+22.2%
21	Sanford, FL Estimated	653	+151.2%
22	DeLand, FL Estimated	649	+59.9%
23	Groveland, FL Estimated	611	+52%
24	Venice, FL Estimated	609	+102.3%
25	Pembroke Pines, FL Estimated	602	+41.6%
26	St. Augustine, FL Estimated	594	+725%
27	Winter Garden, FL Estimated	569	+11.8%
28	Sarasota, FL Estimated	549	+35.6%
29	Clearwater, FL Estimated	537	+34.3%
30	Panama City Beach, FL Estimated	509	-2.1%
31	West Melbourne, FL Estimated	495	-13.9%
32	Lakeland, FL Estimated	435	-10.3%
33	Ocoee, FL Estimated	428	+23%
34	New Smyrna Beach, FL Estimated	410	+13.3%
35	Estero, FL Estimated	406	+103%
36	Fernandina Beach, FL Estimated	391	+145.9%
37	Parkland, FL Estimated	379	-13.1%
38	Lantana, FL Estimated	365	+5,114.3%
39	West Palm Beach, FL Estimated	363	+12%
40	Homestead, FL Estimated	343	+29.9%
41	Haines City, FL Estimated	340	+42.9%
42	Fort Lauderdale, FL Estimated	339	-73.4%
43	Hollywood, FL Estimated	334	-37.9%
43	Pompano Beach, FL Estimated	334	-53.5%
45	Riviera Beach, FL Estimated	309	+2,107.1%
46	Davenport, FL Estimated	303	-18.3%
47	Pinellas Park, FL Estimated	289	+373.8%
48	Palm Beach Gardens, FL Estimated	285	+8.8%
49	Boynton Beach, FL Estimated	281	+659.5%
50	Hialeah, FL Estimated	278	-2.5%
51	Apopka, FL Estimated	266	-31.8%
52	Plantation, FL Estimated	263	+255.4%
53	Rockledge, FL Estimated	255	+254.2%
54	Deerfield Beach, FL Estimated	243	+252.2%
55	Deltona, FL Estimated	242	+55.1%
56	Ocala, FL Estimated	226	-57.8%
57	Melbourne, FL Estimated	215	-27.1%
58	Palmetto Bay, FL Estimated	213	+1,320%
59	Leesburg, FL Estimated	212	+26.2%
60	Miami Lakes, FL Estimated	209	-16.4%
61	Longwood, FL Estimated	205	+400%
62	Port Orange, FL Estimated	203	-1.5%
63	Zephyrhills, FL Estimated	193	+91.1%
64	Lynn Haven, FL Estimated	188	0%
65	Miramar, FL Estimated	183	+205%
66	Crestview, FL Estimated	180	-15.9%
67	Sebastian, FL Estimated	177	0%
68	Punta Gorda, FL Estimated	174	+28.9%
69	Tamarac, FL Estimated	162	+11%
70	Fort Pierce, FL Estimated	149	+313.9%
71	Margate, FL Estimated	145	+19.8%
72	Daytona Beach, FL Estimated	141	+13.7%
73	Boca Raton, FL Estimated	136	-57.6%
73	Mascotte, FL Estimated	136	+97.1%
75	Minneola, FL Estimated	135	-26.6%
76	Plant City, FL Estimated	132	-3.6%
77	Brooksville, FL Estimated	130	+282.4%
78	Mount Dora, FL Estimated	129	+8.4%
78	Oviedo, FL Estimated	129	-53.1%
80	Royal Palm Beach, FL Estimated	125	-72%
81	Naples, FL Estimated	123	-38.5%
82	Lady Lake, FL Estimated	122	+43.5%
83	Jupiter, FL Estimated	118	-27.6%
84	Winter Park, FL Estimated	114	+32.6%
85	Pensacola, FL Estimated	112	-15.2%
86	Oldsmar, FL Estimated	111	+113.5%
86	Panama City, FL Estimated	111	+7.8%
88	Auburndale, FL Estimated	110	+168.3%
89	Ormond Beach, FL Estimated	109	-31%
90	Green Cove Springs, FL Estimated	107	-18.3%
91	Titusville, FL Estimated	103	+58.5%
92	Lake Alfred, FL Estimated	102	+385.7%
93	Jacksonville Beach, FL Estimated	97	-1%
94	Lake Mary, FL Estimated	92	-72.6%
95	Niceville, FL Estimated	89	+56.1%
96	Marathon, FL Estimated	87	+29.9%
96	Marco Island, FL Estimated	87	-25%
98	Sunny Isles Beach, FL Estimated	86	+28.4%
99	Tarpon Springs, FL Estimated	83	-15.3%
100	Atlantic Beach, FL Estimated	82	-23.4%
100	Palm Springs, FL Estimated	82	+215.4%
102	Largo, FL Estimated	79	+146.9%
103	Delray Beach, FL Estimated	74	-59.8%
103	Dunedin, FL Estimated	74	+1,380%
105	Lake Wales, FL Estimated	73	-46.7%
106	DeBary, FL Estimated	70	+12.9%
107	Destin, FL Estimated	67	-81.9%
108	Orange City, FL Estimated	64	+93.9%
109	Bartow, FL Estimated	59	+5.4%
110	Callaway, FL Estimated	54	+12.5%
110	Tavares, FL Estimated	54	-79.5%
112	Wellington, FL Estimated	52	+79.3%
113	Fort Walton Beach, FL Estimated	47	+6.8%
114	Alachua, FL Estimated	46	+253.8%
115	Hallandale Beach, FL Estimated	43	+43.3%
116	Davie, FL Estimated	41	-88%
116	Stuart, FL Estimated	41	+156.3%
118	Pinecrest, FL Estimated	39	+44.4%
119	Dania Beach, FL Estimated	37	+23.3%
119	New Port Richey, FL Estimated	37	-5.1%
119	Weston, FL Estimated	37	+164.3%
122	Holly Hill, FL Estimated	36	+1,700%
122	Satellite Beach, FL Estimated	36	+100%
124	Coral Gables, FL Estimated	35	+52.2%
125	Coral Springs, FL Estimated	33	-2.9%
125	Edgewater, FL Estimated	33	-38.9%
125	Eustis, FL Estimated	33	-50%
125	Winter Springs, FL Estimated	33	-88.5%
129	Greenacres, FL Estimated	32	-47.5%
130	Miami Beach, FL Estimated	31	-32.6%
131	Altamonte Springs, FL Estimated	29	-32.6%
132	Seminole, FL Estimated	28	-30%
133	Key Biscayne, FL Estimated	26	-3.7%
134	Oakland Park, FL Estimated	25	-84.5%
135	Key West, FL Estimated	20	+11.1%
135	Safety Harbor, FL Estimated	20	-71%
137	Gulfport, FL Estimated	17	+54.5%
137	North Miami, FL Estimated	17	-97.9%
137	Sebring, FL Estimated	17	-15%
140	Coconut Creek, FL Estimated	16	-54.3%
140	Miami Gardens, FL Estimated	16	-23.8%
140	West Park, FL Estimated	16	-15.8%
143	Cooper City, FL Estimated	15	+50%
143	Dade City, FL Estimated	15	-6.3%
145	North Miami Beach, FL Estimated	13	-96.9%
145	South Miami, FL Estimated	13	+8.3%
147	Lauderhill, FL Estimated	12	0%
147	Wilton Manors, FL Estimated	12	+50%
149	Lighthouse Point, FL Estimated	11	-26.7%
150	Cocoa, FL Estimated	10	+42.9%
150	Cutler Bay, FL Estimated	10	-16.7%
152	Temple Terrace, FL Estimated	8	-61.9%
153	Belle Glade, FL Estimated	7	-94.4%
153	Cocoa Beach, FL Estimated	7	-30%
155	Aventura, FL Estimated	6	n/a
155	North Palm Beach, FL Estimated	6	0%
155	Palmetto, FL Estimated	6	0%
158	Casselberry, FL Estimated	4	-98.2%
159	Lake City, FL Estimated	3	-40%
159	Maitland, FL Estimated	3	+200%
159	Miami Shores, FL Estimated	3	+200%
159	Miami Springs, FL Estimated	3	+200%
163	Hialeah Gardens, FL Estimated	2	0%
164	Palatka, FL Estimated	1	-75%
165	Florida City, FL Estimated	0	n/a
165	Lauderdale Lakes, FL Estimated	0	-100%
165	North Lauderdale, FL Estimated	0	-100%
165	Opa-locka, FL Estimated	0	n/a
165	South Daytona, FL Estimated	0	-100%
165	Sunrise, FL Estimated	0	-100%
165	Sweetwater, FL Estimated	0	-100%

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. 3 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2018 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/South%20Region/so2018a.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. (2019). Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation (Cities in Florida by housing units authorized by building permits, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2018a.txt

MLA 9

Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, Cities in Florida by housing units authorized by building permits, 2018. U.S. Census Bureau, 20 June 2019, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2018a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2019. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Cities in Florida by housing units authorized by building permits, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2018a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2019) Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, Cities in Florida by housing units authorized by building permits, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2018a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_florida_by_2018,
  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 Florida by housing units authorized by building permits, 2018}},
  year = {2019},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2018a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2018. 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/South\%20Region/so2018a.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 Florida by housing units authorized by building permits, 2018
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/06/20
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2018a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2018.
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/South%20Region/so2018a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Rank Cities in Florida by housing units authorized by building permits using official data, and cite the source.

rank_places {"indicator":"building_permit_units","level":"municipality","within":"Florida","limit":10}
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Questions

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

Jacksonville, FL, with 7,003 in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Sweetwater, FL, with 0 in 2018.

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. 3 cities have no value for 2018 and are not ranked.