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 2020, at 9,034. Sweetwater, FL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 130 and the figure for Florida was 164,074. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Top 40 cities, 2020
Full ranking
| Rank | Cities | 2020 | Change on 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacksonville, FL Estimated | 9,034 | +32.8% |
| 2 | Orlando, FL Estimated | 4,601 | +74.7% |
| 3 | Port St. Lucie, FL Estimated | 4,085 | +34.4% |
| 4 | Miami, FL Estimated | 3,583 | -19.8% |
| 5 | Cape Coral, FL Estimated | 3,527 | +31.2% |
| 6 | Tampa, FL Estimated | 3,333 | -30.2% |
| 7 | Fort Myers, FL Estimated | 3,105 | +57% |
| 8 | North Port, FL Estimated | 1,620 | +19.8% |
| 9 | Tallahassee, FL Estimated | 1,580 | -6.1% |
| 10 | Daytona Beach, FL Estimated | 1,524 | +249.5% |
| 11 | Palm Coast, FL Estimated | 1,482 | +19.5% |
| 12 | Palm Bay, FL Estimated | 1,278 | +63.4% |
| 13 | Lakeland, FL Estimated | 1,224 | -21.5% |
| 14 | St. Cloud, FL Estimated | 1,097 | -12% |
| 15 | Gainesville, FL Estimated | 1,055 | -13.1% |
| 16 | Hialeah, FL Estimated | 1,023 | +73.1% |
| 17 | Winter Haven, FL Estimated | 887 | +17.2% |
| 18 | Plantation, FL Estimated | 861 | -0.1% |
| 19 | Haines City, FL Estimated | 768 | +10.3% |
| 20 | Apopka, FL Estimated | 743 | +124.5% |
| 21 | Panama City, FL Estimated | 698 | +305.8% |
| 22 | Miramar, FL Estimated | 684 | +651.6% |
| 23 | Miami Gardens, FL Estimated | 679 | +248.2% |
| 24 | Auburndale, FL Estimated | 646 | +168% |
| 25 | West Melbourne, FL Estimated | 637 | -47.7% |
| 26 | St. Petersburg, FL Estimated | 589 | -72.2% |
| 27 | Hollywood, FL Estimated | 563 | +143.7% |
| 28 | Homestead, FL Estimated | 562 | +149.8% |
| 29 | Orange City, FL Estimated | 541 | +292% |
| 30 | Groveland, FL Estimated | 539 | -2.5% |
| 31 | Fort Lauderdale, FL Estimated | 537 | -56.9% |
| 32 | DeLand, FL Estimated | 521 | +9.9% |
| 33 | Davenport, FL Estimated | 515 | -21.4% |
| 34 | West Palm Beach, FL Estimated | 511 | -3.4% |
| 35 | Doral, FL Estimated | 499 | -52.8% |
| 36 | Clermont, FL Estimated | 489 | -3.2% |
| 37 | Melbourne, FL Estimated | 483 | +28.1% |
| 38 | Bonita Springs, FL Estimated | 481 | -20.6% |
| 39 | New Smyrna Beach, FL Estimated | 474 | -13.7% |
| 40 | Deltona, FL Estimated | 446 | +1.1% |
| 41 | Ocoee, FL Estimated | 437 | -10.8% |
| 42 | Panama City Beach, FL Estimated | 381 | +70.9% |
| 43 | Venice, FL Estimated | 372 | -25.3% |
| 43 | Zephyrhills, FL Estimated | 372 | +109% |
| 45 | Riviera Beach, FL Estimated | 368 | +196.8% |
| 46 | Leesburg, FL Estimated | 363 | +72% |
| 47 | Sanford, FL Estimated | 356 | +58.9% |
| 48 | Lantana, FL Estimated | 351 | +4,914.3% |
| 49 | Pompano Beach, FL Estimated | 334 | -18.1% |
| 50 | Tavares, FL Estimated | 333 | +732.5% |
| 51 | Rockledge, FL Estimated | 323 | +382.1% |
| 52 | Palm Beach Gardens, FL Estimated | 319 | +9.6% |
| 53 | Deerfield Beach, FL Estimated | 300 | +39.5% |
| 54 | Tarpon Springs, FL Estimated | 289 | +228.4% |
| 55 | Temple Terrace, FL Estimated | 287 | +267.9% |
| 56 | Casselberry, FL Estimated | 276 | -32.2% |
| 57 | Hallandale Beach, FL Estimated | 263 | +1,284.2% |
| 58 | Kissimmee, FL Estimated | 262 | -63.6% |
| 59 | Sunny Isles Beach, FL Estimated | 256 | +184.4% |
| 60 | Parkland, FL Estimated | 245 | -39.5% |
| 61 | Miami Lakes, FL Estimated | 244 | +17.3% |
| 62 | Winter Garden, FL Estimated | 243 | -37.9% |
| 63 | Fort Pierce, FL Estimated | 235 | +70.3% |
| 64 | Naples, FL Estimated | 233 | +84.9% |
| 65 | Tamarac, FL Estimated | 224 | -27% |
| 66 | Minneola, FL Estimated | 215 | -56.1% |
| 67 | Ocala, FL Estimated | 212 | -5.8% |
| 68 | North Miami, FL Estimated | 195 | +101% |
| 69 | Port Orange, FL Estimated | 192 | +48.8% |
| 70 | Lynn Haven, FL Estimated | 186 | -7% |
| 71 | Mascotte, FL Estimated | 183 | +13% |
| 72 | Sebastian, FL Estimated | 176 | -2.8% |
| 73 | Winter Springs, FL Estimated | 173 | +11.6% |
| 74 | South Daytona, FL Estimated | 171 | -33.7% |
| 75 | Sarasota, FL Estimated | 164 | -51% |
| 76 | Cocoa, FL Estimated | 162 | +74.2% |
| 77 | Eustis, FL Estimated | 157 | +554.2% |
| 78 | Bradenton, FL Estimated | 152 | -58% |
| 79 | Crestview, FL Estimated | 146 | -19.8% |
| 80 | Punta Gorda, FL Estimated | 142 | +67.1% |
| 81 | Ormond Beach, FL Estimated | 138 | +181.6% |
| 82 | Mount Dora, FL Estimated | 137 | -8.7% |
| 83 | Davie, FL Estimated | 133 | -28.5% |
| 84 | Plant City, FL Estimated | 132 | +214.3% |
| 85 | Delray Beach, FL Estimated | 131 | +7.4% |
| 86 | Titusville, FL Estimated | 130 | +26.2% |
| 87 | Marco Island, FL Estimated | 129 | +19.4% |
| 88 | Marathon, FL Estimated | 128 | -69.5% |
| 89 | Lady Lake, FL Estimated | 126 | +21.2% |
| 90 | Fernandina Beach, FL Estimated | 124 | -24.8% |
| 91 | Boca Raton, FL Estimated | 122 | +1.7% |
| 91 | Clearwater, FL Estimated | 122 | -2.4% |
| 93 | Destin, FL Estimated | 105 | +200% |
| 93 | Estero, FL Estimated | 105 | -61.1% |
| 95 | Winter Park, FL Estimated | 104 | +4% |
| 96 | Niceville, FL Estimated | 99 | -15.4% |
| 97 | Pensacola, FL Estimated | 92 | +3.4% |
| 98 | DeBary, FL Estimated | 90 | +26.8% |
| 99 | Largo, FL Estimated | 85 | +14.9% |
| 100 | St. Augustine, FL Estimated | 84 | -84.2% |
| 101 | Jupiter, FL Estimated | 80 | -23.1% |
| 102 | Royal Palm Beach, FL Estimated | 77 | -55.5% |
| 103 | Green Cove Springs, FL Estimated | 70 | -58.1% |
| 104 | Callaway, FL Estimated | 69 | +25.5% |
| 105 | Alachua, FL Estimated | 68 | +54.5% |
| 106 | Dunedin, FL Estimated | 64 | 0% |
| 107 | Coral Springs, FL Estimated | 60 | +1.7% |
| 107 | Jacksonville Beach, FL Estimated | 60 | -30.2% |
| 107 | Stuart, FL Estimated | 60 | -80.1% |
| 110 | Bartow, FL Estimated | 58 | +52.6% |
| 111 | New Port Richey, FL Estimated | 52 | -10.3% |
| 112 | Belle Glade, FL Estimated | 50 | +1,566.7% |
| 112 | Longwood, FL Estimated | 50 | -91.6% |
| 114 | Palmetto, FL Estimated | 46 | -23.3% |
| 115 | Pembroke Pines, FL Estimated | 44 | -90.4% |
| 116 | Pinellas Park, FL Estimated | 43 | -93.7% |
| 117 | Lake Mary, FL Estimated | 40 | -23.1% |
| 118 | Dania Beach, FL Estimated | 38 | -5% |
| 118 | Fort Walton Beach, FL Estimated | 38 | +8.6% |
| 120 | Brooksville, FL Estimated | 37 | -56% |
| 121 | Lake Alfred, FL Estimated | 36 | +12.5% |
| 122 | Atlantic Beach, FL Estimated | 35 | -7.9% |
| 122 | Edgewater, FL Estimated | 35 | +16.7% |
| 124 | Coral Gables, FL Estimated | 33 | +26.9% |
| 124 | Miami Beach, FL Estimated | 33 | -13.2% |
| 126 | Key Biscayne, FL Estimated | 30 | +11.1% |
| 126 | Lake Wales, FL Estimated | 30 | -93% |
| 128 | Satellite Beach, FL Estimated | 29 | +26.1% |
| 128 | South Miami, FL Estimated | 29 | -3.3% |
| 130 | Margate, FL Estimated | 28 | -40.4% |
| 130 | Wellington, FL Estimated | 28 | -28.2% |
| 132 | Pinecrest, FL Estimated | 27 | -32.5% |
| 133 | Oakland Park, FL Estimated | 23 | -17.9% |
| 134 | Boynton Beach, FL Estimated | 21 | -97.3% |
| 135 | Sebring, FL Estimated | 20 | +42.9% |
| 136 | Key West, FL Estimated | 18 | -25% |
| 136 | Lighthouse Point, FL Estimated | 18 | +28.6% |
| 138 | Dade City, FL Estimated | 14 | -88.1% |
| 138 | Gulfport, FL Estimated | 14 | +27.3% |
| 138 | Oviedo, FL Estimated | 14 | -39.1% |
| 138 | Weston, FL Estimated | 14 | -41.7% |
| 142 | North Palm Beach, FL Estimated | 12 | +100% |
| 142 | Seminole, FL Estimated | 12 | -78.6% |
| 144 | Lake City, FL Estimated | 10 | +400% |
| 144 | Safety Harbor, FL Estimated | 10 | -37.5% |
| 144 | West Park, FL Estimated | 10 | +25% |
| 147 | Cooper City, FL Estimated | 8 | +300% |
| 147 | North Lauderdale, FL Estimated | 8 | -72.4% |
| 149 | Palm Springs, FL Estimated | 7 | -91.1% |
| 149 | Wilton Manors, FL Estimated | 7 | -90.3% |
| 151 | Cocoa Beach, FL Estimated | 6 | 0% |
| 151 | Oldsmar, FL Estimated | 6 | +50% |
| 153 | Holly Hill, FL Estimated | 5 | +25% |
| 154 | Coconut Creek, FL Estimated | 4 | -66.7% |
| 154 | Greenacres, FL Estimated | 4 | -82.6% |
| 156 | Altamonte Springs, FL Estimated | 3 | |
| 156 | Cutler Bay, FL Estimated | 3 | -70% |
| 156 | Maitland, FL Estimated | 3 | -25% |
| 156 | Miami Shores, FL Estimated | 3 | -25% |
| 156 | Palmetto Bay, FL Estimated | 3 | -40% |
| 161 | Opa-locka, FL Estimated | 2 | +100% |
| 162 | North Miami Beach, FL Estimated | 1 | -91.7% |
| 163 | Aventura, FL Estimated | 0 | |
| 163 | Florida City, FL Estimated | 0 | -100% |
| 163 | Hialeah Gardens, FL Estimated | 0 | -100% |
| 163 | Lauderdale Lakes, FL Estimated | 0 | -100% |
| 163 | Lauderhill, FL Estimated | 0 | |
| 163 | Miami Springs, FL Estimated | 0 | -100% |
| 163 | Palatka, FL Estimated | 0 | |
| 163 | Sunrise, FL Estimated | 0 | |
| 163 | Sweetwater, FL Estimated | 0 |
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 2020 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/so2020a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.Citation styles
APA 7
U.S. Census Bureau. (2021). 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, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.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, 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 3 May 2021, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.
Chicago (author-date)
U.S. Census Bureau. 2021. 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, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2020.
Harvard
U.S. Census Bureau (2021) 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, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).
BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_florida_by_2020,
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, 2020}},
year = {2021},
howpublished = {Data set},
url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.txt},
urldate = {2026-10-12},
note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2020. 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/so2020a.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, 2020
PY - 2021
DA - 2021/05/03
PB - U.S. Census Bureau
DB - Invokely
UR - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.txt
L2 - https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2020
Y2 - 2026/10/12
N1 - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/florida-cities?period=2020.
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/so2020a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER -
Use this data in your AI agent
Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:
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}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=building_permit_units&level=municipality&within=Florida&limit=10Questions
Which city has the highest housing units authorized by building permits?
Jacksonville, FL, with 9,034 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which city has the lowest housing units authorized by building permits?
Sweetwater, FL, with 0 in 2020.
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 2020 and are not ranked.
Housing units authorized by building permits: other rankings
- Cities in South Dakota
- Cities in New Mexico
- Cities in Kentucky
- Counties in Maine
- Counties in Louisiana
- Counties in Texas