Data / Rankings / Housing units authorized by building permits / Counties in Maine

Counties in Maine by housing units authorized by building permits

Cumberland County had the highest housing units authorized by building permits of 16 counties in 2023, at 1,547. Washington County had the lowest, at 66. The median was 176. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest1,547Cumberland County
Lowest66Washington County
Median17616 counties

All counties, 2023

CSVChart (SVG)

Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 1,547 count1,547York CountyYork County: 1,354 count1,354Kennebec CountyKennebec County: 441 count441Hancock CountyHancock County: 405 count405Penobscot CountyPenobscot County: 404 count404Androscoggin CountyAndroscoggin County: 347 count347Oxford CountyOxford County: 324 count324Waldo CountyWaldo County: 180 count180Sagadahoc CountySagadahoc County: 171 count171Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 161 count161Knox CountyKnox County: 153 count153Franklin CountyFranklin County: 150 count150Somerset CountySomerset County: 135 count135Aroostook CountyAroostook County: 125 count125Piscataquis CountyPiscataquis County: 110 count110Washington CountyWashington County: 66 count66
count. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-10.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023
count
1Cumberland County Estimated1,547
2York County Estimated1,354
3Kennebec County Estimated441
4Hancock County Estimated405
5Penobscot County Estimated404
6Androscoggin County Estimated347
7Oxford County Estimated324
8Waldo County Estimated180
9Sagadahoc County Estimated171
10Lincoln County Estimated161
11Knox County Estimated153
12Franklin County Estimated150
13Somerset County Estimated135
14Aroostook County Estimated125
15Piscataquis County Estimated110
16Washington County Estimated66

Other periods

About this ranking

Annual number of new privately owned housing units authorized by building permits, from the US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.

Final annual county estimates include imputation for missing reports. Counts housing units, not buildings, starts, completions or sales. Covers permit-issuing areas; areas where permits are not required are outside the survey. Not seasonally adjusted or expressed as an annualized monthly rate. The total is the sum of units in the four published structure categories; inputs are retained.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/County/co2023a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-10.

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Rank Counties in Maine by housing units authorized by building permits using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

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

Cumberland County, with 1,547 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Washington County, with 66 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 county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. Retrieved 2026-10-10.

Housing units authorized by building permits: other rankings

Counties in Maine: more rankings