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

Counties in Massachusetts by housing units authorized by building permits

Middlesex County had the highest housing units authorized by building permits of 14 counties in 2024, at 3,495. Franklin County had the lowest, at 83. The median was 752. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest3,495Middlesex County
Lowest83Franklin County
Median75214 counties

All counties, 2024

CSVChart (SVG)

Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County: 3,495 count3,495Worcester CountyWorcester County: 2,506 count2,506Suffolk CountySuffolk County: 2,007 count2,007Plymouth CountyPlymouth County: 1,256 count1,256Norfolk CountyNorfolk County: 1,224 count1,224Essex CountyEssex County: 1,011 count1,011Bristol CountyBristol County: 863 count863Barnstable CountyBarnstable County: 640 count640Hampden CountyHampden County: 443 count443Hampshire CountyHampshire County: 318 count318Nantucket CountyNantucket County: 262 count262Berkshire CountyBerkshire County: 127 count127Dukes CountyDukes County: 103 count103Franklin CountyFranklin County: 83 count83
count. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-10.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024
count		Change on 2023
1Middlesex County Estimated3,495-10.2%
2Worcester County Estimated2,506+106.3%
3Suffolk County Estimated2,007-22.5%
4Plymouth County Estimated1,256+23.9%
5Norfolk County Estimated1,224+38%
6Essex County Estimated1,011-11.3%
7Bristol County Estimated863+13.4%
8Barnstable County Estimated640+17%
9Hampden County Estimated443+23.1%
10Hampshire County Estimated318+12.8%
11Nantucket County Estimated262+12.9%
12Berkshire County Estimated127-12.4%
13Dukes County Estimated103+27.2%
14Franklin County Estimated83+25.8%

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/co2024a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-10.

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Rank Counties in Massachusetts 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?

Middlesex County, with 3,495 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Franklin County, with 83 in 2024.

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 Massachusetts: more rankings