Data / Rankings / Housing units authorized by building permits / Cities in Michigan

Cities in Michigan by housing units authorized by building permits

Detroit, MI had the highest housing units authorized by building permits of 85 cities in 2024, at 1,919. Wayne, MI had the lowest, at 0. The median was 10 and the figure for Michigan was 21,750. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,919Detroit, MI
Lowest0Wayne, MI
Median1085 cities
Michigan21,750History

Top 40 cities, 2024

Detroit, MI: 1,919 countDetroit, MI1,919Grand Rapids, MI: 859 countGrand Rapids, MI859Ann Arbor, MI: 294 countAnn Arbor, MI294Midland, MI: 247 countMidland, MI247Troy, MI: 241 countTroy, MI241Ypsilanti, MI: 230 countYpsilanti, MI230Holland, MI: 225 countHolland, MI225Lansing, MI: 212 countLansing, MI212Wyoming, MI: 155 countWyoming, MI155Jackson, MI: 152 countJackson, MI152Royal Oak, MI: 138 countRoyal Oak, MI138Novi, MI: 124 countNovi, MI124Birmingham, MI: 112 countBirmingham, MI112Pontiac, MI: 112 countPontiac, MI112Kentwood, MI: 100 countKentwood, MI100Portage, MI: 80 countPortage, MI80Sterling Heights, MI: 70 countSterling Heights, MI70Westland, MI: 58 countWestland, MI58Taylor, MI: 45 countTaylor, MI45Muskegon, MI: 44 countMuskegon, MI44Walker, MI: 40 countWalker, MI40Norton Shores, MI: 36 countNorton Shores, MI36Rochester Hills, MI: 34 countRochester Hills, MI34Adrian, MI: 27 countAdrian, MI27Burton, MI: 26 countBurton, MI26Dearborn, MI: 26 countDearborn, MI26Grand Haven, MI: 25 countGrand Haven, MI25Romulus, MI: 25 countRomulus, MI25Livonia, MI: 23 countLivonia, MI23Farmington Hills, MI: 21 countFarmington Hills, MI21Warren, MI: 20 countWarren, MI20Garden City, MI: 19 countGarden City, MI19New Baltimore, MI: 19 countNew Baltimore, MI19Wixom, MI: 19 countWixom, MI19St. Clair Shores, MI: 18 countSt. Clair Shores, MI18Hazel Park, MI: 14 countHazel Park, MI14South Lyon, MI: 14 countSouth Lyon, MI14Southgate, MI: 14 countSouthgate, MI14Rochester, MI: 13 countRochester, MI13Southfield, MI: 13 countSouthfield, MI13Detroit, MI: 1,919 countDetroit, MI1,919Grand Rapids, MI: 859 countGrand Rapids, MI859Ann Arbor, MI: 294 countAnn Arbor, MI294Midland, MI: 247 countMidland, MI247Troy, MI: 241 countTroy, MI241Ypsilanti, MI: 230 countYpsilanti, MI230Holland, MI: 225 countHolland, MI225Lansing, MI: 212 countLansing, MI212Wyoming, MI: 155 countWyoming, MI155Jackson, MI: 152 countJackson, MI152Royal Oak, MI: 138 countRoyal Oak, MI138Novi, MI: 124 countNovi, MI124Birmingham, MI: 112 countBirmingham, MI112Pontiac, MI: 112 countPontiac, MI112Kentwood, MI: 100 countKentwood, MI100Portage, MI: 80 countPortage, MI80Sterling Heights, MI: 70 countSterling Heights, MI70Westland, MI: 58 countWestland, MI58Taylor, MI: 45 countTaylor, MI45Muskegon, MI: 44 countMuskegon, MI44Walker, MI: 40 countWalker, MI40Norton Shores, MI: 36 countNorton Shores, MI36Rochester Hills, MI: 34 countRochester Hills, MI34Adrian, MI: 27 countAdrian, MI27Burton, MI: 26 countBurton, MI26Dearborn, MI: 26 countDearborn, MI26Grand Haven, MI: 25 countGrand Haven, MI25Romulus, MI: 25 countRomulus, MI25Livonia, MI: 23 countLivonia, MI23Farmington Hills, MI: 21 countFarmington Hills, MI21Warren, MI: 20 countWarren, MI20Garden City, MI: 19 countGarden City, MI19New Baltimore, MI: 19 countNew Baltimore, MI19Wixom, MI: 19 countWixom, MI19St. Clair Shores, MI: 18 countSt. Clair Shores, MI18Hazel Park, MI: 14 countHazel Park, MI14South Lyon, MI: 14 countSouth Lyon, MI14Southgate, MI: 14 countSouthgate, MI14Rochester, MI: 13 countRochester, MI13Southfield, MI: 13 countSouthfield, MI13
count. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2024
count		Change on 2023
1Detroit, MI Estimated1,919+56.7%
2Grand Rapids, MI Estimated859+73.5%
3Ann Arbor, MI Estimated294+32.4%
4Midland, MI Estimated247+180.7%
5Troy, MI Estimated241+21.7%
6Ypsilanti, MI Estimated230-25.3%
7Holland, MI Estimated225-10%
8Lansing, MI Estimated212-5.8%
9Wyoming, MI Estimated155-15.3%
10Jackson, MI Estimated152+3,700%
11Royal Oak, MI Estimated138+11.3%
12Novi, MI Estimated124+96.8%
13Birmingham, MI Estimated112+75%
13Pontiac, MI Estimated112+522.2%
15Kentwood, MI Estimated100-7.4%
16Portage, MI Estimated80-68%
17Sterling Heights, MI Estimated70-63%
18Westland, MI Estimated58+7.4%
19Taylor, MI Estimated45+2.3%
20Muskegon, MI Estimated44-22.8%
21Walker, MI Estimated40-76.9%
22Norton Shores, MI Estimated36+63.6%
23Rochester Hills, MI Estimated34+17.2%
24Adrian, MI Estimated27+125%
25Burton, MI Estimated26+73.3%
25Dearborn, MI Estimated26+23.8%
27Grand Haven, MI Estimated25-13.8%
27Romulus, MI Estimated25+177.8%
29Livonia, MI Estimated23-66.2%
30Farmington Hills, MI Estimated21-46.2%
31Warren, MI Estimated20+100%
32Garden City, MI Estimated19+375%
32New Baltimore, MI Estimated19+35.7%
32Wixom, MI Estimated190%
35St. Clair Shores, MI Estimated18+125%
36Hazel Park, MI Estimated14+27.3%
36South Lyon, MI Estimated14-68.2%
36Southgate, MI Estimated14+133.3%
39Rochester, MI Estimated13+18.2%
39Southfield, MI Estimated13-89.5%
41Roseville, MI Estimated11+57.1%
42Berkley, MI Estimated10-70.6%
42Fenton, MI Estimated10+233.3%
42Monroe, MI Estimated10-28.6%
45Ferndale, MI Estimated9-85.2%
45Flat Rock, MI Estimated9+12.5%
45Riverview, MI Estimated9+28.6%
48Battle Creek, MI Estimated8+14.3%
48Dearborn Heights, MI Estimated8-38.5%
48Grandville, MI Estimated8-93.3%
51Beverly Hills, MI Estimated7+40%
51Hamtramck, MI Estimated7+40%
51Kalamazoo, MI Estimated7+75%
54Owosso, MI Estimated50%
54Port Huron, MI Estimated5-28.6%
54Wyandotte, MI Estimated5-61.5%
57Auburn Hills, MI Estimated4-97.6%
57Coldwater, MI Estimated4-50%
57Sault Ste. Marie, MI Estimated4-90%
57Sturgis, MI Estimated4-33.3%
61Grosse Pointe Woods, MI Estimated3+200%
61Mount Pleasant, MI Estimated3-57.1%
61Niles, MI Estimated3-94%
64Allen Park, MI Estimated2n/a
64Grosse Pointe Park, MI Estimated2+100%
64Madison Heights, MI Estimated2-90%
64Trenton, MI Estimated2-60%
64Woodhaven, MI Estimated20%
69Cadillac, MI Estimated1-96.6%
69Clawson, MI Estimated1-95%
69Eastpointe, MI Estimated1-50%
69Flint, MI Estimated1-99.2%
69Fraser, MI Estimated1n/a
69Oak Park, MI Estimated10%
75Alpena, MI Estimated0-100%
75Bay City, MI Estimated0n/a
75East Lansing, MI Estimated0-100%
75Farmington, MI Estimated0-100%
75Harper Woods, MI Estimated0n/a
75Inkster, MI Estimated0n/a
75Lincoln Park, MI Estimated0-100%
75Melvindale, MI Estimated0-100%
75Mount Clemens, MI Estimated0n/a
75Saginaw, MI Estimated0n/a
75Wayne, MI Estimated0-100%

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. 2 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2024 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/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.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. (2025). Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation (Cities in Michigan by housing units authorized by building permits, 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt

MLA 9

Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, Cities in Michigan by housing units authorized by building permits, 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 1 May 2025, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/michigan-cities?period=2024. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Cities in Michigan by housing units authorized by building permits, 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/michigan-cities?period=2024.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, Cities in Michigan by housing units authorized by building permits, 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/michigan-cities?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_michigan_by_2024,
  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 Michigan by housing units authorized by building permits, 2024}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/michigan-cities?period=2024. 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/Midwest\%20Region/mw2024a.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 Michigan by housing units authorized by building permits, 2024
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/05/01
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/michigan-cities?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/michigan-cities?period=2024.
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/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

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 Michigan by housing units authorized by building permits using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"building_permit_units","level":"municipality","within":"Michigan","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=building_permit_units&level=municipality&within=Michigan&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

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

Detroit, MI, with 1,919 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Wayne, MI, with 0 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 estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Retrieved 2026-10-12. 2 cities have no value for 2024 and are not ranked.

Housing units authorized by building permits: other rankings

Cities in Michigan: more rankings