Cities in California by single-family housing units authorized by building permits

Los Angeles, CA had the highest single-family housing units authorized by building permits of 369 cities in 2019, at 2,647. Sierra Madre, CA had the lowest, at 0. The median was 42. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest2,647Los Angeles, CA

Lowest0Sierra Madre, CA

Median42369 cities

Top 40 cities, 2019

count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2019 count	Change on 2018
1	Los Angeles, CA Estimated	2,647	+0.4%
2	Sacramento, CA Estimated	1,538	-4.5%
3	Bakersfield, CA Estimated	1,419	+33.7%
4	Ontario, CA Estimated	1,167	+10.5%
5	Fresno, CA Estimated	1,153	+40.4%
6	Menifee, CA Estimated	1,017	+4.2%
7	Roseville, CA Estimated	998	+23.5%
8	Santa Rosa, CA Estimated	939	-42.5%
9	Irvine, CA Estimated	918	-50.8%
10	Elk Grove, CA Estimated	764	+10.2%
11	Clovis, CA Estimated	760	-14.8%
12	Hayward, CA Estimated	695	+144.7%
13	Visalia, CA Estimated	678	+30.1%
14	Merced, CA Estimated	668	+767.5%
15	Fontana, CA Estimated	642	+55.4%
16	Tracy, CA Estimated	597	-7.3%
17	San Diego, CA Estimated	580	-25.1%
18	Rancho Cordova, CA Estimated	561	+158.5%
19	Beaumont, CA Estimated	535	-21.8%
20	Chino, CA Estimated	531	+21.5%
21	Manteca, CA Estimated	517	+0.2%
22	San Jose, CA Estimated	514	+116%
23	Folsom, CA Estimated	453	+6.8%
24	Rocklin, CA Estimated	439	-25%
24	Victorville, CA Estimated	439	+64.4%
26	Hollister, CA Estimated	417	+12.4%
27	Lathrop, CA Estimated	398	+8.4%
28	Santa Clarita, CA Estimated	389	+4.6%
29	Woodland, CA Estimated	386	+83.8%
30	Vacaville, CA Estimated	378	+92.9%
31	Tulare, CA Estimated	368	+5.1%
32	Lake Forest, CA Estimated	358	+51.1%
33	Jurupa Valley, CA Estimated	355	+0.6%
34	Fairfield, CA Estimated	348	+10.8%
35	Brentwood, CA Estimated	323	-0.3%
36	Moreno Valley, CA Estimated	315	-63.1%
37	Lake Elsinore, CA Estimated	314	-23%
38	Paradise, CA Estimated	312	+1,100%
39	Stockton, CA Estimated	302	-6.8%
40	Eastvale, CA Estimated	301	+189.4%
41	Chico, CA Estimated	293	-14.1%
42	Calimesa, CA Estimated	286	+207.5%
43	Chula Vista, CA Estimated	282	-45.2%
43	Oakland, CA Estimated	282	+22.6%
45	Newark, CA Estimated	266	-5.3%
46	Oakley, CA Estimated	262	+42.4%
47	Indio, CA Estimated	261	-18.9%
48	Lincoln, CA Estimated	260	+182.6%
49	Santa Clara, CA Estimated	257	+56.7%
50	Vista, CA Estimated	242	+34.4%
51	Tustin, CA Estimated	238	+296.7%
52	Dinuba, CA Estimated	236	+143.3%
53	Antioch, CA Estimated	232	+268.3%
54	Carlsbad, CA Estimated	227	-12%
54	Redding, CA Estimated	227	+120.4%
56	Corona, CA Estimated	216	+20%
57	Hanford, CA Estimated	210	+15.4%
58	Lancaster, CA Estimated	207	+102.9%
59	Hesperia, CA Estimated	200	-19.7%
59	Palm Springs, CA Estimated	200	+60%
61	Modesto, CA Estimated	195	-12.6%
61	Rohnert Park, CA Estimated	195	-26.1%
63	Rancho Mirage, CA Estimated	194	-0.5%
64	Gilroy, CA Estimated	191	+50.4%
65	Cypress, CA Estimated	190	+9.8%
65	Shafter, CA Estimated	190	+38.7%
67	Encinitas, CA Estimated	185	+17.8%
68	Imperial, CA Estimated	178	-4.3%
69	San Marcos, CA Estimated	172	+28.4%
70	Madera, CA Estimated	171	-3.9%
70	San Luis Obispo, CA Estimated	171	+40.2%
72	Riverside, CA Estimated	170	-0.6%
73	Fremont, CA Estimated	169	+6.3%
73	Garden Grove, CA Estimated	169	+52.3%
75	Murrieta, CA Estimated	162	-59.2%
76	West Sacramento, CA Estimated	161	+91.7%
77	Huntington Beach, CA Estimated	154	+190.6%
78	El Cajon, CA Estimated	149	+47.5%
78	Rio Vista, CA Estimated	149	-45.6%
80	San Jacinto, CA Estimated	147	-7%
80	Sunnyvale, CA Estimated	147	-46.4%
82	Goleta, CA Estimated	146	+231.8%
82	Santa Paula, CA Estimated	146	+4,766.7%
84	Dublin, CA Estimated	145	-76.4%
85	Cathedral City, CA Estimated	142	+54.3%
85	Simi Valley, CA Estimated	142	+57.8%
87	La Quinta, CA Estimated	139	+9.4%
88	Glendale, CA Estimated	138	+53.3%
89	Perris, CA Estimated	137	+19.1%
89	Rancho Cucamonga, CA Estimated	137	+7.9%
91	Upland, CA Estimated	134	-16.3%
92	Morgan Hill, CA Estimated	133	-38.4%
93	Milpitas, CA Estimated	131	-68.4%
94	Newport Beach, CA Estimated	125	-3.8%
95	Anaheim, CA Estimated	123	+1.7%
96	Arvin, CA Estimated	121	+13.1%
97	Lodi, CA Estimated	119	-51.8%
98	Stanton, CA Estimated	114	+119.2%
99	Redlands, CA Estimated	113	+22.8%
100	Santa Maria, CA Estimated	110	-30.4%
101	Yorba Linda, CA Estimated	108	-23.9%
102	Dixon, CA Estimated	105	+23.5%
103	Porterville, CA Estimated	104	+40.5%
103	Turlock, CA Estimated	104	+131.1%
105	Palo Alto, CA Estimated	102	-7.3%
106	Apple Valley, CA Estimated	101	+27.8%
107	Long Beach, CA Estimated	100	-21.9%
107	Napa, CA Estimated	100	+104.1%
109	Pittsburg, CA Estimated	99	+41.4%
110	Pomona, CA Estimated	98	-48.1%
111	Santa Ana, CA Estimated	97	-20.5%
112	Manhattan Beach, CA Estimated	96	-20.7%
113	Los Banos, CA Estimated	95	-66.5%
114	Fillmore, CA Estimated	94	+64.9%
114	Redondo Beach, CA Estimated	94	-10.5%
116	Truckee, CA Estimated	91	-10.8%
117	Palm Desert, CA Estimated	88	+44.3%
118	San Juan Capistrano, CA Estimated	87	+102.3%
119	Arcadia, CA Estimated	85	+7.6%
120	Dana Point, CA Estimated	82	-3.5%
120	Lemoore, CA Estimated	82	0%
122	Berkeley, CA Estimated	80	+21.2%
122	Salinas, CA Estimated	80	+40.4%
124	Mountain View, CA Estimated	79	+9.7%
125	Torrance, CA Estimated	78	+77.3%
126	Chino Hills, CA Estimated	76	-67.1%
126	Hemet, CA Estimated	76	+20.6%
126	Temple City, CA Estimated	76	-8.4%
129	Novato, CA Estimated	75	+435.7%
129	Orange, CA Estimated	75	+212.5%
129	Rosemead, CA Estimated	75	+15.4%
132	Costa Mesa, CA Estimated	74	-54.6%
132	San Ramon, CA Estimated	74	-53.8%
132	Santa Monica, CA Estimated	74	+7.2%
132	Westminster, CA Estimated	74	-3.9%
136	Palmdale, CA Estimated	73	+12.3%
137	Daly City, CA Estimated	72	+300%
137	Soledad, CA Estimated	72	0%
137	Sonoma, CA Estimated	72	+620%
140	Kerman, CA Estimated	71	-22.8%
140	Oceanside, CA Estimated	71	-41.8%
140	Pleasanton, CA Estimated	71	+69%
140	San Fernando, CA Estimated	71	+545.5%
144	Coalinga, CA Estimated	70	+66.7%
144	Delano, CA Estimated	70	-36.9%
144	Ripon, CA Estimated	70	-14.6%
147	Cupertino, CA Estimated	68	+65.9%
147	Wasco, CA Estimated	68	-45.6%
149	Livingston, CA Estimated	67	-35%
150	Colton, CA Estimated	65	-20.7%
151	Adelanto, CA Estimated	63	+293.8%
151	Oxnard, CA Estimated	63	+61.5%
153	Highland, CA Estimated	62	-4.6%
154	Alameda, CA Estimated	61	+96.8%
154	Ceres, CA Estimated	61	+64.9%
156	Oroville, CA Estimated	60	+566.7%
157	San Bernardino, CA Estimated	59	-4.8%
158	Galt, CA Estimated	57	+72.7%
158	West Covina, CA Estimated	57	+533.3%
160	Newman, CA Estimated	56	0%
161	Watsonville, CA Estimated	55	0%
162	Saratoga, CA Estimated	54	+35%
162	Temecula, CA Estimated	54	-40%
162	Vallejo, CA Estimated	54	+5.9%
165	Livermore, CA Estimated	53	-57.3%
165	Los Altos, CA Estimated	53	+29.3%
167	Brawley, CA Estimated	52	+2%
167	Parlier, CA Estimated	52	+188.9%
167	Sanger, CA Estimated	52	-10.3%
170	Campbell, CA Estimated	51	-19%
171	Richmond, CA Estimated	50	-47.9%
171	Ridgecrest, CA Estimated	50	-46.8%
173	Camarillo, CA Estimated	49	-81.1%
173	Corcoran, CA Estimated	49	+1,533.3%
173	Menlo Park, CA Estimated	49	-12.5%
173	Patterson, CA Estimated	49	0%
173	Yuba City, CA Estimated	49	+75%
178	Petaluma, CA Estimated	47	+20.5%
179	Yucaipa, CA Estimated	46	-4.2%
180	Burbank, CA Estimated	43	+152.9%
180	Gardena, CA Estimated	43	-56.1%
180	San Clemente, CA Estimated	43	-55.7%
183	Hermosa Beach, CA Estimated	42	-4.5%
183	Rialto, CA Estimated	42	-35.4%
183	Santa Cruz, CA Estimated	42	-4.5%
183	Shasta Lake, CA Estimated	42	+16.7%
187	Glendora, CA Estimated	41	-18%
187	Redwood City, CA Estimated	41	+2.5%
187	South Gate, CA Estimated	41	+46.4%
190	Brea, CA Estimated	40	+566.7%
190	Danville, CA Estimated	40	+66.7%
192	Alhambra, CA Estimated	39	+14.7%
192	Anderson, CA Estimated	39	+34.5%
194	Concord, CA Estimated	38	+111.1%
195	Atascadero, CA Estimated	35	+20.7%
195	El Monte, CA Estimated	35	-10.3%
195	Pasadena, CA Estimated	35	+12.9%
198	El Cerrito, CA Estimated	34	+1,600%
198	Marina, CA Estimated	34	-83.4%
198	San Leandro, CA Estimated	34	+1,600%
201	Kingsburg, CA Estimated	33	+83.3%
201	Yucca Valley, CA Estimated	33	-36.5%
203	Arroyo Grande, CA Estimated	32	-8.6%
203	South San Francisco, CA Estimated	32	+3,100%
205	Grover Beach, CA Estimated	31	+121.4%
205	Thousand Oaks, CA Estimated	31	+72.2%
207	Compton, CA Estimated	29	+383.3%
207	La Habra, CA Estimated	29	-6.5%
207	South El Monte, CA Estimated	29	+314.3%
210	Davis, CA Estimated	28	-40.4%
211	Arcata, CA Estimated	27	+12.5%
212	Hawthorne, CA Estimated	26	-27.8%
212	Healdsburg, CA Estimated	26	+8.3%
212	Morro Bay, CA Estimated	26	-33.3%
212	Selma, CA Estimated	26	0%
216	Claremont, CA Estimated	25	-34.2%
216	Los Gatos, CA Estimated	25	-19.4%
216	Mill Valley, CA Estimated	25	+47.1%
216	Whittier, CA Estimated	25	+733.3%
216	Windsor, CA Estimated	25	+525%
221	El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA Estimated	24	+14.3%
221	Fountain Valley, CA Estimated	24	+118.2%
221	Grass Valley, CA Estimated	24	+166.7%
224	Escondido, CA Estimated	23	+15%
224	Fullerton, CA Estimated	23	+21.1%
226	Coronado, CA Estimated	22	-31.3%
226	Desert Hot Springs, CA Estimated	22	-43.6%
226	Duarte, CA Estimated	22	n/a
226	Laguna Beach, CA Estimated	22	+37.5%
226	San Francisco, CA Estimated	22	-21.4%
231	Palos Verdes Estates, CA Estimated	21	-4.5%
232	Burlingame, CA Estimated	20	-39.4%
232	Downey, CA Estimated	20	-64.3%
232	Fortuna, CA Estimated	20	0%
232	Foster City, CA Estimated	20	n/a
232	Pleasant Hill, CA Estimated	20	-45.9%
232	Poway, CA Estimated	20	+42.9%
232	San Dimas, CA Estimated	20	+900%
239	King City, CA Estimated	19	-55.8%
239	Loma Linda, CA Estimated	19	-13.6%
241	Grand Terrace, CA Estimated	18	-5.3%
241	Imperial Beach, CA Estimated	18	-48.6%
241	La Puente, CA Estimated	18	-56.1%
241	Monrovia, CA Estimated	18	-25%
245	Avenal, CA Estimated	17	+6.3%
245	Beverly Hills, CA Estimated	17	-61.4%
245	Clearlake, CA Estimated	17	+142.9%
245	Walnut Creek, CA Estimated	17	-37%
249	Diamond Bar, CA Estimated	16	-48.4%
249	Lomita, CA Estimated	16	+700%

Showing the top 250 of 369. The Excel download has every row.

Other periods

About this ranking

Annual number of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures (detached and attached single-family homes) authorized by building permits, from the US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.

Part of building_permit_units, which also counts units in buildings with two or more units. Counts housing units, not starts, completions or sales.

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 2019 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 in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2019a.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. (2020). Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation (Cities in California by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2019a.txt

MLA 9

Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, Cities in California by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2019. U.S. Census Bureau, 1 May 2020, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2019a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2019. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2020. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Cities in California by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2019a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2019.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2020) Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, Cities in California by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2019a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2019,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation: Cities in California by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2019}},
  year = {2020},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2019a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2019. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West\%20Region/we2019a.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 in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation: Cities in California by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2019
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/05/01
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2019a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2019.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2019a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Rank Cities in California by single-family housing units authorized by building permits using official data, and cite the source.

rank_places {"indicator":"building_permit_single_family_units","level":"municipality","within":"California","limit":10}
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Questions

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

Los Angeles, CA, with 2,647 in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Sierra Madre, CA, with 0 in 2019.

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 in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Retrieved 2026-10-12. 3 cities have no value for 2019 and are not ranked.