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 368 cities in 2020, at 1,854. Tehachapi, CA had the lowest, at 0. The median was 36. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest1,854Los Angeles, CA

Lowest0Tehachapi, CA

Median36368 cities

Top 40 cities, 2020

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	2020 count	Change on 2019
1	Los Angeles, CA Estimated	1,854	-30%
2	Bakersfield, CA Estimated	1,453	+2.4%
3	Menifee, CA Estimated	1,410	+38.6%
4	Roseville, CA Estimated	1,264	+26.7%
5	Fresno, CA Estimated	1,214	+5.3%
6	Santa Clarita, CA Estimated	1,114	+186.4%
7	Clovis, CA Estimated	1,049	+38%
8	Irvine, CA Estimated	1,036	+12.9%
9	Sacramento, CA Estimated	935	-39.2%
10	Fontana, CA Estimated	847	+31.9%
11	Paradise, CA Estimated	826	+164.7%
12	Elk Grove, CA Estimated	760	-0.5%
13	Merced, CA Estimated	723	+8.2%
14	Tracy, CA Estimated	653	+9.4%
15	Manteca, CA Estimated	650	+25.7%
16	Ontario, CA Estimated	645	-44.7%
17	Visalia, CA Estimated	601	-11.4%
18	Rancho Cordova, CA Estimated	572	+2%
19	Lincoln, CA Estimated	546	+110%
20	Stockton, CA Estimated	518	+71.5%
21	Victorville, CA Estimated	504	+14.8%
22	Folsom, CA Estimated	498	+9.9%
23	Banning, CA Estimated	476	+4,227.3%
24	Lathrop, CA Estimated	452	+13.6%
25	Lake Elsinore, CA Estimated	447	+42.4%
26	San Diego, CA Estimated	445	-23.3%
27	Santa Rosa, CA Estimated	440	-53.1%
28	Chino, CA Estimated	438	-17.5%
29	Rocklin, CA Estimated	424	-3.4%
30	Vacaville, CA Estimated	416	+10.1%
31	Lake Forest, CA Estimated	412	+15.1%
32	Indio, CA Estimated	394	+51%
33	Fairfield, CA Estimated	390	+12.1%
34	Calimesa, CA Estimated	343	+19.9%
35	Woodland, CA Estimated	339	-12.2%
36	Eastvale, CA Estimated	329	+9.3%
37	Whittier, CA Estimated	327	+1,208%
38	Oakley, CA Estimated	326	+24.4%
39	Hollister, CA Estimated	322	-22.8%
40	Hayward, CA Estimated	320	-54%
41	San Jose, CA Estimated	312	-39.3%
42	Tulare, CA Estimated	303	-17.7%
43	Chico, CA Estimated	299	+2%
44	Antioch, CA Estimated	298	+28.4%
45	Lancaster, CA Estimated	297	+43.5%
46	Newark, CA Estimated	294	+10.5%
47	San Luis Obispo, CA Estimated	290	+69.6%
48	Brentwood, CA Estimated	274	-15.2%
49	Beaumont, CA Estimated	271	-49.3%
50	Shafter, CA Estimated	270	+42.1%
51	Temecula, CA Estimated	261	+383.3%
51	Vista, CA Estimated	261	+7.9%
53	Corona, CA Estimated	253	+17.1%
54	Cathedral City, CA Estimated	249	+75.4%
55	Escondido, CA Estimated	240	+943.5%
56	Garden Grove, CA Estimated	237	+40.2%
56	Palmdale, CA Estimated	237	+224.7%
58	San Marcos, CA Estimated	233	+35.5%
59	Rancho Mirage, CA Estimated	224	+15.5%
60	Carlsbad, CA Estimated	223	-1.8%
61	Chula Vista, CA Estimated	222	-21.3%
62	Modesto, CA Estimated	213	+9.2%
63	Redding, CA Estimated	210	-7.5%
64	Rohnert Park, CA Estimated	209	+7.2%
65	Madera, CA Estimated	203	+18.7%
66	La Quinta, CA Estimated	190	+36.7%
67	Imperial, CA Estimated	189	+6.2%
68	Moreno Valley, CA Estimated	186	-41%
69	Riverside, CA Estimated	180	+5.9%
70	Long Beach, CA Estimated	174	+74%
71	Hesperia, CA Estimated	172	-14%
71	Jurupa Valley, CA Estimated	172	-51.5%
73	Sunnyvale, CA Estimated	169	+15%
74	Adelanto, CA Estimated	163	+158.7%
74	Hanford, CA Estimated	163	-22.4%
76	Santa Paula, CA Estimated	160	+9.6%
77	Simi Valley, CA Estimated	155	+9.2%
78	Dublin, CA Estimated	146	+0.7%
79	Glendale, CA Estimated	145	+5.1%
79	Perris, CA Estimated	145	+5.8%
81	Stanton, CA Estimated	144	+26.3%
82	Coachella, CA Estimated	137	+2,183.3%
82	Newport Beach, CA Estimated	137	+9.6%
82	Richmond, CA Estimated	137	+174%
85	Murrieta, CA Estimated	136	-16%
86	Pomona, CA Estimated	135	+37.8%
87	Lodi, CA Estimated	130	+9.2%
87	Santa Clara, CA Estimated	130	-49.4%
89	Burbank, CA Estimated	127	+195.3%
90	San Jacinto, CA Estimated	126	-14.3%
91	Santa Maria, CA Estimated	120	+9.1%
92	Palm Springs, CA Estimated	117	-41.5%
93	Hemet, CA Estimated	116	+52.6%
94	Dixon, CA Estimated	115	+9.5%
95	Fremont, CA Estimated	112	-33.7%
95	Porterville, CA Estimated	112	+7.7%
97	Apple Valley, CA Estimated	110	+8.9%
98	Goleta, CA Estimated	109	-25.3%
98	Napa, CA Estimated	109	+9%
100	Encinitas, CA Estimated	107	-42.2%
101	Livingston, CA Estimated	105	+56.7%
102	Huntington Beach, CA Estimated	104	-32.5%
102	Los Banos, CA Estimated	104	+9.5%
102	Turlock, CA Estimated	104	0%
105	Fillmore, CA Estimated	103	+9.6%
105	Inglewood, CA Estimated	103	+3,333.3%
107	Pittsburg, CA Estimated	101	+2%
108	Oakland, CA Estimated	98	-65.2%
108	Rancho Cucamonga, CA Estimated	98	-28.5%
110	Marina, CA Estimated	96	+182.4%
110	Salinas, CA Estimated	96	+20%
110	West Sacramento, CA Estimated	96	-40.4%
113	Arcadia, CA Estimated	93	+9.4%
114	Truckee, CA Estimated	91	0%
115	Dinuba, CA Estimated	90	-61.9%
115	Lemoore, CA Estimated	90	+9.8%
115	Palo Alto, CA Estimated	90	-11.8%
118	San Fernando, CA Estimated	88	+23.9%
119	Colton, CA Estimated	87	+33.8%
119	Mountain View, CA Estimated	87	+10.1%
121	Anaheim, CA Estimated	86	-30.1%
122	Delano, CA Estimated	83	+18.6%
122	South Gate, CA Estimated	83	+102.4%
124	Berkeley, CA Estimated	82	+2.5%
125	Alameda, CA Estimated	81	+32.8%
126	San Juan Capistrano, CA Estimated	80	-8%
126	Santee, CA Estimated	80	+3,900%
128	Gilroy, CA Estimated	79	-58.6%
128	Redlands, CA Estimated	79	-30.1%
130	Desert Hot Springs, CA Estimated	77	+250%
131	Ridgecrest, CA Estimated	73	+46%
132	Camarillo, CA Estimated	72	+46.9%
132	Pleasanton, CA Estimated	72	+1.4%
134	Santa Ana, CA Estimated	70	-27.8%
135	Santa Monica, CA Estimated	69	-6.8%
135	Selma, CA Estimated	69	+165.4%
137	Culver City, CA Estimated	68	+385.7%
138	Saratoga, CA Estimated	67	+24.1%
139	Oroville, CA Estimated	64	+6.7%
140	Gardena, CA Estimated	63	+46.5%
140	Yorba Linda, CA Estimated	63	-41.7%
142	Costa Mesa, CA Estimated	62	-16.2%
143	Rosemead, CA Estimated	60	-20%
143	Watsonville, CA Estimated	60	+9.1%
145	Manhattan Beach, CA Estimated	58	-39.6%
146	Downey, CA Estimated	57	+185%
147	Livermore, CA Estimated	56	+5.7%
147	Westminster, CA Estimated	56	-24.3%
149	Milpitas, CA Estimated	55	-58%
149	Redwood City, CA Estimated	55	+34.1%
151	Patterson, CA Estimated	54	+10.2%
151	Yuba City, CA Estimated	54	+10.2%
153	Brawley, CA Estimated	52	0%
153	Concord, CA Estimated	52	+36.8%
153	El Cajon, CA Estimated	52	-65.1%
156	King City, CA Estimated	51	+168.4%
156	Temple City, CA Estimated	51	-32.9%
158	Daly City, CA Estimated	50	-30.6%
158	Thousand Oaks, CA Estimated	50	+61.3%
158	Wildomar, CA Estimated	50	+614.3%
161	Arroyo Grande, CA Estimated	49	+53.1%
161	Los Altos, CA Estimated	49	-7.5%
161	Palm Desert, CA Estimated	49	-44.3%
164	Highland, CA Estimated	48	-22.6%
165	Cupertino, CA Estimated	47	-30.9%
165	Los Gatos, CA Estimated	47	+88%
167	San Gabriel, CA Estimated	46	+206.7%
168	Buena Park, CA Estimated	45	n/a
168	Upland, CA Estimated	45	-66.4%
170	Atascadero, CA Estimated	44	+25.7%
170	Chino Hills, CA Estimated	44	-42.1%
172	Anderson, CA Estimated	43	+10.3%
173	Bellflower, CA Estimated	42	+1,300%
173	Greenfield, CA Estimated	42	+320%
173	Rialto, CA Estimated	42	0%
176	Morgan Hill, CA Estimated	41	-69.2%
177	Orange, CA Estimated	40	-46.7%
177	Santa Cruz, CA Estimated	40	-4.8%
177	Yucca Valley, CA Estimated	40	+21.2%
180	Fountain Valley, CA Estimated	39	+62.5%
180	Pico Rivera, CA Estimated	39	+200%
182	La Mesa, CA Estimated	38	+153.3%
183	Oakdale, CA Estimated	37	+640%
184	Campbell, CA Estimated	36	-29.4%
184	Oxnard, CA Estimated	36	-42.9%
186	Hermosa Beach, CA Estimated	35	-16.7%
186	South El Monte, CA Estimated	35	+20.7%
186	Tustin, CA Estimated	35	-85.3%
189	Redondo Beach, CA Estimated	34	-63.8%
189	Wasco, CA Estimated	34	-50%
191	Oceanside, CA Estimated	33	-53.5%
192	California City, CA Estimated	32	+300%
192	Danville, CA Estimated	32	-20%
192	Grass Valley, CA Estimated	32	+33.3%
192	La Puente, CA Estimated	32	+77.8%
196	El Monte, CA Estimated	31	-11.4%
196	Hawthorne, CA Estimated	31	+19.2%
198	Imperial Beach, CA Estimated	30	+66.7%
198	Riverbank, CA Estimated	30	+87.5%
198	San Ramon, CA Estimated	30	-59.5%
201	Seal Beach, CA Estimated	29	+141.7%
202	El Centro, CA Estimated	28	+100%
202	El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA Estimated	28	+16.7%
202	Glendora, CA Estimated	28	-31.7%
202	San Carlos, CA Estimated	28	+833.3%
206	Fortuna, CA Estimated	27	+35%
206	Montebello, CA Estimated	27	+145.5%
206	Novato, CA Estimated	27	-64%
206	San Rafael, CA Estimated	27	+170%
206	Torrance, CA Estimated	27	-65.4%
206	Vallejo, CA Estimated	27	-50%
206	Yucaipa, CA Estimated	27	-41.3%
213	Mill Valley, CA Estimated	26	+4%
214	Brea, CA Estimated	25	-37.5%
214	Healdsburg, CA Estimated	25	-3.8%
214	Poway, CA Estimated	25	+25%
214	San Bernardino, CA Estimated	25	-57.6%
214	Soledad, CA Estimated	25	-65.3%
219	Azusa, CA Estimated	24	+140%
219	Galt, CA Estimated	24	-57.9%
219	Monrovia, CA Estimated	24	+33.3%
219	Rio Vista, CA Estimated	24	-83.9%
223	Laguna Beach, CA Estimated	23	+4.5%
223	Lawndale, CA Estimated	23	+283.3%
223	Pasadena, CA Estimated	23	-34.3%
226	Citrus Heights, CA Estimated	22	+46.7%
226	Coronado, CA Estimated	22	0%
226	Dana Point, CA Estimated	22	-73.2%
226	Hillsborough, CA Estimated	22	+175%
226	Lemon Grove, CA Estimated	22	+266.7%
231	Alhambra, CA Estimated	21	-46.2%
231	Compton, CA Estimated	21	-27.6%
231	Diamond Bar, CA Estimated	21	+31.3%
231	Loma Linda, CA Estimated	21	+10.5%
231	Petaluma, CA Estimated	21	-55.3%
231	San Francisco, CA Estimated	21	-4.5%
231	Walnut Creek, CA Estimated	21	+23.5%
238	Clearlake, CA Estimated	20	+17.6%
238	Kerman, CA Estimated	20	-71.8%
238	San Clemente, CA Estimated	20	-53.5%
241	Avenal, CA Estimated	19	+11.8%
241	Burlingame, CA Estimated	19	-5%
241	Fullerton, CA Estimated	19	-17.4%
241	Sanger, CA Estimated	19	-63.5%
241	South Lake Tahoe, CA Estimated	19	+137.5%
246	Albany, CA Estimated	18	+50%
246	Beverly Hills, CA Estimated	18	+5.9%
246	Davis, CA Estimated	18	-35.7%
246	San Dimas, CA Estimated	18	-10%
246	San Leandro, CA Estimated	18	-47.1%

Showing the top 250 of 368. 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. 4 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 in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2020a.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. (2021). 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, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2020a.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, 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 3 May 2021, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2020a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-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 in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Cities in California by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2020a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2021) 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, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2020a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2020,
  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, 2020}},
  year = {2021},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2020a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2020. 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/we2020a.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, 2020
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/05/03
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2020a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2020.
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/we2020a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Questions

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

Los Angeles, CA, with 1,854 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Tehachapi, CA, 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 in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Retrieved 2026-10-12. 4 cities have no value for 2020 and are not ranked.