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 2023, at 2,918. West Hollywood, CA had the lowest, at 0. The median was 46. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest2,918Los Angeles, CA

Lowest0West Hollywood, CA

Median46368 cities

Top 40 cities, 2023

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	2023 count	Change on 2022
1	Los Angeles, CA Estimated	2,918	-8.3%
2	Bakersfield, CA Estimated	1,411	-17.2%
3	Fresno, CA Estimated	1,226	-37.4%
4	Roseville, CA Estimated	1,213	-23.1%
5	Fontana, CA Estimated	964	+79.2%
6	Folsom, CA Estimated	898	+11.8%
7	Menifee, CA Estimated	875	-3.2%
8	Elk Grove, CA Estimated	821	+41.3%
9	Santa Clarita, CA Estimated	707	+230.4%
10	Clovis, CA Estimated	701	+47.3%
11	Lancaster, CA Estimated	689	+515.2%
12	Sacramento, CA Estimated	653	-27.8%
13	Rancho Cordova, CA Estimated	632	+2.3%
14	Lincoln, CA Estimated	627	-24.1%
15	Ontario, CA Estimated	601	-19.4%
16	Temecula, CA Estimated	592	+50.3%
17	Beaumont, CA Estimated	591	-25.2%
18	San Jose, CA Estimated	581	+5.1%
19	Manteca, CA Estimated	571	-30.2%
20	Lathrop, CA Estimated	566	-38.7%
21	San Diego, CA Estimated	516	+2%
22	Victorville, CA Estimated	509	-11.9%
23	Stockton, CA Estimated	491	-0.4%
24	Santa Rosa, CA Estimated	441	+54.2%
25	Pomona, CA Estimated	405	+193.5%
26	Perris, CA Estimated	397	+212.6%
27	Irvine, CA Estimated	391	-34.2%
28	Antioch, CA Estimated	366	+23.6%
29	Tulare, CA Estimated	363	+14.5%
30	Fairfield, CA Estimated	342	+14.8%
31	Visalia, CA Estimated	325	-45.7%
32	Hanford, CA Estimated	313	+15.5%
33	Riverside, CA Estimated	312	+56.8%
34	Indio, CA Estimated	307	-42.2%
35	Banning, CA Estimated	294	+92.2%
36	Paradise, CA Estimated	291	-38.2%
37	Jurupa Valley, CA Estimated	267	-12.2%
38	Woodland, CA Estimated	264	-8.3%
39	La Quinta, CA Estimated	259	-48.3%
40	Chula Vista, CA Estimated	244	-26.3%
41	Palmdale, CA Estimated	243	-6.9%
42	Merced, CA Estimated	241	+12.6%
43	Inglewood, CA Estimated	238	+75%
44	Huntington Beach, CA Estimated	231	+83.3%
45	Santa Ana, CA Estimated	228	+26.7%
46	Yucaipa, CA Estimated	222	+44.2%
47	Rocklin, CA Estimated	217	-19.9%
47	Vacaville, CA Estimated	217	-5.7%
49	Hollister, CA Estimated	213	-7%
50	Dixon, CA Estimated	211	-5%
50	Modesto, CA Estimated	211	-10.6%
52	San Luis Obispo, CA Estimated	208	-12.6%
53	Encinitas, CA Estimated	196	+23.3%
54	Lake Forest, CA Estimated	194	-37.4%
55	Garden Grove, CA Estimated	192	-32.2%
56	South Gate, CA Estimated	190	+12.4%
57	Galt, CA Estimated	185	+96.8%
57	Murrieta, CA Estimated	185	+927.8%
57	Palm Desert, CA Estimated	185	-54.1%
60	Westminster, CA Estimated	183	+3.4%
61	Lake Elsinore, CA Estimated	181	-41.8%
61	Mountain View, CA Estimated	181	+52.1%
63	Shafter, CA Estimated	178	-15.6%
64	San Bernardino, CA Estimated	176	+29.4%
65	San Jacinto, CA Estimated	173	-19.2%
66	Dublin, CA Estimated	171	+28.6%
66	San Marcos, CA Estimated	171	-65.2%
68	Chico, CA Estimated	169	-32.1%
69	Hesperia, CA Estimated	167	-39.5%
69	Long Beach, CA Estimated	167	-13%
69	Rohnert Park, CA Estimated	167	-9.2%
72	Hayward, CA Estimated	162	+88.4%
73	Chino, CA Estimated	160	-70.3%
74	Santa Maria, CA Estimated	158	+22.5%
75	Moreno Valley, CA Estimated	155	-21.7%
76	Downey, CA Estimated	154	+0.7%
77	Riverbank, CA Estimated	148	+49.5%
78	Fremont, CA Estimated	147	-7.5%
78	Palo Alto, CA Estimated	147	+7.3%
78	Rosemead, CA Estimated	147	-3.9%
81	Hemet, CA Estimated	146	-5.8%
82	Oceanside, CA Estimated	140	+70.7%
83	Corona, CA Estimated	139	+202.2%
83	Madera, CA Estimated	139	-31.5%
85	Alameda, CA Estimated	138	-29.9%
86	Reedley, CA Estimated	136	+56.3%
86	Tracy, CA Estimated	136	-73.3%
88	Marina, CA Estimated	135	-33.2%
89	Wildomar, CA Estimated	134	+38.1%
90	Lemoore, CA Estimated	133	+504.5%
91	West Sacramento, CA Estimated	128	+6.7%
92	Richmond, CA Estimated	126	+96.9%
93	Alhambra, CA Estimated	124	+11.7%
93	Turlock, CA Estimated	124	+69.9%
95	Carlsbad, CA Estimated	123	+48.2%
95	Pittsburg, CA Estimated	123	+73.2%
97	Brentwood, CA Estimated	119	-42.8%
98	Cupertino, CA Estimated	114	+26.7%
99	Lynwood, CA Estimated	113	-13.1%
99	Morgan Hill, CA Estimated	113	-14.4%
101	Glendale, CA Estimated	110	+26.4%
101	Redondo Beach, CA Estimated	110	-8.3%
103	Lemon Grove, CA Estimated	109	+70.3%
103	Newport Beach, CA Estimated	109	-9.9%
105	Gilroy, CA Estimated	108	+217.6%
106	Lodi, CA Estimated	107	-36.7%
107	Poway, CA Estimated	105	-26.6%
108	Salinas, CA Estimated	104	+76.3%
109	Escondido, CA Estimated	103	-37.6%
110	Desert Hot Springs, CA Estimated	100	-30.1%
110	Vista, CA Estimated	100	+9.9%
112	McFarland, CA Estimated	98	+366.7%
113	Saratoga, CA Estimated	97	-26.5%
113	Torrance, CA Estimated	97	-42.9%
115	Coachella, CA Estimated	95	-9.5%
115	San Juan Capistrano, CA Estimated	95	-45.1%
117	Delano, CA Estimated	94	+347.6%
117	Redding, CA Estimated	94	-60.3%
119	La Mesa, CA Estimated	93	+82.4%
119	Temple City, CA Estimated	93	+13.4%
121	Los Banos, CA Estimated	91	-3.2%
121	Oakley, CA Estimated	91	-61.9%
121	Rancho Cucamonga, CA Estimated	91	-24.8%
121	Rancho Mirage, CA Estimated	91	-50.3%
125	Monrovia, CA Estimated	90	+63.6%
126	Berkeley, CA Estimated	89	+12.7%
127	Culver City, CA Estimated	87	+1.2%
127	Laguna Beach, CA Estimated	87	+11.5%
127	Pico Rivera, CA Estimated	87	+64.2%
127	West Covina, CA Estimated	87	-25%
131	Compton, CA Estimated	85	-23.4%
131	Gardena, CA Estimated	85	-37.5%
131	Palm Springs, CA Estimated	85	-54.5%
134	Anaheim, CA Estimated	84	+75%
134	Tustin, CA Estimated	84	-5.6%
136	Concord, CA Estimated	83	+7.8%
136	Manhattan Beach, CA Estimated	83	-12.6%
136	Martinez, CA Estimated	83	+97.6%
136	Redlands, CA Estimated	83	-36.2%
136	Santa Monica, CA Estimated	83	+29.7%
141	Brawley, CA Estimated	81	-50%
142	American Canyon, CA Estimated	80	-14.9%
142	Montebello, CA Estimated	80	+196.3%
144	Porterville, CA Estimated	79	+14.5%
145	Adelanto, CA Estimated	75	+257.1%
145	Rio Vista, CA Estimated	75	-27.2%
147	Arcadia, CA Estimated	74	-7.5%
147	Glendora, CA Estimated	74	-5.1%
149	El Cajon, CA Estimated	72	+14.3%
150	Newark, CA Estimated	70	-69.6%
151	Thousand Oaks, CA Estimated	68	+871.4%
151	Upland, CA Estimated	68	+21.4%
153	Citrus Heights, CA Estimated	65	-44.9%
154	Santee, CA Estimated	64	-8.6%
155	Danville, CA Estimated	62	+26.5%
155	Napa, CA Estimated	62	-36.1%
157	Bellflower, CA Estimated	61	+38.6%
158	Burbank, CA Estimated	60	-55.6%
158	San Gabriel, CA Estimated	60	-24.1%
160	Menlo Park, CA Estimated	59	+31.1%
160	National City, CA Estimated	59	+156.5%
160	Santa Paula, CA Estimated	59	-39.8%
160	Yucca Valley, CA Estimated	59	+9.3%
164	Azusa, CA Estimated	58	+190%
164	Pleasanton, CA Estimated	58	-7.9%
164	San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA Estimated	58	-3.3%
164	South San Francisco, CA Estimated	58	+13.7%
164	Stanton, CA Estimated	58	+26.1%
169	King City, CA Estimated	57	-21.9%
169	Truckee, CA Estimated	57	-56.5%
171	Simi Valley, CA Estimated	56	-42.3%
172	Fillmore, CA Estimated	55	+243.8%
172	Pasadena, CA Estimated	55	+7.8%
174	California City, CA Estimated	54	+92.9%
174	Santa Clara, CA Estimated	54	-97.2%
176	Campbell, CA Estimated	53	+15.2%
176	Kerman, CA Estimated	53	-34.6%
176	Orange, CA Estimated	53	-30.3%
179	Cathedral City, CA Estimated	51	-7.3%
179	Highland, CA Estimated	51	-49%
181	Vallejo, CA Estimated	49	+188.2%
182	San Leandro, CA Estimated	48	0%
182	San Ramon, CA Estimated	48	+20%
184	Apple Valley, CA Estimated	46	-43.9%
184	Arcata, CA Estimated	46	+253.8%
184	Wasco, CA Estimated	46	-47.7%
184	Whittier, CA Estimated	46	-23.3%
188	Dinuba, CA Estimated	45	+9.8%
188	El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA Estimated	45	-32.8%
188	Walnut, CA Estimated	45	-52.1%
191	Oakdale, CA Estimated	44	+100%
191	South Pasadena, CA Estimated	44	+29.4%
191	Yuba City, CA Estimated	44	-8.3%
194	Diamond Bar, CA Estimated	43	+4.9%
194	Lawndale, CA Estimated	43	+437.5%
194	Patterson, CA Estimated	43	-8.5%
197	Avenal, CA Estimated	42	+133.3%
197	Santa Cruz, CA Estimated	42	-40%
199	Atascadero, CA Estimated	41	-28.1%
199	Hillsborough, CA Estimated	41	-25.5%
199	Newman, CA Estimated	41	+720%
202	Colton, CA Estimated	40	-35.5%
202	Mill Valley, CA Estimated	40	+8.1%
204	Redwood City, CA Estimated	39	-11.4%
204	Watsonville, CA Estimated	39	-26.4%
206	Baldwin Park, CA Estimated	38	-25.5%
206	Kingsburg, CA Estimated	38	-47.9%
206	Norco, CA Estimated	38	+111.1%
209	Calexico, CA Estimated	37	+8.8%
209	Petaluma, CA Estimated	37	-19.6%
211	Artesia, CA Estimated	36	+800%
212	El Cerrito, CA Estimated	35	-5.4%
212	Imperial, CA Estimated	35	-74.8%
214	El Segundo, CA Estimated	34	-5.6%
214	Imperial Beach, CA Estimated	34	+88.9%
214	Oakland, CA Estimated	34	-73%
214	San Bruno, CA Estimated	34	+41.7%
218	Greenfield, CA Estimated	33	-51.5%
218	Monterey Park, CA Estimated	33	+135.7%
218	Rialto, CA Estimated	33	-8.3%
218	San Rafael, CA Estimated	33	-46.8%
222	Oxnard, CA Estimated	32	-44.8%
223	Auburn, CA Estimated	31	+210%
223	Los Gatos, CA Estimated	31	+3.3%
223	Sunnyvale, CA Estimated	31	-79.2%
223	Tehachapi, CA Estimated	31	+106.7%
227	Lakewood, CA Estimated	30	+57.9%
227	San Dimas, CA Estimated	30	-14.3%
227	Windsor, CA Estimated	30	+172.7%
230	Fountain Valley, CA Estimated	29	-54%
230	Los Altos, CA Estimated	29	-35.6%
230	San Francisco, CA Estimated	29	-23.7%
233	Chowchilla, CA Estimated	27	-66.7%
233	Davis, CA Estimated	27	+17.4%
235	Buena Park, CA Estimated	26	-3.7%
235	San Carlos, CA Estimated	26	-18.8%
237	Union City, CA Estimated	25	-19.4%
238	El Monte, CA Estimated	24	-17.2%
238	Hermosa Beach, CA Estimated	24	-14.3%
238	Lompoc, CA Estimated	24	+118.2%
238	San Clemente, CA Estimated	24	-31.4%
238	San Fernando, CA Estimated	24	-68.4%
243	Fullerton, CA Estimated	23	+666.7%
244	Corcoran, CA Estimated	22	+15.8%
244	La Cañada Flintridge, CA Estimated	22	+37.5%
244	La Puente, CA Estimated	22	-12%
244	Paramount, CA Estimated	22	-15.4%
244	Sanger, CA Estimated	22	-40.5%
244	Yorba Linda, CA Estimated	22	-43.6%
250	Dana Point, CA Estimated	21	-22.2%

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 2023 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/we2023a.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. (2024). 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, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.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, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 24 Apr. 2024, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2024. 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, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2024) 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, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2023,
  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, 2023}},
  year = {2024},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2023. 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/we2023a.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, 2023
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/04/24
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/West%20Region/we2023a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/california-cities?period=2023.
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/we2023a.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 2,918 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

West Hollywood, CA, with 0 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 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 2023 and are not ranked.