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

Jacksonville, FL had the highest single-family housing units authorized by building permits of 171 cities in 2017, at 3,005. Opa-locka, FL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 62. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest3,005Jacksonville, FL

Lowest0Opa-locka, FL

Median62171 cities

Top 40 cities, 2017

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	2017 count	Change on 2016
1	Jacksonville, FL Estimated	3,005	+12.2%
2	Cape Coral, FL Estimated	1,842	+27.7%
3	Port St. Lucie, FL Estimated	1,465	+31.5%
4	North Port, FL Estimated	1,064	+19.6%
5	Tampa, FL Estimated	1,010	+8.1%
6	Orlando, FL Estimated	828	+13.4%
7	Fort Myers, FL Estimated	761	-15.2%
8	St. Cloud, FL Estimated	739	-16.6%
9	Winter Haven, FL Estimated	705	+62.8%
10	Palm Coast, FL Estimated	631	+17.3%
11	Palm Bay, FL Estimated	564	+31.5%
12	Winter Garden, FL Estimated	509	+24.1%
13	Bonita Springs, FL Estimated	490	+28.3%
14	Kissimmee, FL Estimated	477	+26.2%
15	Parkland, FL Estimated	436	-1.8%
16	Lakeland, FL Estimated	433	+45.8%
17	Clermont, FL Estimated	420	-13.2%
18	DeLand, FL Estimated	406	+11.8%
19	St. Petersburg, FL Estimated	404	0%
20	Groveland, FL Estimated	402	+6.3%
21	Tallahassee, FL Estimated	379	+14.8%
22	Apopka, FL Estimated	374	+0.3%
23	Davenport, FL Estimated	361	+45%
24	New Smyrna Beach, FL Estimated	358	+13.3%
25	Ocoee, FL Estimated	348	+101.2%
26	Melbourne, FL Estimated	295	+37.9%
27	Oviedo, FL Estimated	273	+24.1%
28	West Melbourne, FL Estimated	267	-6.6%
29	Homestead, FL Estimated	264	-28.5%
30	Tavares, FL Estimated	251	+78%
31	Miami Lakes, FL Estimated	250	+12,400%
32	Sanford, FL Estimated	240	+172.7%
33	Haines City, FL Estimated	238	+16.1%
34	Ocala, FL Estimated	231	+131%
35	Pembroke Pines, FL Estimated	219	+25.1%
36	Venice, FL Estimated	218	-40.4%
37	Crestview, FL Estimated	214	+100%
38	Port Orange, FL Estimated	206	+221.9%
39	Palm Beach Gardens, FL Estimated	205	+9.6%
40	Minneola, FL Estimated	184	-13.2%
41	Sebastian, FL Estimated	177	+16.4%
42	Hollywood, FL Estimated	168	+300%
42	Leesburg, FL Estimated	168	-12%
44	Fernandina Beach, FL Estimated	159	+31.4%
45	Bradenton, FL Estimated	158	-24%
45	Ormond Beach, FL Estimated	158	+6%
47	Jupiter, FL Estimated	157	-15.1%
48	Deltona, FL Estimated	156	+54.5%
49	Tamarac, FL Estimated	146	+60.4%
50	Estero, FL Estimated	144	+48.5%
51	Lake Wales, FL Estimated	137	+95.7%
51	Plant City, FL Estimated	137	+9.6%
53	Fort Lauderdale, FL Estimated	133	+7.3%
54	Hialeah, FL Estimated	132	-66%
54	Pensacola, FL Estimated	132	+153.8%
56	Green Cove Springs, FL Estimated	131	-9%
57	Doral, FL Estimated	126	-77.4%
57	Sarasota, FL Estimated	126	+15.6%
59	Daytona Beach, FL Estimated	124	-10.8%
60	Punta Gorda, FL Estimated	123	+5.1%
61	Sunrise, FL Estimated	121	+12,000%
62	Mount Dora, FL Estimated	119	-6.3%
62	Panama City Beach, FL Estimated	119	-18.5%
64	Gainesville, FL Estimated	118	+55.3%
65	Marco Island, FL Estimated	116	+11.5%
66	Atlantic Beach, FL Estimated	107	+10.3%
67	Panama City, FL Estimated	103	+74.6%
68	Zephyrhills, FL Estimated	101	+129.5%
69	Jacksonville Beach, FL Estimated	98	-21%
69	Tarpon Springs, FL Estimated	98	+27.3%
71	Oakland Park, FL Estimated	97	-31.7%
72	Naples, FL Estimated	91	-32.1%
73	Boca Raton, FL Estimated	90	-38.4%
73	Miami, FL Estimated	90	+3.4%
75	Lady Lake, FL Estimated	85	+19.7%
76	Lynn Haven, FL Estimated	84	+16.7%
77	Destin, FL Estimated	74	-9.8%
78	Lake Mary, FL Estimated	72	+1.4%
78	St. Augustine, FL Estimated	72	+100%
80	Deerfield Beach, FL Estimated	69	+115.6%
80	Delray Beach, FL Estimated	69	-18.8%
80	Mascotte, FL Estimated	69	+245%
83	Winter Park, FL Estimated	68	-35.8%
84	Casselberry, FL Estimated	66	0%
85	Titusville, FL Estimated	63	-48.8%
86	DeBary, FL Estimated	62	+17%
86	Eustis, FL Estimated	62	-45.1%
88	Greenacres, FL Estimated	61	-20.8%
88	Pinellas Park, FL Estimated	61	+74.3%
90	Davie, FL Estimated	60	+11.1%
90	Rockledge, FL Estimated	60	-31%
92	Niceville, FL Estimated	57	-12.3%
93	Bartow, FL Estimated	56	+5.7%
94	Edgewater, FL Estimated	54	+22.7%
95	Callaway, FL Estimated	48	+860%
96	Miami Beach, FL Estimated	46	-25.8%
96	West Palm Beach, FL Estimated	46	-76.2%
98	Fort Walton Beach, FL Estimated	44	+7.3%
99	Auburndale, FL Estimated	41	-73.9%
99	Longwood, FL Estimated	41	+105%
99	Marathon, FL Estimated	41	+17.1%
102	Seminole, FL Estimated	40	+21.2%
103	Royal Palm Beach, FL Estimated	39	n/a
104	Oldsmar, FL Estimated	38	-13.6%
104	Pompano Beach, FL Estimated	38	+40.7%
106	Coconut Creek, FL Estimated	35	-62.4%
107	Brooksville, FL Estimated	34	+750%
107	Clearwater, FL Estimated	34	-2.9%
109	Altamonte Springs, FL Estimated	33	+83.3%
110	Largo, FL Estimated	32	-49.2%
110	North Miami, FL Estimated	32	+39.1%
112	Coral Springs, FL Estimated	30	-40%
113	Wellington, FL Estimated	29	+52.6%
114	Key Biscayne, FL Estimated	27	-42.6%
114	Pinecrest, FL Estimated	27	-44.9%
116	Palm Springs, FL Estimated	26	+225%
117	Miramar, FL Estimated	24	-69.6%
117	Safety Harbor, FL Estimated	24	-22.6%
119	Coral Gables, FL Estimated	21	-57.1%
119	Lake Alfred, FL Estimated	21	-68.2%
119	Margate, FL Estimated	21	n/a
119	Temple Terrace, FL Estimated	21	+110%
123	Sebring, FL Estimated	20	+17.6%
124	Dania Beach, FL Estimated	19	0%
124	West Park, FL Estimated	19	+137.5%
126	Fort Pierce, FL Estimated	18	-25%
126	Key West, FL Estimated	18	+5.9%
126	Satellite Beach, FL Estimated	18	+50%
129	Dade City, FL Estimated	16	-46.7%
129	Miami Gardens, FL Estimated	16	-62.8%
129	Stuart, FL Estimated	16	-30.4%
132	Boynton Beach, FL Estimated	15	-25%
132	Lighthouse Point, FL Estimated	15	-31.8%
132	Palmetto Bay, FL Estimated	15	-21.1%
135	Weston, FL Estimated	14	-30%
136	Alachua, FL Estimated	13	-65.8%
136	Orange City, FL Estimated	13	-45.8%
138	Cutler Bay, FL Estimated	12	-20%
138	Lauderhill, FL Estimated	12	0%
138	Plantation, FL Estimated	12	-47.8%
138	South Miami, FL Estimated	12	-45.5%
142	Gulfport, FL Estimated	11	+22.2%
142	Hallandale Beach, FL Estimated	11	+57.1%
142	New Port Richey, FL Estimated	11	-21.4%
145	Cocoa Beach, FL Estimated	10	-16.7%
145	Cooper City, FL Estimated	10	+66.7%
147	Riviera Beach, FL Estimated	9	-10%
147	Sunny Isles Beach, FL Estimated	9	0%
147	Winter Springs, FL Estimated	9	-82.4%
150	Wilton Manors, FL Estimated	8	-55.6%
151	Cocoa, FL Estimated	7	-85.1%
152	Belle Glade, FL Estimated	6	+50%
152	North Miami Beach, FL Estimated	6	-88.2%
152	North Palm Beach, FL Estimated	6	+20%
152	Palmetto, FL Estimated	6	+100%
156	Dunedin, FL Estimated	5	+66.7%
156	Lake City, FL Estimated	5	n/a
158	Palatka, FL Estimated	4	0%
159	Lantana, FL Estimated	3	-25%
160	Hialeah Gardens, FL Estimated	2	-60%
160	Holly Hill, FL Estimated	2	-33.3%
160	Sweetwater, FL Estimated	2	+100%
163	Lauderdale Lakes, FL Estimated	1	-50%
163	Maitland, FL Estimated	1	-66.7%
163	Miami Shores, FL Estimated	1	-50%
163	Miami Springs, FL Estimated	1	-66.7%
163	South Daytona, FL Estimated	1	0%
168	Aventura, FL Estimated	0	n/a
168	Florida City, FL Estimated	0	n/a
168	North Lauderdale, FL Estimated	0	-100%
168	Opa-locka, FL Estimated	0	-100%

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 2017 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/South%20Region/so2017a.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. (2018). 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 Florida by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2017a.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 Florida by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2017. U.S. Census Bureau, 1 May 2018, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2017a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-cities?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2018. 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 Florida by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2017a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-cities?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2018) 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 Florida by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2017a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-cities?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_florida_by_2017,
  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 Florida by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2017}},
  year = {2018},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2017a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-cities?period=2017. 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/South\%20Region/so2017a.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 Florida by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2017
PY  - 2018
DA  - 2018/05/01
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2017a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-cities?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-cities?period=2017.
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/South%20Region/so2017a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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

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Questions

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

Jacksonville, FL, with 3,005 in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Opa-locka, FL, with 0 in 2017.

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 2017 and are not ranked.