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 2019, at 4,155. Sweetwater, FL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 71. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest4,155Jacksonville, FL

Lowest0Sweetwater, FL

Median71171 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	Jacksonville, FL Estimated	4,155	+9.9%
2	Port St. Lucie, FL Estimated	2,591	+23.3%
3	Cape Coral, FL Estimated	1,878	-16.3%
4	North Port, FL Estimated	1,317	+3.4%
5	St. Cloud, FL Estimated	1,246	+29.8%
6	Tampa, FL Estimated	1,159	+4.5%
7	Fort Myers, FL Estimated	818	-3.9%
8	Palm Coast, FL Estimated	817	+8.2%
9	Palm Bay, FL Estimated	782	+13.5%
10	Winter Haven, FL Estimated	757	-2.2%
11	Orlando, FL Estimated	747	-5.4%
12	Haines City, FL Estimated	696	+104.7%
13	Lakeland, FL Estimated	606	+39.3%
14	Davenport, FL Estimated	585	+93.1%
15	Groveland, FL Estimated	553	-9.5%
16	New Smyrna Beach, FL Estimated	549	+33.9%
17	Ocoee, FL Estimated	490	+14.5%
18	DeLand, FL Estimated	472	+2.4%
19	Bonita Springs, FL Estimated	467	-24.2%
20	Clermont, FL Estimated	433	+14.9%
21	Deltona, FL Estimated	427	+77.9%
22	Tallahassee, FL Estimated	407	+2.8%
23	Parkland, FL Estimated	405	+6.9%
24	Winter Garden, FL Estimated	391	-31.3%
25	St. Petersburg, FL Estimated	376	+12.2%
26	Apopka, FL Estimated	331	+26.8%
27	Kissimmee, FL Estimated	264	-27.9%
28	Doral, FL Estimated	259	-45.6%
29	Auburndale, FL Estimated	241	+119.1%
30	West Melbourne, FL Estimated	232	+14.3%
31	Homestead, FL Estimated	225	-32.4%
31	Ocala, FL Estimated	225	-0.4%
33	Panama City Beach, FL Estimated	223	+66.4%
34	Hollywood, FL Estimated	221	+6.3%
35	Palm Beach Gardens, FL Estimated	220	+0.5%
35	Sanford, FL Estimated	220	-41%
37	St. Augustine, FL Estimated	218	+207%
38	Deerfield Beach, FL Estimated	215	+1,164.7%
39	Leesburg, FL Estimated	209	-1.4%
40	Miami Lakes, FL Estimated	208	-0.5%
41	Minneola, FL Estimated	193	+43%
42	Crestview, FL Estimated	182	+1.1%
43	Sebastian, FL Estimated	181	+2.3%
44	Zephyrhills, FL Estimated	178	-7.8%
45	Royal Palm Beach, FL Estimated	173	+47.9%
46	Panama City, FL Estimated	168	+51.4%
46	Venice, FL Estimated	168	-31.4%
48	Green Cove Springs, FL Estimated	167	+56.1%
49	Fernandina Beach, FL Estimated	165	-5.7%
50	Mascotte, FL Estimated	162	+19.1%
51	Daytona Beach, FL Estimated	152	+7.8%
52	Mount Dora, FL Estimated	144	+11.6%
53	Fort Pierce, FL Estimated	138	+126.2%
53	Orange City, FL Estimated	138	+115.6%
55	Gainesville, FL Estimated	129	+0.8%
55	Port Orange, FL Estimated	129	-36.5%
57	Fort Lauderdale, FL Estimated	127	+16.5%
58	Naples, FL Estimated	117	+1.7%
58	Niceville, FL Estimated	117	+44.4%
60	Boca Raton, FL Estimated	113	+0.9%
61	Tamarac, FL Estimated	110	-32.1%
62	Marathon, FL Estimated	108	+28.6%
62	Marco Island, FL Estimated	108	+24.1%
64	Delray Beach, FL Estimated	107	+98.1%
64	Miami, FL Estimated	107	+33.8%
66	Lady Lake, FL Estimated	104	-14.8%
67	Titusville, FL Estimated	103	+2%
68	Riviera Beach, FL Estimated	100	+33.3%
69	Melbourne, FL Estimated	99	-52.9%
70	Winter Park, FL Estimated	98	-14%
71	Lynn Haven, FL Estimated	97	+2.1%
71	Sarasota, FL Estimated	97	+4.3%
73	Cocoa, FL Estimated	89	+790%
74	Hialeah, FL Estimated	88	+17.3%
74	Tarpon Springs, FL Estimated	88	+6%
76	Jacksonville Beach, FL Estimated	86	-11.3%
76	Jupiter, FL Estimated	86	-24.6%
76	Lake Wales, FL Estimated	86	+17.8%
79	Pensacola, FL Estimated	85	-24.1%
80	Brooksville, FL Estimated	84	+133.3%
81	Punta Gorda, FL Estimated	81	-23.6%
82	Palm Springs, FL Estimated	79	-1.3%
83	Pompano Beach, FL Estimated	75	+36.4%
84	Largo, FL Estimated	74	-6.3%
85	Pembroke Pines, FL Estimated	73	-67%
86	DeBary, FL Estimated	71	+1.4%
87	Longwood, FL Estimated	70	-13.6%
88	West Palm Beach, FL Estimated	69	+72.5%
89	Bradenton, FL Estimated	64	-64%
90	Estero, FL Estimated	62	-45.6%
91	Miami Gardens, FL Estimated	60	+275%
91	Palmetto, FL Estimated	60	+900%
93	Dunedin, FL Estimated	58	-19.4%
94	Seminole, FL Estimated	56	+100%
95	Callaway, FL Estimated	55	+1.9%
96	Davie, FL Estimated	50	+22%
97	Coral Springs, FL Estimated	49	+48.5%
97	Miramar, FL Estimated	49	+716.7%
97	Ormond Beach, FL Estimated	49	-25.8%
100	Plantation, FL Estimated	48	+41.2%
100	Winter Springs, FL Estimated	48	+45.5%
102	Rockledge, FL Estimated	43	-4.4%
103	Lake Mary, FL Estimated	42	-41.7%
103	Plant City, FL Estimated	42	-68.2%
105	Alachua, FL Estimated	40	-9.1%
105	Dania Beach, FL Estimated	40	+8.1%
105	Pinecrest, FL Estimated	40	+2.6%
105	Tavares, FL Estimated	40	-25.9%
109	Clearwater, FL Estimated	39	-9.3%
110	Atlantic Beach, FL Estimated	38	-53.7%
110	Bartow, FL Estimated	38	-35.6%
110	Miami Beach, FL Estimated	38	+22.6%
113	Pinellas Park, FL Estimated	36	+140%
114	Wellington, FL Estimated	35	-27.1%
115	Lake Alfred, FL Estimated	32	-68.6%
116	Destin, FL Estimated	31	-43.6%
117	Temple Terrace, FL Estimated	30	+275%
118	North Lauderdale, FL Estimated	29	n/a
119	Edgewater, FL Estimated	28	+3.7%
120	Key Biscayne, FL Estimated	27	+3.8%
121	Coral Gables, FL Estimated	26	-25.7%
121	Fort Walton Beach, FL Estimated	26	-10.3%
121	North Miami, FL Estimated	26	+52.9%
124	Margate, FL Estimated	25	-71.9%
125	Weston, FL Estimated	24	-35.1%
126	Casselberry, FL Estimated	23	+475%
126	Greenacres, FL Estimated	23	+35.3%
126	Oviedo, FL Estimated	23	-81.9%
126	Satellite Beach, FL Estimated	23	-36.1%
130	Boynton Beach, FL Estimated	22	+46.7%
130	Eustis, FL Estimated	22	-29%
132	Key West, FL Estimated	20	0%
133	Safety Harbor, FL Estimated	16	-20%
134	Florida City, FL Estimated	14	n/a
134	Lighthouse Point, FL Estimated	14	+27.3%
134	Sebring, FL Estimated	14	-17.6%
137	Coconut Creek, FL Estimated	12	-25%
137	New Port Richey, FL Estimated	12	+9.1%
137	Oakland Park, FL Estimated	12	-47.8%
140	Gulfport, FL Estimated	11	-35.3%
141	Cutler Bay, FL Estimated	10	0%
141	North Miami Beach, FL Estimated	10	+11.1%
141	South Miami, FL Estimated	10	-23.1%
144	Hallandale Beach, FL Estimated	9	-10%
144	Stuart, FL Estimated	9	-59.1%
146	Dade City, FL Estimated	8	-46.7%
146	West Park, FL Estimated	8	-42.9%
148	Cocoa Beach, FL Estimated	6	-14.3%
148	North Palm Beach, FL Estimated	6	0%
150	Palmetto Bay, FL Estimated	5	+150%
150	Wilton Manors, FL Estimated	5	-58.3%
152	Holly Hill, FL Estimated	4	-88.9%
152	Lantana, FL Estimated	4	-20%
152	Maitland, FL Estimated	4	+33.3%
152	Miami Shores, FL Estimated	4	+33.3%
152	Miami Springs, FL Estimated	4	+33.3%
152	Oldsmar, FL Estimated	4	-88.6%
158	Belle Glade, FL Estimated	3	-40%
159	Cooper City, FL Estimated	2	-86.7%
159	Lake City, FL Estimated	2	-33.3%
159	South Daytona, FL Estimated	2	n/a
162	Hialeah Gardens, FL Estimated	1	-50%
162	Opa-locka, FL Estimated	1	n/a
162	Sunny Isles Beach, FL Estimated	1	-88.9%
165	Altamonte Springs, FL Estimated	0	-100%
165	Aventura, FL Estimated	0	n/a
165	Lauderdale Lakes, FL Estimated	0	n/a
165	Lauderhill, FL Estimated	0	-100%
165	Palatka, FL Estimated	0	-100%
165	Sunrise, FL Estimated	0	n/a
165	Sweetwater, FL Estimated	0	n/a

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/South%20Region/so2019a.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 Florida by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2019a.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, 2019. U.S. Census Bureau, 1 May 2020, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2019a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-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 Florida by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2019a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-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 Florida by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2019a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-cities?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_florida_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 Florida by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2019}},
  year = {2020},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2019a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-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/South\%20Region/so2019a.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, 2019
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/05/01
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2019a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-cities?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/florida-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/South%20Region/so2019a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Questions

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

Jacksonville, FL, with 4,155 in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Sweetwater, FL, 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.