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

Houston, TX had the highest single-family housing units authorized by building permits of 252 cities in 2019, at 5,120. Richmond, TX had the lowest, at 0. The median was 117. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest5,120Houston, TX

Lowest0Richmond, TX

Median117252 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	Houston, TX Estimated	5,120	-5.5%
2	Fort Worth, TX Estimated	5,063	-7.6%
3	Austin, TX Estimated	4,568	+3%
4	San Antonio, TX Estimated	3,890	+19.1%
5	Dallas, TX Estimated	2,093	+4.2%
6	Frisco, TX Estimated	2,081	-5.6%
7	El Paso, TX Estimated	1,873	+17.9%
8	Leander, TX Estimated	1,769	+14.9%
9	New Braunfels, TX Estimated	1,549	+13.4%
10	Georgetown, TX Estimated	1,509	+24.5%
11	McKinney, TX Estimated	1,491	-34.7%
12	Lubbock, TX Estimated	1,403	+7.6%
13	Laredo, TX Estimated	1,302	+20.8%
14	Midland, TX Estimated	1,290	+5.6%
15	Fulshear, TX Estimated	1,253	+59.6%
16	Celina, TX Estimated	1,238	-0.8%
17	Conroe, TX Estimated	1,180	-5.5%
18	Corpus Christi, TX Estimated	1,074	+5.7%
19	Temple, TX Estimated	1,000	+26.7%
20	Denton, TX Estimated	994	-1.1%
21	Little Elm, TX Estimated	960	-17.4%
22	Pflugerville, TX Estimated	867	+21.1%
23	Prosper, TX Estimated	847	-8.3%
24	Arlington, TX Estimated	840	+34.6%
25	Odessa, TX Estimated	743	+3.8%
26	League City, TX Estimated	742	+9.3%
27	Killeen, TX Estimated	700	+10.9%
28	Manor, TX Estimated	690	+28.5%
29	Brownsville, TX Estimated	679	+2.1%
30	Round Rock, TX Estimated	654	-29.1%
31	Pearland, TX Estimated	651	-20.4%
32	Princeton, TX Estimated	650	-27%
33	Anna, TX Estimated	637	+74.5%
34	Kyle, TX Estimated	629	+5%
35	Waco, TX Estimated	624	+16.9%
36	Irving, TX Estimated	613	+18.6%
37	Bryan, TX Estimated	611	+28.9%
37	Iowa Colony, TX Estimated	611	+20%
39	San Marcos, TX Estimated	577	+3.6%
40	Waxahachie, TX Estimated	576	+3.8%
41	Missouri City, TX Estimated	570	+47.7%
42	Melissa, TX Estimated	560	+7.3%
43	Fate, TX Estimated	544	+6.9%
44	Katy, TX Estimated	539	-11.2%
45	McAllen, TX Estimated	536	-0.7%
46	Hutto, TX Estimated	533	+24.5%
47	Northlake, TX Estimated	521	+167.2%
48	Rosenberg, TX Estimated	500	+104.9%
49	Texas City, TX Estimated	496	-2.7%
50	Allen, TX Estimated	494	+8.1%
51	Crowley, TX Estimated	478	+31.3%
52	Midlothian, TX Estimated	474	+0.4%
53	Mansfield, TX Estimated	466	-16.5%
54	Manvel, TX Estimated	465	-10.4%
55	Amarillo, TX Estimated	446	-17.9%
56	Flower Mound, TX Estimated	433	-24.7%
57	Wylie, TX Estimated	424	-22.9%
58	College Station, TX Estimated	398	-13.3%
59	Tyler, TX Estimated	392	+16.3%
60	Edinburg, TX Estimated	379	-21.4%
61	Mission, TX Estimated	377	+22.8%
62	Glenn Heights, TX Estimated	367	+216.4%
63	Boerne, TX Estimated	365	+16.6%
64	Carrollton, TX Estimated	349	-38.9%
65	Cibolo, TX Estimated	347	-8.7%
66	Abilene, TX Estimated	333	+9.2%
67	Cedar Park, TX Estimated	332	+4.7%
68	Dripping Springs, TX Estimated	323	-6.4%
69	Socorro, TX Estimated	316	+182.1%
70	Baytown, TX Estimated	310	+13.1%
70	Schertz, TX Estimated	310	-20.1%
72	Forney, TX Estimated	308	-43%
73	Lewisville, TX Estimated	296	-15.9%
74	The Colony, TX Estimated	291	-20.5%
75	San Angelo, TX Estimated	283	+8%
76	Alamo, TX Estimated	268	+103%
77	Saginaw, TX Estimated	265	+14.2%
78	Lago Vista, TX Estimated	260	-6.8%
79	Rockwall, TX Estimated	258	-19.1%
80	Farmers Branch, TX Estimated	247	+71.5%
81	Garland, TX Estimated	243	+164.1%
81	Rowlett, TX Estimated	243	+50%
81	Royse City, TX Estimated	243	-48.1%
84	Greenville, TX Estimated	242	+71.6%
85	Cleburne, TX Estimated	238	+155.9%
86	Pharr, TX Estimated	235	+6.8%
87	Horizon City, TX Estimated	234	+420%
88	Beaumont, TX Estimated	232	+66.9%
88	North Richland Hills, TX Estimated	232	-0.9%
90	Lakeway, TX Estimated	230	-6.1%
91	Mont Belvieu, TX Estimated	227	+61%
92	Sherman, TX Estimated	225	+16%
93	Liberty Hill, TX Estimated	224	+7.7%
94	Lancaster, TX Estimated	222	+53.1%
95	Converse, TX Estimated	221	+39.9%
96	Alvin, TX Estimated	217	+66.9%
96	Red Oak, TX Estimated	217	+12.4%
98	Seagoville, TX Estimated	215	+264.4%
98	Weslaco, TX Estimated	215	+15%
100	Grand Prairie, TX Estimated	208	+87.4%
101	Burleson, TX Estimated	206	-17.6%
102	Rockport, TX Estimated	203	+45%
103	Plano, TX Estimated	197	-19.3%
104	Denison, TX Estimated	194	+22.8%
104	La Marque, TX Estimated	194	-21.5%
106	Pasadena, TX Estimated	189	+46.5%
106	Weatherford, TX Estimated	189	-9.6%
108	Harlingen, TX Estimated	187	+4.5%
109	Buda, TX Estimated	184	-3.2%
110	Josephine, TX Estimated	167	-1.8%
111	Copperas Cove, TX Estimated	161	-13%
111	La Porte, TX Estimated	161	+151.6%
113	Galveston, TX Estimated	159	-13.1%
114	Azle, TX Estimated	152	+322.2%
114	Longview, TX Estimated	152	+16.9%
116	Taylor, TX Estimated	146	+165.5%
117	Alton, TX Estimated	144	+20%
118	Harker Heights, TX Estimated	142	-10.1%
119	Victoria, TX Estimated	141	+101.4%
120	San Juan, TX Estimated	140	+2.2%
121	Seguin, TX Estimated	134	-17.8%
122	DeSoto, TX Estimated	131	-6.4%
123	Port Arthur, TX Estimated	129	+163.3%
124	Sugar Land, TX Estimated	124	-12.1%
125	Heath, TX Estimated	120	-8.4%
125	Roanoke, TX Estimated	120	+5.3%
127	Sanger, TX Estimated	114	+25.3%
128	Fair Oaks Ranch, TX Estimated	112	+8.7%
129	Colleyville, TX Estimated	109	-24.3%
130	Belton, TX Estimated	107	-24.6%
131	Helotes, TX Estimated	106	-23.2%
132	Dickinson, TX Estimated	101	+14.8%
132	Euless, TX Estimated	101	-48.5%
134	Keller, TX Estimated	98	-10.1%
134	Tomball, TX Estimated	98	-5.8%
136	Bellaire, TX Estimated	93	-23.8%
137	Wichita Falls, TX Estimated	92	+22.7%
138	Fairview, TX Estimated	90	+52.5%
138	Lavon, TX Estimated	90	+18.4%
140	Canyon, TX Estimated	89	+9.9%
141	Eagle Pass, TX Estimated	88	+29.4%
142	Hidalgo, TX Estimated	85	+1.2%
142	Kerrville, TX Estimated	85	+102.4%
144	Southlake, TX Estimated	84	-28.2%
145	Del Rio, TX Estimated	82	+90.7%
145	Live Oak, TX Estimated	82	+8,100%
147	Cedar Hill, TX Estimated	77	+26.2%
148	Friendswood, TX Estimated	76	-46.5%
149	Bastrop, TX Estimated	75	+4.2%
149	Murphy, TX Estimated	75	+476.9%
151	Elgin, TX Estimated	73	+14.1%
151	Universal City, TX Estimated	73	+7.4%
153	Ennis, TX Estimated	71	-65.9%
153	Lumberton, TX Estimated	71	-33%
155	Portland, TX Estimated	69	-6.8%
155	Richardson, TX Estimated	69	-18.8%
157	Angleton, TX Estimated	68	+25.9%
158	Dayton, TX Estimated	67	-6.9%
159	Granbury, TX Estimated	66	-48.4%
160	Fredericksburg, TX Estimated	64	+6.7%
160	Haltom City, TX Estimated	64	+700%
160	Mesquite, TX Estimated	64	-8.6%
163	West University Place, TX Estimated	62	-3.1%
164	Clute, TX Estimated	61	+35.6%
165	Robinson, TX Estimated	60	-1.6%
166	Benbrook, TX Estimated	59	-14.5%
167	Mercedes, TX Estimated	58	+1.8%
168	Lufkin, TX Estimated	56	-21.1%
168	Santa Fe, TX Estimated	56	+47.4%
170	Brenham, TX Estimated	55	-6.8%
171	White Settlement, TX Estimated	54	+28.6%
172	Port Neches, TX Estimated	52	+44.4%
173	Lockhart, TX Estimated	51	+41.7%
174	Lake Jackson, TX Estimated	49	0%
175	University Park, TX Estimated	48	-21.3%
176	Highland Village, TX Estimated	47	+23.7%
177	Balch Springs, TX Estimated	45	+25%
177	Sachse, TX Estimated	45	-35.7%
177	Terrell, TX Estimated	45	-15.1%
180	Grapevine, TX Estimated	44	+120%
180	Huntsville, TX Estimated	44	-17%
180	San Benito, TX Estimated	44	+2.3%
183	Donna, TX Estimated	43	+34.4%
184	Forest Hill, TX Estimated	41	-29.3%
185	Hewitt, TX Estimated	40	+42.9%
185	Orange, TX Estimated	40	+73.9%
187	Gainesville, TX Estimated	39	+8.3%
188	Palmview, TX Estimated	38	+123.5%
189	Big Spring, TX Estimated	37	+32.1%
189	Kingsville, TX Estimated	37	+516.7%
189	Texarkana, TX Estimated	37	+2.8%
192	Coppell, TX Estimated	36	-26.5%
193	Corinth, TX Estimated	35	-52.7%
194	Mount Pleasant, TX Estimated	34	+54.5%
194	Providence Village, TX Estimated	34	+112.5%
194	Trophy Club, TX Estimated	34	+21.4%
197	Ingleside, TX Estimated	33	-2.9%
198	Corsicana, TX Estimated	32	+77.8%
198	Kaufman, TX Estimated	32	+77.8%
200	Nederland, TX Estimated	31	-16.2%
201	Groves, TX Estimated	30	-42.3%
201	Seabrook, TX Estimated	30	-3.2%
201	Stephenville, TX Estimated	30	-18.9%
204	Andrews, TX Estimated	28	+27.3%
204	Port Lavaca, TX Estimated	28	+600%
204	Uvalde, TX Estimated	28	+55.6%
207	Sulphur Springs, TX Estimated	26	0%
207	Webster, TX Estimated	26	-59.4%
209	Marshall, TX Estimated	25	+92.3%
210	Kilgore, TX Estimated	24	0%
210	Pleasanton, TX Estimated	24	+14.3%
210	Robstown, TX Estimated	24	+2,300%
213	Paris, TX Estimated	23	0%
214	Hurst, TX Estimated	22	+15.8%
215	Bonham, TX Estimated	21	+10.5%
215	Kennedale, TX Estimated	21	-77.9%
215	Nacogdoches, TX Estimated	21	n/a
218	Freeport, TX Estimated	20	-23.1%
218	Selma, TX Estimated	20	-52.4%
220	Palestine, TX Estimated	19	+5.6%
221	Bay City, TX Estimated	17	-57.5%
222	El Campo, TX Estimated	14	+55.6%
223	Gatesville, TX Estimated	13	-43.5%
224	Brownwood, TX Estimated	12	-36.8%
224	South Houston, TX Estimated	12	-42.9%
226	Beeville, TX Estimated	11	+120%
226	Dumas, TX Estimated	11	+266.7%
228	Athens, TX Estimated	10	-66.7%
228	Mineral Wells, TX Estimated	10	-9.1%
230	Alice, TX Estimated	9	+125%
230	Levelland, TX Estimated	9	-10%
232	Deer Park, TX Estimated	8	0%
233	Stafford, TX Estimated	7	-41.7%
234	Jacksonville, TX Estimated	5	0%
234	Raymondville, TX Estimated	5	+400%
236	Duncanville, TX Estimated	4	-63.6%
236	Watauga, TX Estimated	4	-93.1%
238	Bellmead, TX Estimated	3	n/a
238	Leon Valley, TX Estimated	3	-57.1%
238	Snyder, TX Estimated	3	-75%
241	Hereford, TX Estimated	2	0%
241	Humble, TX Estimated	2	0%
241	Sweetwater, TX Estimated	2	-66.7%
244	Bedford, TX Estimated	1	-80%
244	Galena Park, TX Estimated	1	0%
244	Pampa, TX Estimated	1	-50%
247	Addison, TX Estimated	0	-100%
247	Borger, TX Estimated	0	n/a
247	Burkburnett, TX Estimated	0	-100%
247	Henderson, TX Estimated	0	-100%

Showing the top 250 of 252. 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. 1 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 Texas 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 Texas 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/texas-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 Texas 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/texas-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 Texas 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/texas-cities?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_texas_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 Texas 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/texas-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 Texas 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/texas-cities?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/texas-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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rank_places {"indicator":"building_permit_single_family_units","level":"municipality","within":"Texas","limit":10}
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Questions

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

Houston, TX, with 5,120 in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Richmond, TX, 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. 1 cities have no value for 2019 and are not ranked.