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

Fort Worth, TX had the highest single-family housing units authorized by building permits of 252 cities in 2020, at 7,286. Watauga, TX had the lowest, at 1. The median was 146. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest7,286Fort Worth, TX

Lowest1Watauga, TX

Median146252 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	Fort Worth, TX Estimated	7,286	+43.9%
2	Houston, TX Estimated	5,923	+15.7%
3	San Antonio, TX Estimated	4,275	+9.9%
4	Austin, TX Estimated	4,113	-10%
5	Frisco, TX Estimated	2,444	+17.4%
6	Fulshear, TX Estimated	2,345	+87.2%
7	Georgetown, TX Estimated	2,213	+46.7%
8	Leander, TX Estimated	2,014	+13.8%
9	Celina, TX Estimated	2,003	+61.8%
10	New Braunfels, TX Estimated	1,983	+28%
11	Lubbock, TX Estimated	1,825	+30.1%
12	El Paso, TX Estimated	1,570	-16.2%
13	McKinney, TX Estimated	1,563	+4.8%
14	Conroe, TX Estimated	1,545	+30.9%
15	Dallas, TX Estimated	1,475	-29.5%
16	Midland, TX Estimated	1,289	-0.1%
17	Laredo, TX Estimated	1,274	-2.2%
18	Temple, TX Estimated	1,265	+26.5%
19	Liberty Hill, TX Estimated	1,258	+461.6%
20	Kyle, TX Estimated	1,233	+96%
21	Corpus Christi, TX Estimated	1,190	+10.8%
22	Little Elm, TX Estimated	1,170	+21.9%
23	Prosper, TX Estimated	1,115	+31.6%
24	Denton, TX Estimated	985	-0.9%
25	Anna, TX Estimated	960	+50.7%
26	Odessa, TX Estimated	898	+20.9%
27	Killeen, TX Estimated	888	+26.9%
28	Melissa, TX Estimated	857	+53%
29	Hutto, TX Estimated	851	+59.7%
30	League City, TX Estimated	847	+14.2%
31	Mansfield, TX Estimated	845	+81.3%
32	Princeton, TX Estimated	823	+26.6%
33	Fate, TX Estimated	817	+50.2%
34	Iowa Colony, TX Estimated	796	+30.3%
35	Royse City, TX Estimated	785	+223%
36	Texas City, TX Estimated	778	+56.9%
37	Manvel, TX Estimated	774	+66.5%
38	Brownsville, TX Estimated	772	+13.7%
38	Josephine, TX Estimated	772	+362.3%
40	Waxahachie, TX Estimated	756	+31.3%
41	Bryan, TX Estimated	746	+22.1%
42	Arlington, TX Estimated	725	-13.7%
42	Pflugerville, TX Estimated	725	-16.4%
44	Manor, TX Estimated	700	+1.4%
45	San Angelo, TX Estimated	686	+142.4%
46	Waco, TX Estimated	654	+4.8%
47	Northlake, TX Estimated	639	+22.6%
48	Missouri City, TX Estimated	634	+11.2%
49	Irving, TX Estimated	627	+2.3%
50	San Marcos, TX Estimated	625	+8.3%
51	Port Arthur, TX Estimated	578	+348.1%
52	Katy, TX Estimated	576	+6.9%
53	Amarillo, TX Estimated	560	+25.6%
54	Forney, TX Estimated	547	+77.6%
55	Socorro, TX Estimated	541	+71.2%
56	Edinburg, TX Estimated	539	+42.2%
57	Allen, TX Estimated	538	+8.9%
58	Pearland, TX Estimated	531	-18.4%
59	McAllen, TX Estimated	530	-1.1%
60	Seguin, TX Estimated	501	+273.9%
61	Midlothian, TX Estimated	494	+4.2%
61	Wylie, TX Estimated	494	+16.5%
63	College Station, TX Estimated	484	+21.6%
64	Round Rock, TX Estimated	451	-31%
65	Dripping Springs, TX Estimated	431	+33.4%
66	Flower Mound, TX Estimated	429	-0.9%
67	Glenn Heights, TX Estimated	423	+15.3%
68	Grand Prairie, TX Estimated	418	+101%
69	Burleson, TX Estimated	414	+101%
70	Garland, TX Estimated	389	+60.1%
71	Rockwall, TX Estimated	388	+50.4%
72	Mission, TX Estimated	381	+1.1%
72	Schertz, TX Estimated	381	+22.9%
74	Abilene, TX Estimated	373	+12%
75	Rowlett, TX Estimated	366	+50.6%
76	Tyler, TX Estimated	362	-7.7%
77	Cibolo, TX Estimated	360	+3.7%
78	Lewisville, TX Estimated	358	+20.9%
79	Rosenberg, TX Estimated	355	-29%
80	Converse, TX Estimated	352	+59.3%
81	Tomball, TX Estimated	350	+257.1%
82	Red Oak, TX Estimated	341	+57.1%
83	Lakeway, TX Estimated	321	+39.6%
84	Lago Vista, TX Estimated	320	+23.1%
85	Boerne, TX Estimated	314	-14%
86	Sherman, TX Estimated	294	+30.7%
87	Plano, TX Estimated	291	+47.7%
88	Cleburne, TX Estimated	290	+21.8%
88	Greenville, TX Estimated	290	+19.8%
90	Alvin, TX Estimated	283	+30.4%
90	Baytown, TX Estimated	283	-8.7%
92	North Richland Hills, TX Estimated	282	+21.6%
93	Weatherford, TX Estimated	281	+48.7%
94	Lavon, TX Estimated	274	+204.4%
95	Copperas Cove, TX Estimated	266	+65.2%
96	Mesquite, TX Estimated	257	+301.6%
97	La Porte, TX Estimated	255	+58.4%
98	DeSoto, TX Estimated	245	+87%
99	Beaumont, TX Estimated	243	+4.7%
100	La Marque, TX Estimated	241	+24.2%
101	Mont Belvieu, TX Estimated	240	+5.7%
102	The Colony, TX Estimated	239	-17.9%
103	Granbury, TX Estimated	238	+260.6%
104	Galveston, TX Estimated	237	+49.1%
105	Harlingen, TX Estimated	236	+26.2%
106	Bastrop, TX Estimated	232	+209.3%
107	Farmers Branch, TX Estimated	229	-7.3%
107	Weslaco, TX Estimated	229	+6.5%
109	Elgin, TX Estimated	221	+202.7%
110	Ennis, TX Estimated	219	+208.5%
110	Seagoville, TX Estimated	219	+1.9%
112	Cedar Park, TX Estimated	214	-35.5%
113	Longview, TX Estimated	211	+38.8%
114	Horizon City, TX Estimated	210	-10.3%
115	Carrollton, TX Estimated	205	-41.3%
116	Fair Oaks Ranch, TX Estimated	192	+71.4%
117	Sanger, TX Estimated	187	+64%
118	Dickinson, TX Estimated	176	+74.3%
119	Denison, TX Estimated	171	-11.9%
120	Sachse, TX Estimated	159	+253.3%
121	Friendswood, TX Estimated	156	+105.3%
122	Alamo, TX Estimated	155	-42.2%
122	San Juan, TX Estimated	155	+10.7%
124	Taylor, TX Estimated	152	+4.1%
125	Canyon, TX Estimated	150	+68.5%
126	Sugar Land, TX Estimated	148	+19.4%
127	Pasadena, TX Estimated	144	-23.8%
128	Belton, TX Estimated	141	+31.8%
129	Buda, TX Estimated	140	-23.9%
130	Alton, TX Estimated	139	-3.5%
131	Heath, TX Estimated	136	+13.3%
132	Victoria, TX Estimated	132	-6.4%
133	Rockport, TX Estimated	131	-35.5%
134	Wichita Falls, TX Estimated	130	+41.3%
135	Haltom City, TX Estimated	123	+92.2%
136	Eagle Pass, TX Estimated	121	+37.5%
136	Lumberton, TX Estimated	121	+70.4%
138	Huntsville, TX Estimated	117	+165.9%
139	Fairview, TX Estimated	113	+25.6%
140	Pharr, TX Estimated	110	-53.2%
141	Cedar Hill, TX Estimated	99	+28.6%
141	Hidalgo, TX Estimated	99	+16.5%
143	Saginaw, TX Estimated	97	-63.4%
144	Lockhart, TX Estimated	96	+88.2%
145	Brenham, TX Estimated	90	+63.6%
145	Portland, TX Estimated	90	+30.4%
147	Robinson, TX Estimated	89	+48.3%
148	Universal City, TX Estimated	88	+20.5%
149	Colleyville, TX Estimated	84	-22.9%
149	Harker Heights, TX Estimated	84	-40.8%
151	Angleton, TX Estimated	83	+22.1%
152	Lufkin, TX Estimated	82	+46.4%
153	Keller, TX Estimated	79	-19.4%
154	Kerrville, TX Estimated	78	-8.2%
155	Azle, TX Estimated	71	-53.3%
155	Lancaster, TX Estimated	71	-68%
155	Roanoke, TX Estimated	71	-40.8%
158	Fredericksburg, TX Estimated	70	+9.4%
159	Euless, TX Estimated	69	-31.7%
160	Mercedes, TX Estimated	68	+17.2%
161	Gatesville, TX Estimated	66	+407.7%
161	Port Neches, TX Estimated	66	+26.9%
163	Del Rio, TX Estimated	64	-22%
163	Southlake, TX Estimated	64	-23.8%
165	Crowley, TX Estimated	63	-86.8%
165	Terrell, TX Estimated	63	+40%
167	Santa Fe, TX Estimated	62	+10.7%
168	Bellaire, TX Estimated	61	-34.4%
169	University Park, TX Estimated	58	+20.8%
170	Hewitt, TX Estimated	53	+32.5%
171	San Benito, TX Estimated	52	+18.2%
172	Selma, TX Estimated	49	+145%
173	Donna, TX Estimated	48	+11.6%
174	Grapevine, TX Estimated	47	+6.8%
174	Texarkana, TX Estimated	47	+27%
176	Clute, TX Estimated	46	-24.6%
177	Helotes, TX Estimated	45	-57.5%
177	Richardson, TX Estimated	45	-34.8%
177	West University Place, TX Estimated	45	-27.4%
180	Gainesville, TX Estimated	43	+10.3%
180	Providence Village, TX Estimated	43	+26.5%
180	White Settlement, TX Estimated	43	-20.4%
183	Corinth, TX Estimated	42	+20%
183	Live Oak, TX Estimated	42	-48.8%
185	Corsicana, TX Estimated	41	+28.1%
186	Big Spring, TX Estimated	40	+8.1%
187	Palmview, TX Estimated	39	+2.6%
187	Trophy Club, TX Estimated	39	+14.7%
189	Highland Village, TX Estimated	37	-21.3%
189	Murphy, TX Estimated	37	-50.7%
189	Robstown, TX Estimated	37	+54.2%
189	Stephenville, TX Estimated	37	+23.3%
193	Lake Jackson, TX Estimated	35	-28.6%
194	Dayton, TX Estimated	34	-49.3%
194	Groves, TX Estimated	34	+13.3%
194	Ingleside, TX Estimated	34	+3%
194	Seabrook, TX Estimated	34	+13.3%
198	Coppell, TX Estimated	33	-8.3%
199	Mount Pleasant, TX Estimated	32	-5.9%
200	Benbrook, TX Estimated	30	-49.2%
200	Kilgore, TX Estimated	30	+25%
200	Port Lavaca, TX Estimated	30	+7.1%
203	Kaufman, TX Estimated	28	-12.5%
204	Nederland, TX Estimated	25	-19.4%
205	Kingsville, TX Estimated	24	-35.1%
205	Pleasanton, TX Estimated	24	0%
207	Bay City, TX Estimated	23	+35.3%
207	Nacogdoches, TX Estimated	23	+9.5%
209	Bonham, TX Estimated	22	+4.8%
209	Burkburnett, TX Estimated	22	n/a
211	Orange, TX Estimated	21	-47.5%
211	Palestine, TX Estimated	21	+10.5%
213	Kennedale, TX Estimated	20	-4.8%
214	Athens, TX Estimated	19	+90%
214	Beeville, TX Estimated	19	+72.7%
214	Paris, TX Estimated	19	-17.4%
214	Uvalde, TX Estimated	19	-32.1%
218	Forest Hill, TX Estimated	18	-56.1%
218	Hurst, TX Estimated	18	-18.2%
220	Deer Park, TX Estimated	17	+112.5%
220	South Houston, TX Estimated	17	+41.7%
222	Andrews, TX Estimated	16	-42.9%
222	Freeport, TX Estimated	16	-20%
222	Marshall, TX Estimated	16	-36%
225	El Campo, TX Estimated	11	-21.4%
225	Mineral Wells, TX Estimated	11	+10%
227	Alice, TX Estimated	10	+11.1%
227	Sulphur Springs, TX Estimated	10	-61.5%
229	Brownwood, TX Estimated	9	-25%
229	Levelland, TX Estimated	9	0%
231	Addison, TX Estimated	8	n/a
231	Raymondville, TX Estimated	8	+60%
233	Balch Springs, TX Estimated	7	-84.4%
233	Dumas, TX Estimated	7	-36.4%
233	Richmond, TX Estimated	7	n/a
236	Bellmead, TX Estimated	6	+100%
237	Duncanville, TX Estimated	5	+25%
237	Jacksonville, TX Estimated	5	0%
239	Humble, TX Estimated	4	+100%
239	Sweetwater, TX Estimated	4	+100%
241	Bedford, TX Estimated	3	+200%
241	Henderson, TX Estimated	3	n/a
241	Leon Valley, TX Estimated	3	0%
241	Snyder, TX Estimated	3	0%
241	Stafford, TX Estimated	3	-57.1%
241	Webster, TX Estimated	3	-88.5%
247	Galena Park, TX Estimated	2	+100%
247	Hereford, TX Estimated	2	0%
247	Plainview, TX Estimated	2	n/a
250	Borger, TX Estimated	1	n/a

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 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/South%20Region/so2020a.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 Texas by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.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, 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 3 May 2021, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/texas-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 Texas by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/texas-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 Texas by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/texas-cities?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_texas_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 Texas by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2020}},
  year = {2021},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/texas-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/South\%20Region/so2020a.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, 2020
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/05/03
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2020a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/texas-cities?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/texas-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/South%20Region/so2020a.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?

Fort Worth, TX, with 7,286 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Watauga, TX, with 1 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. 1 cities have no value for 2020 and are not ranked.