US cities by single-family housing units authorized by building permits

Houston, TX had the highest single-family housing units authorized by building permits of 3005 cities in 2016, at 4,169. Zion, IL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 35. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest4,169Houston, TX

Lowest0Zion, IL

Median353005 cities

Top 40 cities, 2016

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	2016 count	Change on 2015
1	Houston, TX Estimated	4,169	-18.4%
2	Austin, TX Estimated	3,705	+30.2%
3	Fort Worth, TX Estimated	3,459	+1.3%
4	Oklahoma City, OK Estimated	2,899	-7.7%
5	Jacksonville, FL Estimated	2,678	+14%
6	Phoenix, AZ Estimated	2,479	+9.4%
7	Henderson, NV Estimated	2,223	+31.1%
8	McKinney, TX Estimated	2,208	+5.6%
9	Frisco, TX Estimated	2,204	-3.3%
10	San Antonio, TX Estimated	2,152	-2.9%
11	Mesa, AZ Estimated	2,113	+21%
12	El Paso, TX Estimated	2,014	-11.7%
13	Denver, CO Estimated	1,887	+2.2%
14	Los Angeles, CA Estimated	1,796	-2.1%
15	Durham, NC Estimated	1,647	+14.4%
16	Dallas, TX Estimated	1,640	+12.7%
17	Peoria, AZ Estimated	1,636	+3%
18	Gilbert, AZ Estimated	1,601	-12%
19	Leander, TX Estimated	1,551	+31.7%
20	Buckeye, AZ Estimated	1,521	+37.5%
21	Meridian, ID Estimated	1,481	+40.2%
22	Irvine, CA Estimated	1,461	+9.6%
23	Las Vegas, NV Estimated	1,454	-12.5%
24	Cape Coral, FL Estimated	1,443	+32.4%
25	Omaha, NE Estimated	1,427	-4.7%
26	Raleigh, NC Estimated	1,412	+11.6%
27	Aurora, CO Estimated	1,344	+36.3%
28	Bakersfield, CA Estimated	1,338	-3.8%
29	Murfreesboro, TN Estimated	1,264	+16.6%
30	Chandler, AZ Estimated	1,202	+4.5%
31	Pearland, TX Estimated	1,201	-13.3%
32	Lubbock, TX Estimated	1,193	+34.2%
33	Port St. Lucie, FL Estimated	1,114	+42.3%
34	Corpus Christi, TX Estimated	1,113	+3.3%
35	Queen Creek, AZ Estimated	1,096	+11%
36	Huntsville, AL Estimated	1,091	+6.9%
37	Clovis, CA Estimated	1,086	+27.5%
38	New Braunfels, TX Estimated	1,084	+16.7%
39	Little Elm, TX Estimated	1,081	-1.9%
40	Reno, NV Estimated	1,059	+0.3%
40	Sioux Falls, SD Estimated	1,059	+43.5%
42	Cary, NC Estimated	1,042	-0.4%
43	Sacramento, CA Estimated	1,017	+132.2%
44	Bend, OR Estimated	1,014	+12.8%
45	Ankeny, IA Estimated	1,012	+13.7%
46	Fresno, CA Estimated	1,005	+19.1%
47	Goodyear, AZ Estimated	994	-16.8%
48	Chesapeake, VA Estimated	977	-10.9%
49	Apex, NC Estimated	959	+40.4%
49	Mount Pleasant, SC Estimated	959	+2%
51	League City, TX Estimated	955	-15.9%
52	Laredo, TX Estimated	945	-8.4%
53	Tampa, FL Estimated	934	-10.7%
54	Lincoln, NE Estimated	928	+3.7%
55	Herriman, UT Estimated	923	+10%
56	Albuquerque, NM Estimated	913	-6.2%
57	Philadelphia, PA Estimated	904	+10%
58	Fort Myers, FL Estimated	897	-0.9%
59	Bluffton, SC Estimated	891	+10%
60	North Port, FL Estimated	890	+4.6%
61	St. Cloud, FL Estimated	886	+19.7%
62	Franklin, TN Estimated	878	+25.1%
63	Roseville, CA Estimated	862	-10.9%
64	Arvada, CO Estimated	856	+16.9%
65	Atlanta, GA Estimated	855	+12.5%
65	South Jordan, UT Estimated	855	+13.8%
67	Fulshear, TX Estimated	845	+7.9%
68	Thornton, CO Estimated	832	+64.8%
69	Portland, OR Estimated	831	-5.2%
70	Kansas City, MO Estimated	825	+6.3%
71	San Diego, CA Estimated	823	-37.9%
72	Seattle, WA Estimated	797	-1.6%
73	St. George, UT Estimated	796	+8.2%
74	North Las Vegas, NV Estimated	794	+26%
75	Clarksville, TN Estimated	788	+14.5%
76	Castle Rock, CO Estimated	775	-5.3%
77	Virginia Beach, VA Estimated	768	+10.3%
78	Saratoga Springs, UT Estimated	752	+120.5%
79	College Station, TX Estimated	735	-14.5%
80	Orlando, FL Estimated	730	-14.1%
81	Anchorage, AK Estimated	719	+11%
82	Tucson, AZ Estimated	713	+99.2%
83	Spring Hill, TN Estimated	708	+31.8%
84	Eagle Mountain, UT Estimated	701	+48.8%
85	Westfield, IN Estimated	699	+22.8%
86	Rio Rancho, NM Estimated	698	-1.8%
87	Charleston, SC Estimated	692	+6.3%
87	Killeen, TX Estimated	692	-15%
89	Holly Springs, NC Estimated	690	+5%
90	Georgetown, TX Estimated	683	-46.1%
91	Boise City, ID Estimated	682	+1%
92	Fort Mill, SC Estimated	680	+23.9%
93	Prosper, TX Estimated	673	+2.1%
94	Lexington, KY Estimated	670	+6.5%
95	Wentzville, MO Estimated	667	+8.3%
96	Columbus, OH Estimated	649	-11%
97	Midland, TX Estimated	632	-17%
98	Amarillo, TX Estimated	625	+24.5%
98	Irving, TX Estimated	625	+16%
100	Wichita, KS Estimated	624	+9.9%
101	Conroe, TX Estimated	618	-4.6%
102	Lehi, UT Estimated	616	+15.6%
103	Chicago, IL Estimated	613	+21.9%
103	Visalia, CA Estimated	613	+11.1%
105	Fuquay-Varina, NC Estimated	612	-15.9%
106	Celina, TX Estimated	608	+350.4%
107	Dublin, CA Estimated	606	+14.6%
108	Marana, AZ Estimated	596	-5.8%
109	Bentonville, AR Estimated	594	+22.7%
110	Manteca, CA Estimated	593	+20%
111	Lake Elsinore, CA Estimated	585	+29.4%
112	Chattanooga, TN Estimated	577	+26.5%
112	Vineyard, UT Estimated	577	+184.2%
114	Kyle, TX Estimated	576	+10.1%
115	Denton, TX Estimated	569	-25.2%
116	Brownsville, TX Estimated	568	+9.4%
116	Columbia, MO Estimated	568	+10.1%
118	Menifee, CA Estimated	565	+38.5%
119	Olathe, KS Estimated	562	+12.9%
120	New York, NY Estimated	561	+19.6%
120	Rocklin, CA Estimated	561	+47.6%
122	Brentwood, CA Estimated	559	+15%
123	Doral, FL Estimated	558	-1.8%
124	Waukee, IA Estimated	556	+50.7%
125	Temple, TX Estimated	553	+22.9%
126	Gallatin, TN Estimated	551	+31.8%
127	Greensboro, NC Estimated	549	-5.3%
128	Palm Coast, FL Estimated	538	+51.5%
129	Caldwell, ID Estimated	537	+20.9%
130	Cedar Park, TX Estimated	535	+21.9%
131	Scottsdale, AZ Estimated	534	-1.1%
132	Fishers, IN Estimated	527	+4.8%
133	Billings, MT Estimated	525	-18.1%
134	Maricopa, AZ Estimated	524	+62.7%
135	Broomfield, CO Estimated	523	+29.8%
135	Surprise, AZ Estimated	523	-2.6%
137	Greer, SC Estimated	521	+79%
138	North Charleston, SC Estimated	515	+6.6%
139	Clayton, NC Estimated	514	+48.6%
140	Lake Forest, CA Estimated	513	+76.3%
141	Jurupa Valley, CA Estimated	512	+67.9%
142	Wake Forest, NC Estimated	510	-5.6%
143	Bluffdale, UT Estimated	509	+105.2%
144	Auburn, AL Estimated	497	+3.1%
145	Eagle, ID Estimated	493	+12.3%
146	Gastonia, NC Estimated	492	+35.5%
146	Nampa, ID Estimated	492	+37.8%
148	Plano, TX Estimated	491	+6.7%
149	Madison, AL Estimated	490	+5.2%
149	Sparks, NV Estimated	490	-26%
151	Fort Collins, CO Estimated	488	-4.7%
152	Clermont, FL Estimated	484	+50.3%
153	Fayetteville, AR Estimated	481	+27.2%
154	Leland, NC Estimated	480	+11.9%
154	Noblesville, IN Estimated	480	-5.5%
156	Fargo, ND Estimated	474	-9.9%
156	Hayward, CA Estimated	474	+57.5%
156	Midlothian, TX Estimated	474	+14.5%
159	Prescott Valley, AZ Estimated	472	+13.2%
160	Pflugerville, TX Estimated	466	+9.1%
161	Fontana, CA Estimated	458	+0.4%
162	Elk Grove, CA Estimated	455	-31.6%
163	Lakeville, MN Estimated	454	+9.7%
164	Round Rock, TX Estimated	453	+24.1%
164	Winston-Salem, NC Estimated	453	-17.2%
166	Beaumont, CA Estimated	450	-7.2%
166	McAllen, TX Estimated	450	-12.6%
166	Scranton, PA Estimated	450	+8.7%
169	Yuma, AZ Estimated	449	+17.2%
170	Broken Arrow, OK Estimated	448	+6.2%
170	Odessa, TX Estimated	448	-4.3%
170	Ontario, CA Estimated	448	+54%
173	Allen, TX Estimated	447	-4.1%
174	Parkland, FL Estimated	444	+3.3%
175	Commerce City, CO Estimated	442	+47.8%
176	Gainesville, GA Estimated	441	+8.1%
177	Tulsa, OK Estimated	436	+26.7%
178	Erie, CO Estimated	434	+1.2%
179	Winter Haven, FL Estimated	433	+22.3%
180	Jonesboro, AR Estimated	430	+49.3%
181	Overland Park, KS Estimated	429	+10.9%
181	Palm Bay, FL Estimated	429	+32.8%
181	Santa Clarita, CA Estimated	429	+33.2%
184	Mount Juliet, TN Estimated	428	+44.6%
185	Manvel, TX Estimated	427	+27.1%
186	Valdosta, GA Estimated	424	+532.8%
186	Waxahachie, TX Estimated	424	+22.2%
188	Carmel, IN Estimated	423	+53.8%
189	Las Cruces, NM Estimated	418	+12.4%
190	Edinburg, TX Estimated	414	+14%
190	Fremont, CA Estimated	414	+101%
190	Wylie, TX Estimated	414	-20.8%
193	Rogers, AR Estimated	411	+4.1%
194	Winter Garden, FL Estimated	410	-23.6%
195	West Fargo, ND Estimated	409	-14.1%
196	Waco, TX Estimated	408	+7.7%
197	Centerton, AR Estimated	405	+45.7%
198	St. Petersburg, FL Estimated	404	+34.7%
199	Rochester, MN Estimated	403	+12.3%
200	Flower Mound, TX Estimated	397	-13.7%
201	Myrtle Beach, SC Estimated	395	-0.8%
201	Suffolk, VA Estimated	395	+9.1%
203	Edmond, OK Estimated	394	-25.7%
203	Rosenberg, TX Estimated	394	+5.9%
205	Bryan, TX Estimated	392	+44.6%
205	Grand Prairie, TX Estimated	392	-17.1%
205	Loveland, CO Estimated	392	-15.5%
208	Lewisville, TX Estimated	390	+17.5%
208	Washington, UT Estimated	390	+4.6%
210	Hialeah, FL Estimated	388	+417.3%
211	Pasco, WA Estimated	387	+26.9%
212	West Jordan, UT Estimated	385	+4.1%
213	O'Fallon, MO Estimated	383	+1.3%
214	Bonita Springs, FL Estimated	382	-25.2%
215	Groveland, FL Estimated	378	+24.3%
215	Kissimmee, FL Estimated	378	+10.9%
215	Norfolk, VA Estimated	378	-6.7%
218	Cibolo, TX Estimated	377	-8.5%
219	Apopka, FL Estimated	373	+17.3%
219	Bozeman, MT Estimated	373	+30%
219	Hoover, AL Estimated	373	+4.2%
222	Conway, SC Estimated	372	+51.2%
222	Kuna, ID Estimated	372	+82.4%
224	Chino, CA Estimated	370	-6.6%
224	Lake Stevens, WA Estimated	370	+92.7%
224	Manor, TX Estimated	370	+61.6%
224	Mansfield, TX Estimated	370	+15.6%
224	Smyrna, TN Estimated	370	+55.5%
229	Homestead, FL Estimated	369	-11.7%
229	Spokane, WA Estimated	369	+9.2%
231	Hutto, TX Estimated	367	+18.8%
232	Hurricane, UT Estimated	366	+52.5%
232	Venice, FL Estimated	366	+161.4%
234	Bismarck, ND Estimated	365	-1.6%
235	DeLand, FL Estimated	363	+4.6%
235	Norman, OK Estimated	363	-23.9%
237	Katy, TX Estimated	362	+6.5%
238	Lake Charles, LA Estimated	358	+39.8%
239	Tigard, OR Estimated	356	+339.5%
240	Avondale, AZ Estimated	355	+188.6%
241	Buda, TX Estimated	354	-11.1%
242	Fate, TX Estimated	353	+63.4%
243	San Marcos, TX Estimated	352	+27.1%
244	Fairhope, AL Estimated	348	+14.9%
245	Papillion, NE Estimated	346	+33.1%
246	Newnan, GA Estimated	345	+2.7%
247	Burleson, TX Estimated	340	-15.2%
247	Madison, WI Estimated	340	+13.3%
247	Southaven, MS Estimated	340	+19.3%
250	Medford, OR Estimated	339	+39.5%

Showing the top 250 of 3005. 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. 82 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2016 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/so2016a.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. (2017). Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation (US cities by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2016a.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, US cities by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2016. U.S. Census Bureau, 1 May 2017, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2016a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/us-cities?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2017. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. US cities by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2016a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/us-cities?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2017) Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units in 1-unit structures authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, US cities by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2016a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/us-cities?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_us_cities_by_single_2016,
  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: US cities by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2016}},
  year = {2017},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2016a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/us-cities?period=2016. 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/so2016a.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: US cities by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2016
PY  - 2017
DA  - 2017/05/01
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/South%20Region/so2016a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/us-cities?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/us-cities?period=2016.
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/so2016a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Questions

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

Houston, TX, with 4,169 in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Zion, IL, with 0 in 2016.

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. 82 cities have no value for 2016 and are not ranked.