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

Fort Worth, TX had the highest single-family housing units authorized by building permits of 3012 cities in 2020, at 7,286. Zion, IL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 40. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest7,286Fort Worth, TX

Lowest0Zion, IL

Median403012 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	Jacksonville, FL Estimated	5,549	+33.5%
4	Phoenix, AZ Estimated	4,666	+11.8%
5	San Antonio, TX Estimated	4,275	+9.9%
6	Austin, TX Estimated	4,113	-10%
7	Oklahoma City, OK Estimated	3,800	+17.2%
8	Port St. Lucie, FL Estimated	3,719	+43.5%
9	Nashville, TN Estimated	3,533	-7.8%
10	Buckeye, AZ Estimated	3,341	+26%
11	North Las Vegas, NV Estimated	3,040	+65.8%
12	Mesa, AZ Estimated	2,826	+65.3%
13	Cape Coral, FL Estimated	2,693	+43.4%
14	Surprise, AZ Estimated	2,468	+43.9%
15	Frisco, TX Estimated	2,444	+17.4%
16	Fulshear, TX Estimated	2,345	+87.2%
17	Henderson, NV Estimated	2,264	-2.2%
18	Georgetown, TX Estimated	2,213	+46.7%
19	Aurora, CO Estimated	2,063	+35.5%
20	Leander, TX Estimated	2,014	+13.8%
21	Celina, TX Estimated	2,003	+61.8%
22	Queen Creek, AZ Estimated	1,985	+33.7%
23	New Braunfels, TX Estimated	1,983	+28%
24	Durham, NC Estimated	1,972	+1.4%
25	Las Vegas, NV Estimated	1,941	+3%
26	Goodyear, AZ Estimated	1,928	+20.3%
27	Clarksville, TN Estimated	1,927	+34.9%
28	Meridian, ID Estimated	1,911	-11.7%
29	Los Angeles, CA Estimated	1,854	-30%
30	Lubbock, TX Estimated	1,825	+30.1%
31	Huntsville, AL Estimated	1,705	+18.7%
32	Murfreesboro, TN Estimated	1,704	+29.4%
33	Omaha, NE Estimated	1,686	+43%
34	El Paso, TX Estimated	1,570	-16.2%
35	McKinney, TX Estimated	1,563	+4.8%
36	North Port, FL Estimated	1,560	+18.5%
37	Winston-Salem, NC Estimated	1,554	+31.1%
38	Conroe, TX Estimated	1,545	+30.9%
39	Maricopa, AZ Estimated	1,514	+50.9%
40	Bluffton, SC Estimated	1,500	+26.1%
41	Dallas, TX Estimated	1,475	-29.5%
42	Peoria, AZ Estimated	1,474	+8.1%
43	Bakersfield, CA Estimated	1,453	+2.4%
44	Saratoga Springs, UT Estimated	1,450	+99.4%
45	Apex, NC Estimated	1,427	-23.6%
46	Menifee, CA Estimated	1,410	+38.6%
47	Eagle Mountain, UT Estimated	1,402	+26.9%
48	St. George, UT Estimated	1,381	+26.9%
49	Reno, NV Estimated	1,330	+13.1%
50	Tampa, FL Estimated	1,308	+12.9%
51	Midland, TX Estimated	1,289	-0.1%
52	Nampa, ID Estimated	1,280	+15%
53	Palm Bay, FL Estimated	1,278	+63.4%
54	Laredo, TX Estimated	1,274	-2.2%
55	Temple, TX Estimated	1,265	+26.5%
56	Roseville, CA Estimated	1,264	+26.7%
57	Liberty Hill, TX Estimated	1,258	+461.6%
58	Palm Coast, FL Estimated	1,246	+52.5%
59	Kyle, TX Estimated	1,233	+96%
60	Gilbert, AZ Estimated	1,227	+7.3%
61	Fresno, CA Estimated	1,214	+5.3%
62	Corpus Christi, TX Estimated	1,190	+10.8%
62	Sioux Falls, SD Estimated	1,190	+17.5%
64	Little Elm, TX Estimated	1,170	+21.9%
65	Denver, CO Estimated	1,167	-48.3%
66	Greer, SC Estimated	1,162	+56%
66	Raleigh, NC Estimated	1,162	+205.8%
68	Chesapeake, VA Estimated	1,128	+13.8%
69	South Jordan, UT Estimated	1,122	+46.7%
70	Ankeny, IA Estimated	1,120	+19%
71	Prosper, TX Estimated	1,115	+31.6%
72	Santa Clarita, CA Estimated	1,114	+186.4%
73	St. Cloud, FL Estimated	1,097	-12%
74	Casa Grande, AZ Estimated	1,067	+88.2%
75	Clovis, CA Estimated	1,049	+38%
76	Lehi, UT Estimated	1,044	-19.9%
77	Tucson, AZ Estimated	1,043	+4.4%
78	Irvine, CA Estimated	1,036	+12.9%
79	Fuquay-Varina, NC Estimated	1,035	+35.5%
80	Castle Rock, CO Estimated	1,032	+10.4%
81	Westfield, IN Estimated	1,010	+34.3%
82	Denton, TX Estimated	985	-0.9%
83	Philadelphia, PA Estimated	983	+10%
84	Lincoln, NE Estimated	964	+11.7%
85	Anna, TX Estimated	960	+50.7%
86	Charleston, SC Estimated	959	+15.8%
87	Orlando, FL Estimated	956	+28%
88	Fort Mill, SC Estimated	944	+15.8%
89	Spring Hill, TN Estimated	936	+9.2%
90	Sacramento, CA Estimated	935	-39.2%
91	Marana, AZ Estimated	913	+13%
92	Caldwell, ID Estimated	905	+22.5%
93	Columbus, GA Estimated	901	+207.5%
94	Kansas City, MO Estimated	900	+45.4%
95	Odessa, TX Estimated	898	+20.9%
96	South Fulton, GA Estimated	897	+233.5%
97	Commerce City, CO Estimated	892	+41.8%
98	Killeen, TX Estimated	888	+26.9%
99	Winter Haven, FL Estimated	887	+17.2%
100	Albuquerque, NM Estimated	865	-4.5%
101	Melissa, TX Estimated	857	+53%
102	Hutto, TX Estimated	851	+59.7%
103	Broken Arrow, OK Estimated	847	+47.3%
103	Fontana, CA Estimated	847	+31.9%
103	League City, TX Estimated	847	+14.2%
106	Mansfield, TX Estimated	845	+81.3%
107	Columbus, OH Estimated	834	+62.9%
108	Paradise, CA Estimated	826	+164.7%
109	Princeton, TX Estimated	823	+26.6%
110	Chandler, AZ Estimated	821	+41.3%
111	Fate, TX Estimated	817	+50.2%
112	Holly Springs, NC Estimated	816	+8.1%
112	Thornton, CO Estimated	816	+8.5%
114	Washington, UT Estimated	811	+28.3%
115	Lakeville, MN Estimated	801	+30%
116	Cary, NC Estimated	798	-0.9%
117	Iowa Colony, TX Estimated	796	+30.3%
118	Royse City, TX Estimated	785	+223%
119	West Haven, UT Estimated	781	+218.8%
120	Texas City, TX Estimated	778	+56.9%
121	Manvel, TX Estimated	774	+66.5%
122	Brownsville, TX Estimated	772	+13.7%
122	Josephine, TX Estimated	772	+362.3%
124	Leland, NC Estimated	769	+56.9%
125	Haines City, FL Estimated	768	+10.3%
126	Daytona Beach, FL Estimated	760	+400%
126	Elk Grove, CA Estimated	760	-0.5%
128	Boise City, ID Estimated	756	+8.3%
128	Waxahachie, TX Estimated	756	+31.3%
130	Bryan, TX Estimated	746	+22.1%
131	Lakeland, FL Estimated	741	+22.3%
132	Lebanon, TN Estimated	738	-1.1%
133	Las Cruces, NM Estimated	737	+26.2%
134	Anchorage, AK Estimated	735	-12.3%
135	Foley, AL Estimated	727	+96%
136	Arlington, TX Estimated	725	-13.7%
136	Pflugerville, TX Estimated	725	-16.4%
138	Merced, CA Estimated	723	+8.2%
139	Herriman, UT Estimated	720	-30.4%
140	Suffolk, VA Estimated	715	+43%
141	Carencro, LA Estimated	708	+280.6%
141	Kuna, ID Estimated	708	+18.2%
143	Windsor, CO Estimated	703	-12.3%
144	Lexington, KY Estimated	702	+21.2%
145	Manor, TX Estimated	700	+1.4%
146	Gallatin, TN Estimated	686	+53.5%
146	San Angelo, TX Estimated	686	+142.4%
148	North Charleston, SC Estimated	672	+22.4%
149	Ridgefield, WA Estimated	670	+84.1%
150	Wichita, KS Estimated	662	+7.1%
151	Mount Pleasant, SC Estimated	660	+20.7%
152	Greensboro, NC Estimated	658	+20.1%
153	Clayton, NC Estimated	657	+11.4%
154	Sparks, NV Estimated	656	+74.5%
155	Waco, TX Estimated	654	+4.8%
156	Fort Myers, FL Estimated	653	-20.2%
156	Tracy, CA Estimated	653	+9.4%
158	Bend, OR Estimated	652	+1.6%
159	Manteca, CA Estimated	650	+25.7%
160	Mount Juliet, TN Estimated	649	+7.8%
161	Brighton, CO Estimated	647	+48.1%
162	Ontario, CA Estimated	645	-44.7%
163	Auburn, AL Estimated	643	+21.3%
164	Northlake, TX Estimated	639	+22.6%
165	Waukee, IA Estimated	637	+2.6%
166	Centerton, AR Estimated	634	+54.6%
166	Missouri City, TX Estimated	634	+11.2%
168	Columbia, TN Estimated	630	+97.5%
169	Irving, TX Estimated	627	+2.3%
170	San Marcos, TX Estimated	625	+8.3%
170	Stonecrest, GA Estimated	625	+110.4%
172	New Orleans, LA Estimated	621	+11.3%
173	Hardeeville, SC Estimated	613	+22.8%
174	Smyrna, TN Estimated	604	+28.8%
175	Visalia, CA Estimated	601	-11.4%
176	Rio Rancho, NM Estimated	600	+9.9%
177	Severance, CO Estimated	597	+44.6%
178	Star, ID Estimated	589	+88.2%
179	Portland, OR Estimated	584	-16.9%
180	Fayetteville, AR Estimated	583	+5.2%
180	Fishers, IN Estimated	583	-7.2%
182	Layton, UT Estimated	580	+30%
183	Port Arthur, TX Estimated	578	+348.1%
183	Sahuarita, AZ Estimated	578	+69%
185	Yuma, AZ Estimated	577	+8.9%
186	Katy, TX Estimated	576	+6.9%
187	Rancho Cordova, CA Estimated	572	+2%
188	Olathe, KS Estimated	564	+52.4%
189	Homestead, FL Estimated	562	+149.8%
189	Wake Forest, NC Estimated	562	-17.5%
191	Amarillo, TX Estimated	560	+25.6%
192	Bluffdale, UT Estimated	554	+10.6%
193	Redmond, OR Estimated	551	+52.6%
194	Avondale, AZ Estimated	549	+427.9%
195	Forney, TX Estimated	547	+77.6%
196	Glendale, AZ Estimated	546	+122%
196	Lincoln, CA Estimated	546	+110%
198	Edmond, OK Estimated	545	+14.3%
199	Columbia, SC Estimated	541	+16.6%
199	Socorro, TX Estimated	541	+71.2%
201	Edinburg, TX Estimated	539	+42.2%
201	Groveland, FL Estimated	539	-2.5%
203	Allen, TX Estimated	538	+8.9%
204	Norman, OK Estimated	537	+28.2%
205	Pearland, TX Estimated	531	-18.4%
206	McAllen, TX Estimated	530	-1.1%
207	Coolidge, AZ Estimated	529	+172.7%
208	Pasco, WA Estimated	525	+10.1%
209	Twin Falls, ID Estimated	523	+47.3%
210	Eagle, ID Estimated	522	+13.5%
211	DeLand, FL Estimated	521	+10.4%
211	Tulsa, OK Estimated	521	-17.2%
213	Stockton, CA Estimated	518	+71.5%
214	Vancouver, WA Estimated	517	+72.3%
215	Davenport, FL Estimated	515	-12%
215	Prescott Valley, AZ Estimated	515	+13.4%
217	Noblesville, IN Estimated	511	-12.3%
218	Daphne, AL Estimated	509	+30.8%
219	Chattanooga, TN Estimated	507	+16.8%
220	Berthoud, CO Estimated	505	+39.9%
220	Myrtle Beach, SC Estimated	505	-0.8%
222	Victorville, CA Estimated	504	+14.8%
223	Seguin, TX Estimated	501	+273.9%
224	Rogers, AR Estimated	500	+11.9%
225	Folsom, CA Estimated	498	+9.9%
226	Valdosta, GA Estimated	496	-6.9%
227	Midlothian, TX Estimated	494	+4.2%
227	Wylie, TX Estimated	494	+16.5%
229	Virginia Beach, VA Estimated	493	-26.1%
230	Gastonia, NC Estimated	487	+79%
231	College Station, TX Estimated	484	+21.6%
232	Loveland, CO Estimated	483	+103.8%
233	Scottsdale, AZ Estimated	482	-18.3%
234	Bentonville, AR Estimated	481	+1.7%
235	Clermont, FL Estimated	480	+10.9%
236	Erie, CO Estimated	479	-16.3%
237	Bonita Springs, FL Estimated	477	+2.1%
238	Banning, CA Estimated	476	+4,227.3%
239	Southaven, MS Estimated	474	+18.5%
240	Salem, OR Estimated	472	+9.3%
240	Tallahassee, FL Estimated	472	+16%
242	New Smyrna Beach, FL Estimated	468	-14.8%
243	Jonesboro, AR Estimated	467	+16.5%
243	Post Falls, ID Estimated	467	-10.7%
245	Avon, IN Estimated	466	+96.6%
245	Perry, GA Estimated	466	-1.9%
247	Apopka, FL Estimated	465	+40.5%
248	Norfolk, VA Estimated	464	+39.3%
249	Nolensville, TN Estimated	454	+26.1%
250	Fort Collins, CO Estimated	453	+43.4%

Showing the top 250 of 3012. 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. 75 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 (US cities 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, US cities 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/us-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. US cities 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/us-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, US cities 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/us-cities?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_us_cities_by_single_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: US cities 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/us-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: US cities 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/us-cities?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/us-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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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?

Zion, IL, with 0 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. 75 cities have no value for 2020 and are not ranked.