Data / Rankings / Single-family housing units authorized by building permits / Cities in Wisconsin

Cities in Wisconsin by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2025

Madison, WI had the highest single-family housing units authorized by building permits of 94 cities in 2025, at 250. South Milwaukee, WI had the lowest, at 0. The median was 27. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest250Madison, WI
Lowest0South Milwaukee, WI
Median2794 cities

Top 40 cities, 2025

Madison, WI: 250 countMadison, WI250River Falls, WI: 164 countRiver Falls, WI164Oconomowoc, WI: 154 countOconomowoc, WI154Menomonee Falls, WI: 150 countMenomonee Falls, WI150New Richmond, WI: 127 countNew Richmond, WI127Harrison, WI: 122 countHarrison, WI122Waunakee, WI: 112 countWaunakee, WI112Holmen, WI: 103 countHolmen, WI103Windsor, WI: 102 countWindsor, WI102Fitchburg, WI: 96 countFitchburg, WI96Sun Prairie, WI: 94 countSun Prairie, WI94Kaukauna, WI: 91 countKaukauna, WI91Bellevue, WI: 87 countBellevue, WI87Neenah, WI: 87 countNeenah, WI87Mount Pleasant, WI: 86 countMount Pleasant, WI86Mequon, WI: 83 countMequon, WI83Howard, WI: 78 countHoward, WI78Sussex, WI: 78 countSussex, WI78Appleton, WI: 77 countAppleton, WI77DeForest, WI: 77 countDeForest, WI77Verona, WI: 77 countVerona, WI77Oregon, WI: 76 countOregon, WI76Middleton, WI: 75 countMiddleton, WI75Franklin, WI: 70 countFranklin, WI70Waukesha, WI: 65 countWaukesha, WI65De Pere, WI: 63 countDe Pere, WI63Grafton, WI: 63 countGrafton, WI63Milwaukee, WI: 63 countMilwaukee, WI63Port Washington, WI: 60 countPort Washington, WI60Janesville, WI: 59 countJanesville, WI59Green Bay, WI: 56 countGreen Bay, WI56Weston, WI: 55 countWeston, WI55Watertown, WI: 54 countWatertown, WI54Suamico, WI: 51 countSuamico, WI51Ashwaubenon, WI: 48 countAshwaubenon, WI48Plover, WI: 45 countPlover, WI45Kenosha, WI: 42 countKenosha, WI42Cedarburg, WI: 38 countCedarburg, WI38Germantown, WI: 37 countGermantown, WI37Onalaska, WI: 37 countOnalaska, WI37Madison, WI: 250 countMadison, WI250River Falls, WI: 164 countRiver Falls, WI164Oconomowoc, WI: 154 countOconomowoc, WI154Menomonee Falls, WI: 150 countMenomonee Falls, WI150New Richmond, WI: 127 countNew Richmond, WI127Harrison, WI: 122 countHarrison, WI122Waunakee, WI: 112 countWaunakee, WI112Holmen, WI: 103 countHolmen, WI103Windsor, WI: 102 countWindsor, WI102Fitchburg, WI: 96 countFitchburg, WI96Sun Prairie, WI: 94 countSun Prairie, WI94Kaukauna, WI: 91 countKaukauna, WI91Bellevue, WI: 87 countBellevue, WI87Neenah, WI: 87 countNeenah, WI87Mount Pleasant, WI: 86 countMount Pleasant, WI86Mequon, WI: 83 countMequon, WI83Howard, WI: 78 countHoward, WI78Sussex, WI: 78 countSussex, WI78Appleton, WI: 77 countAppleton, WI77DeForest, WI: 77 countDeForest, WI77Verona, WI: 77 countVerona, WI77Oregon, WI: 76 countOregon, WI76Middleton, WI: 75 countMiddleton, WI75Franklin, WI: 70 countFranklin, WI70Waukesha, WI: 65 countWaukesha, WI65De Pere, WI: 63 countDe Pere, WI63Grafton, WI: 63 countGrafton, WI63Milwaukee, WI: 63 countMilwaukee, WI63Port Washington, WI: 60 countPort Washington, WI60Janesville, WI: 59 countJanesville, WI59Green Bay, WI: 56 countGreen Bay, WI56Weston, WI: 55 countWeston, WI55Watertown, WI: 54 countWatertown, WI54Suamico, WI: 51 countSuamico, WI51Ashwaubenon, WI: 48 countAshwaubenon, WI48Plover, WI: 45 countPlover, WI45Kenosha, WI: 42 countKenosha, WI42Cedarburg, WI: 38 countCedarburg, WI38Germantown, WI: 37 countGermantown, WI37Onalaska, WI: 37 countOnalaska, WI37
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

RankCities2025
count		Change on 2024
1Madison, WI Estimated2500%
2River Falls, WI Estimated164+60.8%
3Oconomowoc, WI Estimated154+18.5%
4Menomonee Falls, WI Estimated150-4.5%
5New Richmond, WI Estimated127+46%
6Harrison, WI Estimated122+10.9%
7Waunakee, WI Estimated112-10.4%
8Holmen, WI Estimated103-11.2%
9Windsor, WI Estimated102-1%
10Fitchburg, WI Estimated960%
11Sun Prairie, WI Estimated94+14.6%
12Kaukauna, WI Estimated91+12.3%
13Bellevue, WI Estimated87+67.3%
13Neenah, WI Estimated87+7.4%
15Mount Pleasant, WI Estimated86+152.9%
16Mequon, WI Estimated83+118.4%
17Howard, WI Estimated78+160%
17Sussex, WI Estimated78-39.5%
19Appleton, WI Estimated77-40.3%
19DeForest, WI Estimated77-39.4%
19Verona, WI Estimated77+1.3%
22Oregon, WI Estimated76-5%
23Middleton, WI Estimated75-2.6%
24Franklin, WI Estimated70-11.4%
25Waukesha, WI Estimated65+132.1%
26De Pere, WI Estimated63-7.4%
26Grafton, WI Estimated63-33%
26Milwaukee, WI Estimated63-12.5%
29Port Washington, WI Estimated60+57.9%
30Janesville, WI Estimated59-9.2%
31Green Bay, WI Estimated56+33.3%
32Weston, WI Estimated55+44.7%
33Watertown, WI Estimated54+170%
34Suamico, WI Estimated51-1.9%
35Ashwaubenon, WI Estimated48+29.7%
36Plover, WI Estimated45+18.4%
37Kenosha, WI Estimated42-45.5%
38Cedarburg, WI Estimated38+58.3%
39Germantown, WI Estimated37+12.1%
39Onalaska, WI Estimated37+85%
41Hartford, WI Estimated36+111.8%
42Eau Claire, WI Estimated33-50.7%
42New Berlin, WI Estimated33+3.1%
44Pewaukee, WI Estimated32-20%
45Fond du Lac, WI Estimated31-3.1%
45Menasha, WI Estimated31+63.2%
47Manitowoc, WI Estimated27+8%
47Richfield, WI Estimated27+35%
47Whitewater, WI Estimated27+440%
50Hobart, WI Estimated26-7.1%
50Muskego, WI Estimated26-10.3%
52Marshfield, WI Estimated25+19%
53Pleasant Prairie, WI Estimated24-14.3%
54Brookfield, WI Estimated23-46.5%
55Beloit, WI Estimated22-53.2%
56Oshkosh, WI Estimated21-52.3%
57Baraboo, WI Estimated18+5.9%
57Oak Creek, WI Estimated18+125%
57Sheboygan, WI Estimated180%
60Little Chute, WI Estimated16+77.8%
60Stevens Point, WI Estimated16+166.7%
62Beaver Dam, WI Estimated15-42.3%
63Hudson, WI Estimated140%
63West Allis, WI Estimated14n/a
63West Bend, WI Estimated140%
66Fox Crossing, WI Estimated13-35%
66Menomonie, WI Estimated13-38.1%
68Marinette, WI Estimated12+1,100%
69Burlington, WI Estimated11+266.7%
69Superior, WI Estimated11+1,000%
71La Crosse, WI Estimated9-47.1%
71Reedsburg, WI Estimated9-35.7%
71Wausau, WI Estimated9-50%
74Fort Atkinson, WI Estimated8+166.7%
74Racine, WI Estimated80%
76Chippewa Falls, WI Estimated7-56.3%
76Salem Lakes, WI Estimated7-58.8%
76Two Rivers, WI Estimated7-30%
79Whitefish Bay, WI Estimated6+200%
80Allouez, WI Estimated5+150%
81Waupun, WI Estimated4+300%
82Greenfield, WI Estimated3-25%
82Hartland, WI Estimated3-78.6%
82Wisconsin Rapids, WI Estimated3-40%
85Glendale, WI Estimated20%
85Monroe, WI Estimated2-50%
85Wauwatosa, WI Estimated2+100%
88Cudahy, WI Estimated1n/a
88Platteville, WI Estimated1-50%
90Brown Deer, WI Estimated0-100%
90Elkhorn, WI Estimated0-100%
90Greendale, WI Estimated0n/a
90Shorewood, WI Estimated0-100%
90South Milwaukee, WI Estimated0-100%

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. 2 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2025 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/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.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. (2026). 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 Wisconsin by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2025) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.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 Wisconsin by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2025. U.S. Census Bureau, 14 May 2026, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. 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 Wisconsin by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2025. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) 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 Wisconsin by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2025 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_wisconsin_by_2025,
  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 Wisconsin by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2025}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities. 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/Midwest\%20Region/mw2025a.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 Wisconsin by single-family housing units authorized by building permits, 2025
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/14
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities.
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/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Madison, WI, with 250 in 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

South Milwaukee, WI, with 0 in 2025.

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. 2 cities have no value for 2025 and are not ranked.

Single-family housing units authorized by building permits: other rankings

Cities in Wisconsin: more rankings