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

Madison, WI had the highest single-family housing units authorized by building permits of 92 cities in 2008, at 148. Shorewood, WI had the lowest, at 0. The median was 24. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest148Madison, WI
Lowest0Shorewood, WI
Median2492 cities

Top 40 cities, 2008

Madison, WI: 148 countMadison, WI148Kenosha, WI: 144 countKenosha, WI144Neenah, WI: 99 countNeenah, WI99Milwaukee, WI: 96 countMilwaukee, WI96Janesville, WI: 87 countJanesville, WI87Eau Claire, WI: 84 countEau Claire, WI84Holmen, WI: 74 countHolmen, WI74Mount Pleasant, WI: 73 countMount Pleasant, WI73Waukesha, WI: 71 countWaukesha, WI71Muskego, WI: 69 countMuskego, WI69Oak Creek, WI: 69 countOak Creek, WI69Waunakee, WI: 64 countWaunakee, WI64Sun Prairie, WI: 63 countSun Prairie, WI63Hudson, WI: 60 countHudson, WI60Green Bay, WI: 57 countGreen Bay, WI57De Pere, WI: 55 countDe Pere, WI55West Bend, WI: 55 countWest Bend, WI55Appleton, WI: 54 countAppleton, WI54Suamico, WI: 52 countSuamico, WI52Oconomowoc, WI: 51 countOconomowoc, WI51Hartford, WI: 48 countHartford, WI48Menomonee Falls, WI: 47 countMenomonee Falls, WI47Menasha, WI: 46 countMenasha, WI46Wausau, WI: 46 countWausau, WI46Franklin, WI: 44 countFranklin, WI44Howard, WI: 43 countHoward, WI43Pewaukee, WI: 42 countPewaukee, WI42Kaukauna, WI: 39 countKaukauna, WI39Oshkosh, WI: 39 countOshkosh, WI39New Berlin, WI: 38 countNew Berlin, WI38River Falls, WI: 38 countRiver Falls, WI38Caledonia, WI: 37 countCaledonia, WI37Reedsburg, WI: 36 countReedsburg, WI36Fond du Lac, WI: 35 countFond du Lac, WI35Ashwaubenon, WI: 34 countAshwaubenon, WI34Pleasant Prairie, WI: 34 countPleasant Prairie, WI34Mequon, WI: 33 countMequon, WI33Grafton, WI: 32 countGrafton, WI32Onalaska, WI: 31 countOnalaska, WI31Verona, WI: 31 countVerona, WI31Madison, WI: 148 countMadison, WI148Kenosha, WI: 144 countKenosha, WI144Neenah, WI: 99 countNeenah, WI99Milwaukee, WI: 96 countMilwaukee, WI96Janesville, WI: 87 countJanesville, WI87Eau Claire, WI: 84 countEau Claire, WI84Holmen, WI: 74 countHolmen, WI74Mount Pleasant, WI: 73 countMount Pleasant, WI73Waukesha, WI: 71 countWaukesha, WI71Muskego, WI: 69 countMuskego, WI69Oak Creek, WI: 69 countOak Creek, WI69Waunakee, WI: 64 countWaunakee, WI64Sun Prairie, WI: 63 countSun Prairie, WI63Hudson, WI: 60 countHudson, WI60Green Bay, WI: 57 countGreen Bay, WI57De Pere, WI: 55 countDe Pere, WI55West Bend, WI: 55 countWest Bend, WI55Appleton, WI: 54 countAppleton, WI54Suamico, WI: 52 countSuamico, WI52Oconomowoc, WI: 51 countOconomowoc, WI51Hartford, WI: 48 countHartford, WI48Menomonee Falls, WI: 47 countMenomonee Falls, WI47Menasha, WI: 46 countMenasha, WI46Wausau, WI: 46 countWausau, WI46Franklin, WI: 44 countFranklin, WI44Howard, WI: 43 countHoward, WI43Pewaukee, WI: 42 countPewaukee, WI42Kaukauna, WI: 39 countKaukauna, WI39Oshkosh, WI: 39 countOshkosh, WI39New Berlin, WI: 38 countNew Berlin, WI38River Falls, WI: 38 countRiver Falls, WI38Caledonia, WI: 37 countCaledonia, WI37Reedsburg, WI: 36 countReedsburg, WI36Fond du Lac, WI: 35 countFond du Lac, WI35Ashwaubenon, WI: 34 countAshwaubenon, WI34Pleasant Prairie, WI: 34 countPleasant Prairie, WI34Mequon, WI: 33 countMequon, WI33Grafton, WI: 32 countGrafton, WI32Onalaska, WI: 31 countOnalaska, WI31Verona, WI: 31 countVerona, WI31
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

RankCities2008
count		Change on 2007
1Madison, WI Estimated148-60.4%
2Kenosha, WI Estimated144-51.2%
3Neenah, WI Estimated99+219.4%
4Milwaukee, WI Estimated96-42.5%
5Janesville, WI Estimated87-57.8%
6Eau Claire, WI Estimated84-3.4%
7Holmen, WI Estimated74-29.5%
8Mount Pleasant, WI Estimated73-63.5%
9Waukesha, WI Estimated71-38.3%
10Muskego, WI Estimated69-9.2%
10Oak Creek, WI Estimated69-14.8%
12Waunakee, WI Estimated64-34%
13Sun Prairie, WI Estimated63-11.3%
14Hudson, WI Estimated60-4.8%
15Green Bay, WI Estimated57-28.7%
16De Pere, WI Estimated55-41.5%
16West Bend, WI Estimated55-38.9%
18Appleton, WI Estimated54-36.5%
19Suamico, WI Estimated52-13.3%
20Oconomowoc, WI Estimated51-46.9%
21Hartford, WI Estimated48-28.4%
22Menomonee Falls, WI Estimated47-56.1%
23Menasha, WI Estimated46-27%
23Wausau, WI Estimated46-23.3%
25Franklin, WI Estimated44-46.3%
26Howard, WI Estimated43-72.8%
27Pewaukee, WI Estimated42-20.8%
28Kaukauna, WI Estimated39-38.1%
28Oshkosh, WI Estimated39-50%
30New Berlin, WI Estimated38-25.5%
30River Falls, WI Estimated38-57.3%
32Caledonia, WI Estimated37+54.2%
33Reedsburg, WI Estimated36+12.5%
34Fond du Lac, WI Estimated35-31.4%
35Ashwaubenon, WI Estimated34-12.8%
35Pleasant Prairie, WI Estimated34-53.4%
37Mequon, WI Estimated33-51.5%
38Grafton, WI Estimated32+10.3%
39Onalaska, WI Estimated31-47.5%
39Verona, WI Estimated31-69.6%
41Port Washington, WI Estimated27-34.1%
42La Crosse, WI Estimated26-33.3%
42Middleton, WI Estimated26+4%
44Bellevue, WI Estimated25-51%
44Manitowoc, WI Estimated25-21.9%
46Baraboo, WI Estimated24+60%
46Germantown, WI Estimated24-17.2%
46Oregon, WI Estimated24-29.4%
49Weston, WI Estimated23-65.7%
50New Richmond, WI Estimated22-38.9%
51Fitchburg, WI Estimated21-40%
51Richfield, WI Estimated21n/a
53Cedarburg, WI Estimated17-5.6%
54Marshfield, WI Estimated160%
54Superior, WI Estimated16-44.8%
56Elkhorn, WI Estimated15-42.3%
56Plover, WI Estimated15-42.3%
56Sussex, WI Estimated15-46.4%
59Burlington, WI Estimated14-6.7%
59Stevens Point, WI Estimated14-65%
59Watertown, WI Estimated14-36.4%
62Racine, WI Estimated130%
63Brookfield, WI Estimated10-69.7%
63Hartland, WI Estimated10-47.4%
63Wisconsin Rapids, WI Estimated10-16.7%
66Beaver Dam, WI Estimated9-18.2%
66Glendale, WI Estimated9n/a
66Greenfield, WI Estimated9-35.7%
66Platteville, WI Estimated90%
70Beloit, WI Estimated8-38.5%
71Chippewa Falls, WI Estimated7-50%
71Hobart, WI Estimated7-53.3%
71Sheboygan, WI Estimated7-56.3%
74Brown Deer, WI Estimated6+20%
74Menomonie, WI Estimated6-71.4%
76Fort Atkinson, WI Estimated5-75%
76Little Chute, WI Estimated50%
76Stoughton, WI Estimated5-66.7%
76Two Rivers, WI Estimated5+25%
76Whitewater, WI Estimated5-50%
81DeForest, WI Estimated4-84.6%
81Monroe, WI Estimated4-42.9%
81Waupun, WI Estimated4-60%
84Marinette, WI Estimated2-50%
84South Milwaukee, WI Estimated2-66.7%
84West Allis, WI Estimated2-66.7%
84Whitefish Bay, WI Estimated2+100%
88Allouez, WI Estimated1-66.7%
88Wauwatosa, WI Estimated1-75%
90Cudahy, WI Estimated0-100%
90Greendale, WI Estimated0-100%
90Shorewood, WI Estimated0n/a

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. 4 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2008 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/mw2008a.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. (2016). 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, 2008) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2008a.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, 2008. U.S. Census Bureau, 30 Sept. 2016, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2008a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities?period=2008. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2016. 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, 2008. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2008a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities?period=2008.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2016) 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, 2008 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2008a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities?period=2008 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_wisconsin_by_2008,
  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, 2008}},
  year = {2016},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2008a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities?period=2008. 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/mw2008a.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, 2008
PY  - 2016
DA  - 2016/09/30
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2008a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities?period=2008
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/single-family-building-permits/wisconsin-cities?period=2008.
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/mw2008a.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 148 in 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Shorewood, WI, with 0 in 2008.

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. 4 cities have no value for 2008 and are not ranked.

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

Cities in Wisconsin: more rankings