ResearchDevelopment
Where US Building Activity Is Accelerating Fastest
Residential permitting is not slowing everywhere. These cities authorized substantially more housing over the past twelve months than the twelve before.
Across the 115 US cities of 100,000 or more that permit at least 300 housing units a year, 64 authorized more units over the 12 months ending July 2026 than in the twelve months before. The average change across the group was +28.2%.
Key findings
- Cincinnati, OH recorded the largest increase at +268.5%, authorizing 984 units.
- 64 of 115 qualifying cities permitted more than they did a year earlier — 56% of the group.
- Multifamily construction dominates the fastest-rising markets: 74% of permitted units in the top five are in buildings of five or more homes.
- Gilbert, AZ saw the steepest fall at −69.7%.
Where permitting rose most
| City | Change | Units permitted | Per 1,000 residents | Multifamily share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH | +268.5% | 984 | 3.2 | 83% |
| Modesto, CA | +247.5% | 768 | 3.5 | 47% |
| Oakland, CA | +240.5% | 991 | 2.3 | 80% |
| San Jose, CA | +239.7% | 4,891 | 4.9 | 85% |
| St. Petersburg, FL | +175.3% | 2,841 | 10.9 | 73% |
| Tacoma, WA | +155.4% | 1,267 | 5.7 | 80% |
| Chesapeake, VA | +116.4% | 1,476 | 5.9 | 53% |
| Riverside, CA | +105.5% | 596 | 1.9 | 48% |
| Plano, TX | +104.0% | 716 | 2.5 | 85% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | +103.2% | 2,430 | 8.0 | 95% |
| Montgomery, AL | +101.2% | 523 | 2.6 | 48% |
| Overland Park, KS | +95.4% | 1,026 | 5.2 | 66% |
| Denver, CO | +95.4% | 6,441 | 9.0 | 85% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | +91.7% | 874 | 4.4 | 85% |
| Santa Ana, CA | +88.0% | 312 | 1.0 | 15% |
Where it fell most
| City | Change | Units permitted |
|---|---|---|
| Gilbert, AZ | −69.7% | 500 |
| Fayetteville, NC | −68.7% | 322 |
| Chicago, IL | −52.1% | 2,531 |
| Henderson, NV | −48.3% | 2,106 |
| Irvine, CA | −46.4% | 1,703 |
A large percentage change on a small base can look dramatic without meaning much, which is why both the current and the prior twelve-month window must be substantial. Permit counts are authorizations, not completions — some permitted units are never built.
Methodology
Cities of 100,000 or more residents with published Building Permits Survey activity, ranked by the change in units authorized over the trailing twelve months against the preceding twelve. The trailing window is year-to-date through the latest published month, plus the prior full calendar year, minus the equivalent year-to-date window a year earlier. Both windows must be substantial — at least 300 units in the current window and 150 in the prior — because a percentage change computed on a small base is arithmetic rather than a trend.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — Building Permits Survey (2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (Table-Based Summary File) (2024)
Related
This report is generated from a stored query against the AreaProfile database. See the methodology for how the underlying data is collected and normalized, and the editorial policy for how these reports are written.