HousingPermits

Metro area in Florida · part of the Gainesville-Lake City, FL combined area

Gainesville, FL

The Gainesville metro area authorized 3,674 new housing units in 2025. No year in the 2004–2025 record brought more permits than 2025, a distinction it shares with 16 other metro areas. Permits rose 80% between 2024 and 2025, the third-largest increase among the 85 metro areas of 250,000 to 499,999 residents.

01,0002,0003,0004,0002004: 2,341 units (1,660 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 631 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,781 units (1,758 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 963 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,319 units (1,376 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 934 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,688 units (953 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 731 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,155 units (583 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 533 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 612 units (467 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 145 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 546 units (420 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 123 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 518 units (350 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 674 units (447 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 225 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 857 units (615 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 240 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 848 units (585 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 263 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,263 units (672 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 581 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,253 units (752 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 501 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,428 units (843 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 1,585 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,745 units (929 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 811 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,567 units (1,016 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 1,543 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,080 units (1,174 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 906 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,743 units (1,652 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,087 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,137 units (1,345 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 1,780 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,945 units (1,247 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 687 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,043 units (1,115 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 922 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,674 units (1,023 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 2,629 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252025 high · 3,6742011 low · 51801,5003,0004,5002004: 2,341 units (1,660 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 631 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,781 units (1,758 single-family, 60 in 2–4 unit, 963 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,319 units (1,376 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 934 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,688 units (953 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 731 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,155 units (583 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 533 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 612 units (467 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 145 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 546 units (420 single-family, 3 in 2–4 unit, 123 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 518 units (350 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 166 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 674 units (447 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 225 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 857 units (615 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 240 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 848 units (585 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 263 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,263 units (672 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 581 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,253 units (752 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 501 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,428 units (843 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 1,585 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,745 units (929 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 811 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,567 units (1,016 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 1,543 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 2,080 units (1,174 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 906 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,743 units (1,652 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,087 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,137 units (1,345 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 1,780 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,945 units (1,247 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 687 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,043 units (1,115 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 922 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,674 units (1,023 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 2,629 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252025 high · 3,674

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Relative to population

With 359,036 residents in July 2025, Gainesville, FL authorized 7.7 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, 1.7 times the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Jonesboro (7.8) and Killeen (7.6).

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 13 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Gainesville, with 7,230 units or 53% of the total, followed by Alachua County (unincorporated) with 3,269. Among the three largest, Gainesville put 85% of its units in five-plus buildings, Levy County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Gainesville53% (7,230 units)
  • Alachua County (unincorporated)24% (3,269 units)
  • Levy County (unincorporated)7.3% (994 units)
  • Gilchrist County5.4% (732 units)
  • Newberry5.1% (686 units)
  • High Springs2.2% (297 units)
  • Alachua1.2% (164 units)
  • Williston0.9% (125 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Houses or apartments

In Gainesville, FL, 47% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 52% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Columbus, OH (52% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 34%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2025 (2,629), single-family houses in 2005 (1,758).

2021–202547.1%47%0.4%52.5%52%2004–200664.4%64%1.6%34.0%34%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202547.1%47%0.4%52.5%52%2004–200664.4%64%1.6%34.0%34%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 16 other metro areas, among them Hickory, Spartanburg, Savannah. Annual permits fell from 2,781 during the mid-2000s boom to 518 in 2011, a drop of 81%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Tampa's (81%). The 2021–2025 pace of 2,708 units a year is 9.2% above the 2004–2006 pace.

Where in the metro

Alachua County accounted for 86% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Levy County for 8.6%.

  • Alachua County86% (3,336 in 2025)
  • Levy County8.6% (244 in 2025)
  • Gilchrist County5.4% (94 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Lubbock, TX2,8698.017%
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH3090.921%
Peoria, IL2340.726%
Gainesville, FL3,6747.752%
Lincoln, NE2,4027.255%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Gainesville, FL beside Peoria

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Florida. Counting rules.