HousingPermits

Metro area in Florida · part of the Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona, FL combined area

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

The Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area authorized an average of 11,283 new housing units a year in 2021–2025, the third-largest total of the 55 metro areas of 500,000 to 999,999 residents. Relative to population, the rate was 13.8 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the third-highest rate of the 55 metro areas of 500,000 to 999,999 residents. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2005, with 13,179 units; 2025 came to 62% of that.

04,0008,00012k16k2004: 10,242 units (8,715 single-family, 214 in 2–4 unit, 1,313 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 13,179 units (11,980 single-family, 292 in 2–4 unit, 907 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 9,323 units (7,609 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 1,647 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,222 units (3,854 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 352 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,249 units (2,268 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 942 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,135 units (1,135 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,200 units (1,112 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,156 units (1,074 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 70 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,522 units (1,382 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 138 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,034 units (1,994 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 26 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,559 units (2,547 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,039 units (3,003 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 28 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 4,567 units (3,424 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 1,134 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 4,604 units (4,542 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 10 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 5,331 units (5,331 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 8,726 units (6,435 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 2,235 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 9,492 units (7,395 single-family, 131 in 2–4 unit, 1,966 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 13,071 units (10,591 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 2,417 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 12,211 units (9,158 single-family, 75 in 2–4 unit, 2,978 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 12,513 units (9,209 single-family, 135 in 2–4 unit, 3,169 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 10,384 units (8,514 single-family, 154 in 2–4 unit, 1,716 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 8,236 units (6,725 single-family, 175 in 2–4 unit, 1,336 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 13,17905,00010k15k2004: 10,242 units (8,715 single-family, 214 in 2–4 unit, 1,313 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 13,179 units (11,980 single-family, 292 in 2–4 unit, 907 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 9,323 units (7,609 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 1,647 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 4,222 units (3,854 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 352 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,249 units (2,268 single-family, 39 in 2–4 unit, 942 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,135 units (1,135 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,200 units (1,112 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,156 units (1,074 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 70 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,522 units (1,382 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 138 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,034 units (1,994 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 26 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,559 units (2,547 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,039 units (3,003 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 28 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 4,567 units (3,424 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 1,134 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 4,604 units (4,542 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 10 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 5,331 units (5,331 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 8,726 units (6,435 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 2,235 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 9,492 units (7,395 single-family, 131 in 2–4 unit, 1,966 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 13,071 units (10,591 single-family, 63 in 2–4 unit, 2,417 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 12,211 units (9,158 single-family, 75 in 2–4 unit, 2,978 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 12,513 units (9,209 single-family, 135 in 2–4 unit, 3,169 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 10,384 units (8,514 single-family, 154 in 2–4 unit, 1,716 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 8,236 units (6,725 single-family, 175 in 2–4 unit, 1,336 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 13,179

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its population grew 20% between 2020 and 2025, the third-fastest growth among the 387 US metro areas.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 16 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Polk County (unincorporated), with 25,519 units or 45% of the total, followed by Haines City with 8,048. Among the three largest, Polk County (unincorporated) put 33% of its units in five-plus buildings, Haines City 0%.

  • Polk County (unincorporated)45% (25,519 units)
  • Haines City14% (8,048 units)
  • Winter Haven9.1% (5,126 units)
  • Lakeland7.6% (4,292 units)
  • Davenport5.7% (3,227 units)
  • Bartow3.4% (1,938 units)
  • Auburndale3.2% (1,785 units)
  • Lake Alfred2.8% (1,580 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Lakeland, 78% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 21% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Lynchburg (21% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2023 (3,169), single-family houses in 2005 (11,980).

2021–202578.3%78%1.1%20.6%21%2004–200686.4%86%1.7%11.8%12%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202578.3%78%1.1%20.6%21%2004–200686.4%86%1.7%11.8%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona region

The Census Bureau groups Lakeland with 3 neighboring metro areas in the Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona, FL combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 49,684 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Lakeland accounted for 23%. The others, with their yearly averages: Orlando (27,339), Deltona (7,089), Wildwood (3,973).

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Cape Coral, El Paso, Allentown. Annual permits fell from 13,179 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,135 in 2009, a drop of 91%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Hilton Head Island's (92%). The 2021–2025 pace of 11,283 units a year is 3.4% above the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 10 years in a row up to 2021. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 21%.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
El Paso, TX2,0502.87.4%
Columbia, SC6,0707.017%
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL13,54716.527%
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL8,23613.821%
Boise City, ID9,43812.324%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Lakeland beside Cape Coral

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