HousingPermits

Metro area in Florida · part of the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL combined area

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area authorized 23,453 new housing units in 2025, the ninth-largest total of the 387 US metro areas. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 67% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the ninth-highest share among the 387 US metro areas. Permits rose 43% between 2024 and 2025, the largest increase among the 56 metro areas with 1 million or more residents.

015k30k45k60k2004: 46,084 units (24,653 single-family, 904 in 2–4 unit, 20,527 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 45,562 units (22,220 single-family, 1,129 in 2–4 unit, 22,213 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 35,110 units (14,750 single-family, 994 in 2–4 unit, 19,366 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 15,145 units (7,101 single-family, 589 in 2–4 unit, 7,455 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 7,821 units (3,272 single-family, 353 in 2–4 unit, 4,196 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,875 units (2,289 single-family, 218 in 2–4 unit, 1,368 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 5,877 units (3,171 single-family, 186 in 2–4 unit, 2,520 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 7,532 units (4,303 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 3,101 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 13,261 units (5,089 single-family, 140 in 2–4 unit, 8,032 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 19,921 units (6,369 single-family, 188 in 2–4 unit, 13,364 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 15,259 units (5,791 single-family, 196 in 2–4 unit, 9,272 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 23,450 units (7,142 single-family, 249 in 2–4 unit, 16,059 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 18,742 units (6,705 single-family, 303 in 2–4 unit, 11,734 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 19,723 units (6,655 single-family, 271 in 2–4 unit, 12,797 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 19,553 units (7,022 single-family, 628 in 2–4 unit, 11,903 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 20,688 units (7,241 single-family, 483 in 2–4 unit, 12,964 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 21,758 units (7,808 single-family, 703 in 2–4 unit, 13,247 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 25,313 units (8,316 single-family, 448 in 2–4 unit, 16,549 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 19,721 units (6,971 single-family, 423 in 2–4 unit, 12,327 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 21,320 units (5,512 single-family, 581 in 2–4 unit, 15,227 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 16,352 units (5,825 single-family, 522 in 2–4 unit, 10,005 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 23,453 units (5,873 single-family, 881 in 2–4 unit, 16,699 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 46,0842009 low · 3,875020k40k60k2004: 46,084 units (24,653 single-family, 904 in 2–4 unit, 20,527 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 45,562 units (22,220 single-family, 1,129 in 2–4 unit, 22,213 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 35,110 units (14,750 single-family, 994 in 2–4 unit, 19,366 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 15,145 units (7,101 single-family, 589 in 2–4 unit, 7,455 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 7,821 units (3,272 single-family, 353 in 2–4 unit, 4,196 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,875 units (2,289 single-family, 218 in 2–4 unit, 1,368 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 5,877 units (3,171 single-family, 186 in 2–4 unit, 2,520 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 7,532 units (4,303 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 3,101 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 13,261 units (5,089 single-family, 140 in 2–4 unit, 8,032 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 19,921 units (6,369 single-family, 188 in 2–4 unit, 13,364 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 15,259 units (5,791 single-family, 196 in 2–4 unit, 9,272 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 23,450 units (7,142 single-family, 249 in 2–4 unit, 16,059 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 18,742 units (6,705 single-family, 303 in 2–4 unit, 11,734 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 19,723 units (6,655 single-family, 271 in 2–4 unit, 12,797 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 19,553 units (7,022 single-family, 628 in 2–4 unit, 11,903 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 20,688 units (7,241 single-family, 483 in 2–4 unit, 12,964 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 21,758 units (7,808 single-family, 703 in 2–4 unit, 13,247 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 25,313 units (8,316 single-family, 448 in 2–4 unit, 16,549 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 19,721 units (6,971 single-family, 423 in 2–4 unit, 12,327 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 21,320 units (5,512 single-family, 581 in 2–4 unit, 15,227 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 16,352 units (5,825 single-family, 522 in 2–4 unit, 10,005 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 23,453 units (5,873 single-family, 881 in 2–4 unit, 16,699 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 46,084

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

The housing bust cut annual permits by 92%, from 46,084 at the 2004–2006 high to 3,875 in 2009, the second-deepest drop among the 56 metro areas with 1 million or more residents.

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Binghamton (67% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 49%.

2021–202530.6%31%2.7%66.7%67%2004–200648.6%49%2.4%49.0%49%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202530.6%31%2.7%66.7%67%2004–200648.6%49%2.4%49.0%49%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Miami authorized the most units in 2004 (46,084); 2025 reached 51% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Washington, Atlanta, Phoenix. The 2021–2025 pace of 21,232 units a year is 50% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 98 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Miami, with 29,275 units or 28% of the total, followed by Miami-Dade County (unincorporated) with 17,605. Among the three largest, Miami put 95% of its units in five-plus buildings, Palm Beach County (unincorporated) 31%.

  • Miami28% (29,275 units)
  • Miami-Dade County (unincorporated)17% (17,605 units)
  • Palm Beach County (unincorporated)10% (11,118 units)
  • Hialeah4% (4,264 units)
  • West Palm Beach3.7% (3,932 units)
  • Westlake2.9% (3,099 units)
  • Fort Lauderdale2.5% (2,670 units)
  • Homestead2.4% (2,594 units)

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

The wider Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale region

The Census Bureau groups Miami with 2 neighboring metro areas in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 28,822 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Miami accounted for 74%. The others, with their yearly averages: Port St. Lucie (6,542), Sebastian (1,048).

Where in the metro

Miami-Dade County accounted for 61% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Palm Beach County for 26%.

  • Miami-Dade County61% (16,535 in 2025)
  • Palm Beach County26% (4,228 in 2025)
  • Broward County13% (2,690 in 2025)

Relative to population

With 6,391,072 residents in July 2025, Miami authorized 3.4 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Dothan (3.4) and Longview, WA (3.4).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA33,6706.434%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV17,9904.053%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL23,4533.467%
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD12,9002.951%
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ39,6999.036%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Miami beside Philadelphia

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