HousingPermits

Metro area in Florida

Ocala, FL

The Ocala metro area authorized 5,985 new housing units in 2025, the third-largest total of the 85 metro areas of 250,000 to 499,999 residents. Relative to population, the rate was 13.5 units per 1,000 residents in 2025, the ninth-highest rate of the 387 US metro areas. The housing bust cut annual permits by 95%, from 7,453 at the 2004–2006 high to 361 in 2011, the tenth-deepest drop among the 387 US metro areas.

02,0004,0006,0008,0002004: 5,426 units (5,268 single-family, 147 in 2–4 unit, 11 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 7,453 units (6,542 single-family, 171 in 2–4 unit, 740 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 7,063 units (6,753 single-family, 105 in 2–4 unit, 205 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,035 units (2,536 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 402 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,139 units (1,119 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 394 units (370 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 481 units (481 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 361 units (356 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 401 units (397 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 630 units (588 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 754 units (713 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,055 units (1,055 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,428 units (1,412 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,246 units (1,942 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 304 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,817 units (2,726 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,367 units (2,349 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,827 units (3,784 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 27 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 6,229 units (5,641 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 576 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 6,489 units (5,318 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,167 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 5,197 units (5,023 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 96 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 6,729 units (6,067 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 534 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 5,985 units (5,420 single-family, 186 in 2–4 unit, 379 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 7,4532011 low · 36103,0006,0009,0002004: 5,426 units (5,268 single-family, 147 in 2–4 unit, 11 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 7,453 units (6,542 single-family, 171 in 2–4 unit, 740 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 7,063 units (6,753 single-family, 105 in 2–4 unit, 205 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,035 units (2,536 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 402 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,139 units (1,119 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 394 units (370 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 481 units (481 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 361 units (356 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 401 units (397 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 630 units (588 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 754 units (713 single-family, 5 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,055 units (1,055 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,428 units (1,412 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,246 units (1,942 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 304 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,817 units (2,726 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,367 units (2,349 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,827 units (3,784 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 27 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 6,229 units (5,641 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 576 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 6,489 units (5,318 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 1,167 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 5,197 units (5,023 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 96 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 6,729 units (6,067 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 534 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 5,985 units (5,420 single-family, 186 in 2–4 unit, 379 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 7,453

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its population grew 17% between 2020 and 2025, the fifth-fastest growth among the 387 US metro areas.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 4 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Marion County (unincorporated), with 26,190 units or 86% of the total, followed by Ocala with 3,947. Among the three largest, Ocala put 70% of its units in five-plus buildings, Marion County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Marion County (unincorporated)86% (26,190 units)
  • Ocala13% (3,947 units)
  • Belleview1.5% (449 units)
  • Dunnellon0.1% (43 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Ocala, 90% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 9% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Montgomery (9% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (1,167), single-family houses in 2006 (6,753).

2021–202589.7%90%1.3%9.0%9%2004–200693.1%93%2.1%4.8%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202589.7%90%1.3%9.0%2004–200693.1%93%2.1%4.8%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Ocala authorized the most units in 2005 (7,453); 2025 reached 80% of that. Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Brownsville, Salinas, Myrtle Beach. The 2021–2025 pace of 6,126 units a year is 7.8% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 7 years in a row up to 2018. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 11%.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Salem, OR1,4264.649%
Ocala, FL5,98514.89%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA1,3712.252%
Reading, PA5821.026%
Savannah, GA5,3719.026%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Ocala beside Santa Maria

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