HousingPermits

Metro area in Florida

Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL

The Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent metro area authorized 3,327 new housing units in 2025. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 3.3% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the second-lowest share among the 55 metro areas of 500,000 to 999,999 residents. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 6.5 units a year in 2021–2025, 1.4 times the national rate of 4.7.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 4,635 units (3,735 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 796 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 3,956 units (3,342 single-family, 141 in 2–4 unit, 473 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,811 units (2,141 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 598 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,622 units (1,757 single-family, 125 in 2–4 unit, 740 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,290 units (1,090 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 154 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,042 units (962 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 74 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,754 units (1,336 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 410 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,205 units (1,203 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,494 units (1,460 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 28 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,131 units (1,865 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 256 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,825 units (1,637 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 176 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,634 units (2,017 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 599 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,873 units (2,369 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 486 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,609 units (2,584 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,568 units (2,528 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,222 units (2,734 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 397 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 4,391 units (4,103 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 260 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,051 units (3,101 single-family, 703 in 2–4 unit, 247 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,519 units (3,343 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 162 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,823 units (2,797 single-family, 21 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,445 units (3,297 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 128 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,327 units (3,295 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 32 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 4,6352009 low · 1,04202,0004,0006,0002004: 4,635 units (3,735 single-family, 104 in 2–4 unit, 796 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 3,956 units (3,342 single-family, 141 in 2–4 unit, 473 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 2,811 units (2,141 single-family, 72 in 2–4 unit, 598 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,622 units (1,757 single-family, 125 in 2–4 unit, 740 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,290 units (1,090 single-family, 46 in 2–4 unit, 154 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,042 units (962 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 74 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,754 units (1,336 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 410 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,205 units (1,203 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,494 units (1,460 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 28 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,131 units (1,865 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 256 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,825 units (1,637 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 176 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,634 units (2,017 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 599 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,873 units (2,369 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 486 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,609 units (2,584 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,568 units (2,528 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,222 units (2,734 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 397 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 4,391 units (4,103 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 260 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,051 units (3,101 single-family, 703 in 2–4 unit, 247 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,519 units (3,343 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 162 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,823 units (2,797 single-family, 21 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,445 units (3,297 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 128 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,327 units (3,295 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 32 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 4,635

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Spartanburg (3.4% in five-plus buildings). Apartment building has lost ground since 2004–2006, when the five-plus share was 16%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2004 (796), single-family houses in 2020 (4,103).

2021–202592.2%92%4.4%3.3%2004–200680.8%81%2.8%16.4%16%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202592.2%92%4.4%3.3%2004–200680.8%81%2.8%16.4%16%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 3 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Santa Rosa County, with 9,307 units or 54% of the total, followed by Escambia County (unincorporated) with 7,379. Among the three largest, Pensacola put 37% of its units in five-plus buildings, Santa Rosa County 1.4%.

  • Santa Rosa County54% (9,307 units)
  • Escambia County (unincorporated)43% (7,379 units)
  • Pensacola2.8% (479 units)

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

Where in the metro

Santa Rosa County accounted for 54% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Escambia County for 46%.

  • Santa Rosa County54% (1,929 in 2025)
  • Escambia County46% (1,398 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Pensacola authorized the most units in 2004 (4,635); 2025 reached 72% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Lexington, Lancaster, New Haven. Annual permits fell from 4,635 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,042 in 2009, a drop of 78%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Asheville's (77%). The 2021–2025 pace of 3,433 units a year is 9.7% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Lancaster, PA1,2962.430%
Modesto, CA1,2051.614%
Huntsville, AL4,5199.825%
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL3,3276.53.3%
Lexington-Fayette, KY2,3274.837%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Pensacola beside Lexington

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