HousingPermits

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

Wildwood-The Villages, FL

The Wildwood-The Villages metro area authorized 3,516 new housing units in 2025, the second-largest total of the 191 metro areas under 250,000 residents. Relative to population, the rate was 26.7 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the highest rate of the 387 US metro areas. The housing bust cut annual permits by 55%, from 5,047 at the 2004–2006 high to 2,253 in 2009, the mildest drop among the 22 metro areas based in Florida.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 4,153 units (4,153 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,047 units (5,039 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,576 units (3,558 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,420 units (2,406 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,710 units (2,414 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 276 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,253 units (2,123 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 118 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,420 units (2,420 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,655 units (2,653 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,199 units (3,192 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 3,857 units (3,857 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,570 units (2,570 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,568 units (1,568 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,072 units (1,068 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,814 units (1,814 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,076 units (2,076 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,928 units (2,657 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 271 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,698 units (2,942 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 748 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,611 units (4,007 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 604 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,439 units (3,919 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 520 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,339 units (3,339 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,961 units (3,537 single-family, 176 in 2–4 unit, 248 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,516 units (3,105 single-family, 186 in 2–4 unit, 225 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 5,0472016 low · 1,07202,0004,0006,0002004: 4,153 units (4,153 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,047 units (5,039 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,576 units (3,558 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,420 units (2,406 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,710 units (2,414 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 276 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,253 units (2,123 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 118 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,420 units (2,420 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,655 units (2,653 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,199 units (3,192 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 3,857 units (3,857 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,570 units (2,570 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,568 units (1,568 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,072 units (1,068 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,814 units (1,814 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,076 units (2,076 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,928 units (2,657 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 271 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,698 units (2,942 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 748 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,611 units (4,007 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 604 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,439 units (3,919 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 520 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,339 units (3,339 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 3,961 units (3,537 single-family, 176 in 2–4 unit, 248 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,516 units (3,105 single-family, 186 in 2–4 unit, 225 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 5,047

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its population grew 21% between 2020 and 2025, the fastest growth among the 387 US metro areas.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 2 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Sumter County (unincorporated), with 19,817 units or 100% of the total, followed by Bushnell with 49.

  • Sumter County (unincorporated)100% (19,817 units)
  • Bushnell0.2% (49 units)

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

Houses or apartments

In Wildwood, 90% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 8% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Bangor (8% in five-plus buildings). Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2020 (748), single-family houses in 2005 (5,039).

2021–202590.1%90%1.8%8.0%2004–200699.8%100%0.2%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202590.1%90%1.8%8.0%2004–200699.8%100%0.2%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

The wider Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona region

The Census Bureau groups Wildwood 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); Wildwood accounted for 8%. The others, with their yearly averages: Orlando (27,339), Lakeland (11,283), Deltona (7,089).

Boom, bust and since

Wildwood authorized the most units in 2005 (5,047); 2025 reached 70% of that. Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Bangor, Traverse City, Jackson, MI. Its quietest year came later, in 2016 (1,072 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 3,973 units a year is 6.7% below the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 5 years in a row up to 2021. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 11%.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Hattiesburg, MS1230.94.9%
Bangor, ME4862.78%
Wildwood-The Villages, FL3,51626.78%
State College, PA3143.032%
Vineland, NJ1431.024%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Wildwood beside Bangor

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