Measures · Building Permits Survey

Buildings permitted

The number of structures permitted (one 5+ building, many units).

Buildings permitted counts structures rather than housing units. A 200-unit apartment complex is one building but 200 units, so the buildings count and the units count tell different stories — buildings about construction activity, units about housing supply.

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Buildings permitted — FAQ

What is buildings permitted in building permits data?+

The number of structures permitted (one 5+ building, many units). Buildings permitted counts structures rather than housing units. A 200-unit apartment complex is one building but 200 units, so the buildings count and the units count tell different stories — buildings about construction activity, units about housing supply.

Where does this building-permit data come from?+

All figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey (BPS), a monthly census of permit-issuing jurisdictions. PUMSdata is an independent product that makes it easy to map and compare, and is not affiliated with the Census Bureau.

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