City building permits · May 2026

Knoxville Building Permits

Monthly residential building permits for Knoxville, Tennessee 76 units in May 2026, 1,866 over the last 12 months — latest month -37.2% vs. a year earlier.

76
Units (latest month)
40
Single-family units
34
Multifamily (5+) units
$16,441,338
Reported value
Trailing 12 months: 1,866 units permitted · latest month -37.2% vs. a year earlier.
Total units permitted, by monthDec 2024May 2026
Dec 2024May 2026
Structure typeUnitsShare
Single-family (1-unit)4052.6%
2-unit structures22.6%
3–4 unit structures00.0%
Multifamily (5+ units)3444.7%
All units76100%

Knoxville building permits — FAQ

How many building permits were issued in Knoxville, Tennessee?+

76 new residential units were authorized in Knoxville in May 2026, and 1,866 over the trailing 12 months, per the Census Building Permits Survey.

What types of housing is Knoxville permitting?+

In May 2026, 40 single-family and 34 units in 5+ unit buildings were permitted — 47.4% of the total was multifamily.

Why might Knoxville's numbers be zero some months?+

Permit activity is lumpy at the city level, and small jurisdictions may report to the Census with a lag. Zero in a month means no permits were reported, not necessarily no construction interest.