On an previous blog, we reported that Hillsborough County has issued the lowest number of permits since 2019.  Logically, folks were left wondering if the other 7 counties in the Tampa Bay Region were also issuing less permits. Moreover, in terms of building permits issued, there were questions as to how Tampa Bay Region counties rank in relation to other counties around the state.  Below, we discussed building permits issuance trends in the 8 counties in Tampa Bay Region, the region as a whole and the state.

Permitted Total Residential Units

In 2023, Tampa Bay Region counties permitted 55,085 residential units (27% higher than in 2019). As seen in Table 1a, Table 1b, and Figure 1, they ranged from 1,580 (Citrus) to 12,513 (Polk) and averaged 6,886 permitted total residential units.  In 2023, Citrus, Hernando, Polk, and Sarasota permitted the most residential units ever.  Historically, Hillsborough County has been permitting the most residential units in the Tampa Bay Region.  However, in 2023, Polk County surpassed Hillsborough County. In relation to 2019, Sarasota permitted 56% more residential units and Citrus permitted 113% more residential units. Alternatively, in relation to 2019, Hillsborough and Pinellas permitted 19% and 13% less residential units than in 2019, respectively.  All Tampa Bay Region counties have higher median permitted total residential units in the last five years (Figure 2).

Table 1a.  Permitted Total Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

County	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Citrus	214	242	378	513	544	743	900	1,040	1,551	1,580
Hernando	378	431	787	885	1,216	1,123	1,100	1,905	1,786	2,030
Hillsborough	8,736	8,466	12,356	11,376	9,815	15,367	12,832	13,986	14,404	12,380
Manatee	3,566	3,617	4,175	3,835	4,490	4,724	5,050	8,119	8,457	8,106
Pasco	2,785	2,677	3,899	3,916	3,830	4,551	5,373	8,905	7,758	7,667
Pinellas	1,733	2,686	2,390	1,900	2,470	3,451	1,483	2,738	2,968	2,996
Polk	2,559	2,695	4,042	3,946	4,862	8,024	9,170	11,959	12,076	12,513
Sarasota	2,093	3,522	3,936	4,344	5,751	5,230	4,437	7,805	7,323	7,813
TB Region	22,064	24,336	31,963	30,715	32,978	43,213	40,345	56,457	56,323	55,085
Florida	84,302	105,574	111,601	114,708	137,494	148,103	155,390	202,795	211,923	193,859

Table 1b.  Percent Change and Median Permitted Total Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

County	2014-2023 Percent Change	2014-2018 Percent Change	2019-2023 Percent Change	2014-2023 Median	2014-2018 Median	2019-2023 Median
Citrus	638%	154%	113%	644	378	1,040
Hernando	437%	222%	81%	1,112	787	1,786
Hillsborough	42%	12%	-19%	12,368	9,815	13,986
Manatee	127%	26%	72%	4,607	3,835	8,106
Pasco	175%	38%	68%	4,234	3,830	7,667
Pinellas	73%	43%	-13%	2,578	2,390	2,968
Polk	389%	90%	56%	6,443	3,946	11,959
Sarasota	273%	175%	49%	4,834	3,936	7,323
TB Region	150%	49%	27%	36,662	30,715	55,085
Florida	130%	63%	31%	142,799	111,601	193,859

Figure 1.  Permitted Total Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

Figure 2.  Median Permitted Total Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

As seen in Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5, regionally and statewide, the highest number of permitted total residential units were 56,457 (in 2021) and 211,923 (in 2022), respectively. Consequently, the number of permitted total residential units is 27% and 31% higher than in 2019, respectively. 

Figure 3.  Permitted Total Residential Units Tampa Bay Region and Florida

Figure 4.  Median Permitted Total Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region and Florida

Figure 5.  2023 Permitted Residential Units for Florida Counties

Permitted Single-Family Residential Units

In 2023, Tampa Bay Region counties permitted 34,088 single-family residential units (27% higher than in 2019). As seen in Table 2a, Table 2b, and Figure 6, they ranged from 1,001 (Pinellas) to 9,209 (Polk) and averaged 4,261 permitted single-family residential units.  Since 2019, Manatee, Pasco, Polk, and Sarasota have permitted the most single-family residential units. They ranged from 4,450 (Sarasota) to 9,209 (Polk). Alternatively, in 2023, Hillsborough County has permitted the lowest number of single-family residential units since 2019 (56% less).  All Tampa Bay Region counties have higher median permitted single-family residential units in the last five years (Figure 7).

Table 2a.  Permitted Single-Family Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

County	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Citrus	214	242	363	402	426	693	851	958	1,525	1,544
Hernando	336	426	627	781	1,024	985	984	1,819	1,320	1,320
Hillsborough	3,630	4,431	5,100	5,822	6,784	7,719	6,862	7,180	4,347	3,371
Manatee	2,309	2,584	2,964	2,917	3,104	3,095	4,278	6,341	5,954	6,004
Pasco	1,825	1,979	2,741	3,773	3,689	3,933	5,303	8,783	7,400	7,189
Pinellas	695	980	1,002	925	909	926	932	1,197	1,222	1,001
Polk	2,547	2,659	2,899	3,884	4,862	6,078	7,075	9,485	9,023	9,209
Sarasota	1,856	2,406	2,857	3,072	3,215	3,392	4,153	5,765	5,033	4,450
TB Region	13,412	15,707	18,553	21,576	24,013	26,821	30,438	41,528	35,824	34,088
Florida	56,029	63,701	71,490	80,163	90,244	94,011	108,851	140,276	133,878	125,158

Table 2b.  Percent Change and Median Permitted Single-Family Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

County	2014-2023 Percent Change	2014-2018 Percent Change	2019-2023 Percent Change	2014-2023 Median	2014-2018 Median	2019-2023 Median
Citrus	621%	99%	123%	560	363	958
Hernando	293%	205%	34%	985	627	1,320
Hillsborough	-7%	87%	-56%	5,461	5,100	6,862
Manatee	160%	34%	94%	3,100	2,917	5,954
Pasco	294%	102%	83%	3,853	2,741	7,189
Pinellas	44%	31%	8%	956	925	1,001
Polk	262%	91%	52%	5,470	2,899	9,023
Sarasota	140%	73%	31%	3,304	2,857	4,450
TB Region	154%	79%	27%	25,417	18,553	34,088
Florida	123%	61%	33%	92,128	71,490	125,158

Figure 6.  Permitted Single-Family Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

Figure 7.  Median Permitted Single-Family Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

As seen in Figure 8, Figure 9, and Figure 10, regionally and statewide, the highest number of permitted single-family residential units were 56,457 (in 2021) and 211,923 (in 2022), respectively. Consequently, the number of permitted single-family residential units is 27% and 31% higher than in 2019, respectively. 

Figure 8.  Permitted Single-Family Residential Units Tampa Bay Region and Florida

Figure 9.  Median Permitted Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region and Florida

Figure 10.  2023 Permitted Single-Family Residential Units for Florida Counties

Permitted Multi-Family Residential Units

In 2023, Tampa Bay Region counties permitted 19,700 multi-family residential units (31% higher than in 2019). As seen in Table 3a, Table 3b, and Figure 11, they ranged from 36 (Hernando) to 7,712 (Hillsborough) and averaged 2,463 permitted multi-family residential units.  Hillsborough permits the largest number of multi-family residential units (47% of Tampa Bay Region multi-family units).  Since 2020, Manatee, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota have permitted an increasing number of multi-family residential units. Except for Pasco, all 7 other Tampa Bay Region counties have higher median permitted total residential units in the last five years (Figure 12).

Table 3a.  Permitted Multi-Family Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

County	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Citrus	0	0	15	111	118	50	49	82	26	36
Hernando	42	5	160	104	192	138	116	86	466	710
Hillsborough	3,566	2,756	5,591	4,149	1,583	6,291	4,473	6,134	9,168	7,712
Manatee	1,257	1,033	1,211	918	1,386	1,629	772	1,778	2,503	2,102
Pasco	960	698	1,158	143	141	618	70	122	358	478
Pinellas	1,038	1,706	1,388	975	1,561	2,525	551	1,541	1,746	1,995
Polk	12	36	1,143	62	0	1,946	2,095	2,474	3,053	3,304
Sarasota	237	1,116	1,079	1,272	2,536	1,838	284	2,040	2,290	3,363
TB Region	7,112	7,350	11,745	7,734	7,517	15,035	8,410	14,257	19,610	19,700
Florida	28,273	41,873	40,111	34,545	47,250	54,092	46,539	62,519	78,045	68,701

Table 3b.  Percent Change and Median Permitted Multi-Family Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

County	2014-2023 Percent Change	2014-2018 Percent Change	2019-2023 Percent Change	2014-2023 Median	2014-2018 Median	2019-2023 Median
Citrus	N/A	N/A	-28%	43	15	49
Hernando	1,590%	357%	414%	127	104	138
Hillsborough	116%	-56%	23%	5,032	3,566	6,291
Manatee	67%	10%	29%	1,322	1,211	1,778
Pasco	-50%	-85%	-23%	418	698	358
Pinellas	92%	50%	-21%	1,551	1,388	1,746
Polk	27,433%	-100%	70%	1,545	36	2,474
Sarasota	1,319%	970%	83%	1,555	1,116	2,040
TB Region	177%	6%	31%	10,078	7,517	15,035
Florida	143%	67%	27%	46,895	40,111	62,519

Figure 11.  Permitted Multi-Family Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

Figure 12.  Median Permitted Multi-Family Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region Counties

As seen in Figure 13, Figure 14, and Figure 15, regionally and statewide, the highest number of permitted multi-family residential units were 19,700 (in 2023) and 78,045 (in 2022), respectively. Consequently, the number of permitted multi-family residential units is 31% and 27% higher than in 2019, respectively. 

Figure 13.  Permitted Multi-Family Residential Units Tampa Bay Region and Florida

Figure 14.  Median Permitted Residential Units for Tampa Bay Region and Florida

Figure 15.  2023 Permitted Multi-Family Residential Units for Florida Counties

To conclude, overall, the Tampa Bay Region permitted 27% more residential units in 2023 than in 2019.  This slightly lower than Florida’s 31% increase in permitted residential units since 2019. At the county level, 6 of the 8 Tampa Bay Region Counties has permitted at least one record number of residential units since 2019. Polk County became the largest issuer of residential building permits in 2023.  Nonetheless, Hillsborough is a very close second and still permits the most multi-family residential units in the Tampa Bay Region (23% higher than 2019). Lastly, 5 of the 8 Tampa Bay Region Counties are issuing the most residential permits in the state.

1. Building permits for all other counties and the state of Florida were obtained from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s SOCDS Building Permits Database.
2. Building permits for Hillsborough County were obtained from the four jurisdictions in Hillsborough County.  Thus, the data may be significantly different from HUD. Raw building permit data from the jurisdictions was processed by Plan Hillsborough staff. For more details, kindly visit our interactive dashboard.