A review of permit data for new home construction in Florida from January through June of 2021

Anyone who lives in Florida is aware of the surge in new residents.  In fact, according to the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, Florida’s population grew by 2.7 million over the past decade, and it is estimated that approximately 900 people are moving to Florida every day.   With the increase in population comes the increase in demand for residential property, and the latest HBW reports reflect major growth in new home construction.

From January through June of this year, there has been a whopping 43 percent year-over-year increase in new residential construction throughout the Sunshine State, resulting in more than 65,250 new permits on record with HBW.  From the six regions reviewed (Southwest, West, Central, Southeast, Northwest, Northeast), the greatest volume of housing starts could be found in the southwestern region of Florida (14,648 permits); the southwest also exhibited the most significant year-over-year gain in new home construction (+73 percent).

Here is a closer look at permit data for new home construction in Florida (by region) through the second quarter of this year:

Southwest Florida

As previously noted, the southwestern region of Florida carried the greatest amount of new residential construction permits (14,648 permits) through Q2, as well as demonstrated the highest increase in housing starts (+73 percent) in comparison to the same time last year.  Out of the five counties that make up the southwest, more than half of all new home construction took place in Lee (4,623 permits) and Manatee (3,305 permits) with both areas reflecting year-over-year increases of 67 percent and 97 percent respectively.

West Florida

Not far behind the southwest, the western region of Florida ranked #2 for new home construction, having 14,034 housing starts through Q2, reflecting a 34 percent year-over-year increase in new residential construction.  Out of the seven counties that make up the western region, just about 70 percent of all new permits originated from the two counties of Polk (4,939 permits) and Pasco (4,675 permits).

Northeast Florida

In the northeast, there have been 12,781 housing starts since the start of this year (thru Q2), reflecting a 64 percent increase in new home construction in comparison to the same period last year.  Out of the eight counties that make up the area, approximately half of all new permits originated from the counties of St. Johns and Duval where there were 3,418 and 3,203 permits respectively for the six-month period.

Central Florida

Through the second quarter of this year, there have been 9,641 housing starts in Central Florida, reflecting a 33 percent increase in new home construction in comparison to the same period last year.  Out of the six counties that make up the area, more than 50 percent of all new home construction took place in the two counties of Orange and Volusia where there were 2,856 and 2,081 new permits on record with HBW respectively.

Northwest Florida

Out of the six regions reviewed, the northwest is by far the most expansive, consisting of 16 Florida counties as well as 2 bordering counties in Alabama.  Through the second quarter of this year, there have been 7,511 housing starts in the northwest, reflecting a 12 percent year-over-year increase in new home construction.  Out of the 18 counties included in the report, more than 50 percent of all new permits originated from the counties of Baldwin, AL (1,646 permits), Bay, FL (1,126 permits) and Santa Rosa, FL (1,092 permits).

Southeast Florida

Through Q2-2021, there have been 6,638 housing starts in the southeastern region of Florida, reflecting a 35 percent increase in new home construction in comparison to the same time last year.  Out of the seven counties that make up the area, nearly 70 percent of all new permits originated from the counties of St. Lucie and Palm Beach where there were 2,910 and 1,610 new permits on record with HBW respectively.

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.