Cities with Biggest Building Permit Growth 2026

New construction = future growth. Ranked by year-over-year permit activity change

57

#1: Wilmington, DE

Steady Growth

Population: 70,824

#CityScorePermit GrowthTier
1 Wilmington, DE 57 +34.84% Steady Growth
2 Newark, DE 56 +34.84% Steady Growth
3 Philadelphia, PA 60 +34.84% Steady Growth
4 Raleigh, NC 61 +34.73% Steady Growth
5 Durham, NC 53 +34.73% Emerging
6 Cary, NC 58 +34.73% Steady Growth
7 Louisville, KY 53 +34.32% Emerging
8 Oklahoma City, OK 49 +34.28% Emerging
9 Norman, OK 54 +34.28% Emerging
10 Edmond, OK 57 +34.28% Steady Growth
11 San Diego, CA 53 +32.11% Emerging
12 San Francisco, CA 52 +32.11% Emerging
13 Oakland, CA 52 +32.11% Emerging
14 Chicago, IL 55 +31.92% Steady Growth
15 Aurora, IL 59 +31.92% Steady Growth
16 Naperville, IL 57 +31.92% Steady Growth
17 Joliet, IL 53 +31.92% Emerging
18 Elgin, IL 54 +31.92% Emerging
19 Waukegan, IL 55 +31.92% Steady Growth
20 Hammond, IN 61 +31.92% Steady Growth
21 Gary, IN 54 +31.92% Emerging
22 Kenosha, WI 53 +31.92% Emerging
23 Sacramento, CA 49 +31.64% Emerging
24 Pittsburgh, PA 56 +30.48% Steady Growth
25 Salt Lake City, UT 68 +30.25% Steady Growth
26 West Valley City, UT 66 +30.25% Steady Growth
27 West Jordan, UT 65 +30.25% Steady Growth
28 Sandy, UT 65 +30.25% Steady Growth
29 Fayetteville, AR 46 +29.98% Emerging
30 Fort Collins, CO 53 +29.98% Emerging
31 Fayetteville, NC 53 +29.98% Emerging
32 Nampa, ID 53 +29.96% Emerging
33 Canton, OH 53 +29.96% Emerging
34 York, PA 55 +29.96% Steady Growth
35 Casper, WY 53 +29.96% Emerging
36 New Haven, CT 51 +29.94% Emerging
37 Cape Coral, FL 50 +29.94% Emerging
38 Charleston, SC 50 +29.94% Emerging
39 Charleston, WV 43 +29.94% Emerging
40 Corpus Christi, TX 58 +29.91% Steady Growth
41 Kearney, NE 46 +29.59% Emerging
42 Tulsa, OK 46 +29.59% Emerging
43 Lake Charles, LA 49 +29.05% Emerging
44 Anchorage, AK 55 +28.94% Steady Growth
45 Wasilla, AK 53 +28.94% Emerging
46 Waipahu, HI 53 +28.94% Emerging
47 Wichita, KS 53 +28.94% Emerging
48 Lawrence, KS 43 +28.94% Emerging
49 Lewiston, ME 43 +28.94% Emerging
50 Ann Arbor, MI 55 +28.94% Steady Growth

Unlock Full Rankings + Weekly Updates