Florida Construction Intelligence — April 2026
In April 2026, Florida counties authorized 14,596 building permits (U.S. Census BPS). The leaders by volume were Lee (1,382), Duval (956), Palm Beach (942). PermitMap tracks all 67 Florida counties weekly.
Which Florida counties have the most building permits in April 2026?
In April 2026, Florida counties authorized 14,596 building permits (U.S. Census BPS). The leaders by volume were Lee (1,382), Duval (956), Palm Beach (942). PermitMap tracks all 67 Florida counties weekly.
Top Florida counties by permit volume — April 2026
Lee County led Florida with 1,382 authorized permits, followed by Duval (956) and Palm Beach (942). Dixie posted the largest month-over-month move at +850%, and 42 of 67 tracked counties grew versus the prior month.
| # | County | Permits | MoM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lee County | 1,382 | +120.4% | -12.1% |
| 2 | Duval County | 956 | +104.3% | -7.4% |
| 3 | Palm Beach County | 942 | +169.9% | +3.4% |
| 4 | Pasco County | 823 | +12.6% | +16.5% |
| 5 | Orange County | 797 | +74.4% | +63.2% |
| 6 | Miami-Dade County | 697 | -36.5% | +55.9% |
| 7 | Manatee County | 635 | -15.7% | +47.4% |
| 8 | Osceola County | 612 | +44% | -16.4% |
| 9 | Polk County | 610 | -9.5% | -20.7% |
| 10 | Marion County | 588 | -4.9% | -11.1% |
| 11 | Collier County | 441 | +156.4% | -22.4% |
| 12 | Hillsborough County | 431 | -21.2% | -3.9% |
| 13 | Sarasota County | 409 | +5.1% | -11.2% |
| 14 | Broward County | 396 | +224.6% | +62.5% |
| 15 | Lake County | 357 | +13% | +7.1% |
| 16 | Charlotte County | 310 | -1.9% | -34.2% |
| 17 | Brevard County | 303 | -8.2% | +0.5% |
| 18 | Sumter County | 303 | -0.3% | -11.2% |
| 19 | St. Lucie County | 275 | +5.4% | -17.7% |
| 20 | St. Johns County | 260 | +5.3% | -15.1% |
| 21 | Alachua County | 242 | +130.5% | +90.6% |
| 22 | Flagler County | 213 | +23.1% | -0.1% |
| 23 | Walton County | 191 | -61.1% | -16.8% |
| 24 | Volusia County | 181 | +5.2% | -17% |
| 25 | Hernando County | 175 | +15.9% | -21.2% |
Permits and month-over-month change: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (April 2026). Year-over-year: FRED. Dashes indicate a source did not report for that county this period.
Most active ZIP codes — April 2026
The busiest ZIP codes by permit count across the 14 Florida counties currently in PermitMap's permit feed. These are the specific submarkets generating the most filings right now — the level of detail contractors use to route crews and focus outreach, rather than working a whole county at once. The single most active was 32092 in St. Johns County, with 77 permits in the feed this period — a concentration worth a dedicated route rather than scattered coverage.
| ZIP | County | Permits (feed) |
|---|---|---|
| 32092 | St. Johns County | 77 |
| 32259 | St. Johns County | 64 |
| 32068 | Clay County | 58 |
| 32082 | St. Johns County | 52 |
| 33496 | Palm Beach County | 47 |
| 32608 | Alachua County | 44 |
| 34951 | St. Lucie County | 42 |
| 32606 | Alachua County | 36 |
| 32081 | St. Johns County | 35 |
| 32003 | Clay County | 33 |
| 32095 | St. Johns County | 30 |
| 33467 | Palm Beach County | 29 |
| 33446 | Palm Beach County | 28 |
| 33437 | Palm Beach County | 27 |
| 32439 | Walton County | 27 |
Counts reflect permits in PermitMap's feed for covered counties — a sample of recent activity, not the full Census totals above. ZIP coverage expands as more counties join the feed.
Emerging and cooling counties — April 2026
Month-over-month change among Florida counties with a meaningful permit base (50+ authorized units this period), which filters out the swings that small counties produce on a handful of permits. Accelerating counties tend to lead field demand; cooling counties often signal more competition per job.
Fastest growing
- Broward County396 · +224.6%
- Palm Beach County942 · +169.9%
- Collier County441 · +156.4%
- Alachua County242 · +130.5%
- Lee County1,382 · +120.4%
Cooling
- Walton County191 · -61.1%
- Santa Rosa County167 · -53.4%
- Miami-Dade County697 · -36.5%
- Seminole County160 · -31.6%
- Escambia County153 · -30.8%
What the data shows
Across all 67 Florida counties, builders pulled 14,596 residential permits in April 2026. Volume stays concentrated at the top: the five busiest counties accounted for 4,900 permits, roughly 34% of statewide activity.
Momentum is the signal contractors should watch. 42 of 67 counties with reported month-over-month data grew versus the prior month, led by Dixie County at +850%. A rising permit count today is work that reaches the field over the following weeks, so counties accelerating now are where lead volume is most likely to expand next.
Over the trailing six months, statewide permitting moved from 9,652 authorized units in Nov 2025 to 14,596 in Apr 2026 — a +51% change. Lee County followed its own path over the same window, running 580 in Nov 2025 to 1,382 in April 2026.
By structure type, single-family homes accounted for roughly 70% of authorized units this period — 9,984 single-family against 4,362 in multifamily buildings of five or more units. That mix matters for trade demand: single-family-heavy counties drive roofing, pool, and remodeling work, while multifamily-leaning markets concentrate electrical, plumbing, and HVAC at scale.
Year over year, the picture is more mixed than the monthly numbers alone suggest: of the 67 Florida counties with FRED annual data, 28 authorized more permits than the same month a year ago and 39 authorized fewer. Lee County sits down 12.1% against a year prior — a reminder that a strong month can still fall inside a softer twelve-month trend, which is why the field reads both windows together.
Across the 16 Florida counties currently in PermitMap's permit feed, the most common permit categories were general contracting (38%), roofing (18%), HVAC (15%), electrical (13%). This breakdown reflects feed-covered counties only and broadens as coverage expands.
PermitMap also publishes a modeled Construction Demand Index (0–100) per county that blends volume, momentum, and year-over-year direction into a single comparison score. It is a derived indicator, not a Census figure, and is labeled as modeled wherever it appears.
What this means for contractors
- Prioritize accelerating counties. Permit growth precedes field demand, so the counties rising fastest this month are where to concentrate bids and crews.
- Don't ignore the high-volume base. The top counties generate the most absolute leads even when growth is flat — depth of demand matters as much as direction.
- Treat declining counties as pricing signals. Softening permit volume often means more competition per job and room to negotiate on materials and subs.
Methodology & sources
Permit counts and month-over-month change come from the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (period 2026-04). Year-over-year figures come from FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data). Trade and ZIP-level breakdowns, where shown on county pages, come from PermitMap's permit feed. All figures are sourced and dated; any derived indicator (such as the Construction Demand Index) is explicitly labeled as modeled. This edition refreshes each month as new Census data is released.
Florida Authorized 14,596 Building Permits in April 2026, PermitMap Data Shows
April 2026 — New U.S. Census Building Permits Survey data compiled by PermitMap shows Florida counties authorized 14,596 residential building permits, led by Lee County (1,382). Dixie posted the largest month-over-month gain at +850.0%. PermitMap delivers county-level permit intelligence to contractors across Florida and Texas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey; FRED.
PermitMap turns county building-permit data into weekly construction intelligence for contractors.
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