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Which counties in North Carolina are building the most new homes?

Brunswick County (25.5 per 1,000 residents), Harnett County (14.7 per 1,000 residents) and Durham County (13.7 per 1,000 residents) permitted the most new homes for their size in North Carolina in 2025.

Data as of 2025 · updated

See the rankingAll North Carolina counties

All 100 ranked North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties ranked by new homes permitted per 1,000 residents
RankCountyPer 1,000 residents, 2025Homes permitted 2025Residents
1Brunswick County25.54,457174,702
2Harnett County14.72,205150,137
3Durham County13.74,772347,240
4Camden County12.714411,315
5Johnston County11.73,002256,448
6Pender County11.683372,111
7Catawba County11.41,944170,172
8Wake County11.013,8061,257,235
9Alamance County10.92,027186,177
10Union County10.12,707267,674
11Currituck County9.832533,158
12Hoke County9.855856,939
13Watauga County9.853654,786
14Moore County9.71,077110,619
15Lee County9.667470,258
16Gaston County9.52,343246,558
17New Hanover County9.52,332245,959
18Warren County9.317518,898
19Franklin County9.073582,037
20Henderson County8.91,093122,375
21Clay County8.810812,239
22Iredell County8.71,835211,798
23Dare County8.532538,245
24Avery County8.315118,110
25Haywood County8.151463,369
26Cabarrus County8.01,991249,725
27Lincoln County8.078598,654
28Wayne County7.8954122,278
29Cherokee County7.823930,830
30Hyde County7.7354,554
31Pamlico County7.69712,758
32Buncombe County7.32,028277,417
33Forsyth County7.22,875401,718
34Alleghany County7.18211,479
35Ashe County7.119527,514
36Pitt County7.01,285182,936
37Polk County6.914120,533
38Davidson County6.71,216180,182
39Swain County6.79414,024
40Carteret County6.747170,469
41Montgomery County6.717626,403
42Burke County6.658888,655
43Pasquotank County6.527442,201
44Macon County6.425139,232
45Onslow County6.31,372217,175
46Caldwell County6.250181,105
47Rowan County6.2957155,096
48Mecklenburg County6.17,4961,233,383
49Chatham County6.151785,111
50Yancey County5.610719,084
51Stokes County5.625646,126
52Cleveland County5.4555103,325
53Craven County5.3553105,025
54Madison County5.211722,553
55Jackson County5.223245,039
56Davie County5.123645,855
57Transylvania County5.117634,211
58Guilford County5.12,876562,234
59Tyrrell County5.1183,537
60Wilson County5.141181,150
61Stanly County4.933668,830
62Nash County4.948399,365
63Jones County4.8469,575
64Cumberland County4.61,547338,473
65Orange County4.4666152,498
66Granville County4.225761,421
67Rutherford County4.126965,745
68Rockingham County4.138294,195
69Randolph County3.8572149,516
70McDowell County3.616445,198
71Person County3.614540,636
72Graham County3.4288,190
73Chowan County3.44814,082
74Surry County3.424472,287
75Robeson County3.3399119,941
76Bladen County3.29730,007
77Perquimans County3.24313,490
78Yadkin County3.011638,325
79Mitchell County2.94415,062
80Greene County2.95920,700
81Alexander County2.810336,958
82Vance County2.711542,638
83Beaufort County2.711944,670
84Richmond County2.610942,041
85Duplin County2.512751,571
86Anson County2.45321,758
87Lenoir County2.313155,837
88Wilkes County2.315266,233
89Caswell County2.25022,563
90Sampson County1.911761,504
91Bertie County1.93217,086
92Scotland County1.85933,322
93Halifax County1.67546,534
94Gates County1.21210,234
95Columbus County1.15550,487
96Edgecombe County1.15349,121
97Northampton County0.91516,491
98Washington County0.7710,638
99Hertford County0.2319,015
100Martin County0.0021,601

How this is ranked

Housing units authorized by building permits in 2025 (Census Bureau Building Permits Survey), per 1,000 residents. Permits count homes authorized, not finished. Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are not ranked.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

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Questions

Which county in North Carolina is building the most new homes?

Brunswick County: 25.5 per 1,000 residents, ahead of Harnett County (14.7 per 1,000 residents) and Durham County (13.7 per 1,000 residents), of 100 North Carolina counties ranked.

How is this ranking calculated?

Housing units authorized by building permits in 2025 (Census Bureau Building Permits Survey), per 1,000 residents. Permits count homes authorized, not finished. Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are not ranked.

More county rankings for North Carolina

New homes permitted per 1,000 residents in other states

Across the U.S.