Housing Units Authorized by Residential Building Permits: 2000 - 2006	No. 85 July 2007

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission is an interstate, intercounty and intercity agency that provides comprehensive and coordinated planning for the orderly growth of the Delaware Valley region. As the region's metropolitan planning organization (MPO), the Commission provides technical assistance and services to its member state, county and local governments, the private sector, and the public. Delaware Valley Data is our periodic series of free data bulletins and analytical reports. This data bulletin contains residential building permit data for 2000 through 2006, for the extended 28-County Data Service Region (see map on page 3). Data Bulletin No. 85 replaces Data Bulletin No. 83, published in May 2006. The data is derived from reports and publications compiled by the Bureau of the Census Construction Statistics Division.

Municipalities provide the Census Bureau with tabulations of the number of housing units authorized, according to types of structures. In the few cases where municipalities reported building permit activity for some months but not for all twelve months, the Census Bureau estimates the total yearly number of building permits based on past building permit activity (referred to as imputation). The figures presented in this bulletin are for the total numbers of housing units authorized in each of the following types:

• One-unit structures - Includes single-family houses or structures with one dwelling unit. Includes semi-detached and row houses if the units are separated by a ground to roof party wall. Does not include mobile homes.

• Two or more unit structures, including:

  • Duplexes or structures with two dwelling units. If built side by side, they do not have a ground-to-roof party wall and generally have a common attic, basement, heating plant and other features.

  • Structures with three or more units. Each building contains three or more units sharing a common basement, heating plant, stairs, water supply, or entrance. Triplexes, garden apartments, and high-rise buildings are included in this category; and condominiums and cooperatively-owned apartment buildings may also be included.

Table 1 summarizes residential building permit activity between 2000 and 2006 by type of structure for each county in the nine-county Delaware Valley region. Table 2 identifies the 20 municipalities in the nine-county DVRPC region that issued the greatest number of building permits for new housing units between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2006, and Table 3 identifies municipalities that issued the most residential building permits as a percent of the municipality's housing units in 2000, as a more meaningful indication of the impact of new residential construction in each municipality.

Table 4 describes regional and sub-regional residential building permit activity, and Table 5 provides the total number of building permits issued between 2000 and 2006 by county for the 28-county DVRPC extended data services area. Finally, Table 6 lists the number of new housing units authorized by residential building permit by type of structure by municipality in the 28-county extended data services area between 2000 and 2006.

AREA DEFINITIONS

In addition to providing data for the 9-county DVRPC region and its extended data services area, this data bulletin aggregates data as per the definitions of statistical areas issued by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in December 2006. The OMB defines Metropolitan, Micropolitan, and Combined Statistical Areas; New England City and Town Areas; and Metropolitan Divisions, for use in Federal statistical analyses. These areas are updated annually to reflect changes in the population, based on the Census Bureau's Population Estimates program. Comparisons of this data with regional information issued earlier than 2006 should be made with caution, but can be accomplished by aggregating individual county data.

• The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) consists of the Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division; the Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division; and the Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division.

  • The Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division consists of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

  • The Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division consists of Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties.

  • The Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division consists of New Castle County, Delaware; Cecil County, Maryland; and Salem County, NJ.

• The Trenton-Ewing MSA consists of Mercer County, New Jersey.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The highest percentages of the DVRPC region's residential building permits issued between 2000 and 2006 were issued in Chester and Montgomery counties. Annual construction activity in the City of Philadelphia, however, more than tripled between 2002 and 2003; increased by 63% between 2003 and 2004; and remained strong in 2005 and 2006.

• The City of Philadelphia issued the most permits of any single municipality, with almost 12,000 residential building permits issued between 2000 and 2006. Suburban municipalities with significant residential construction activity include Hamilton Township (Mercer County), Winslow Township (Camden County), Warrington Township (Bucks County), Woolwich Township (Gloucester County), Willingboro and Evesham Townships (both in Burlington County), and Concord Township (Delaware County).

• The 2,029 additional housing units authorized by permits in Woolwich Township (Gloucester County) between 2000 and 2006 represent an increase of 198% over the Township's 2000 housing stock of just over 1,000 units. Slightly fewer than 1,100 residential permits were issued in Penn Township (Chester County) between 2000 and 2006 (leaving them out of the top twenty in absolute number), but with under 1,100 units in the Township in 2000, the Township's housing stock will more than double once construction of the newly authorized units is completed. Similarly, the 145 residential permits issued in Ivyland Borough (Bucks County) represent a 73% increase over the Borough's 199 total units in 2000.

• Almost 350,000 units were authorized by residential building permits in the 28-county area between 2000 and 2006, including over 155,000 in the fourteen New Jersey counties; over 148,000 in the ten Pennsylvania counties; over 26,000 in the two Delaware counties; and almost 19,000 in the two Maryland counties. The greatest number of units authorized by residential building permits during the seven-year time period was in Ocean County, New Jersey, followed by Chester, Montgomery, and York counties in Pennsylvania and Monmouth County, New Jersey.

• The number of residential building permits issued annually in the 28-county region declined significantly in 2006, from a high of 54,026 in 2004 to a low of 43,726 in 2006 (a decline of almost 20%). More residential permits were issued in 2006 than in 2005 in only three of the 28 counties (Burlington, Cumberland, and Monmouth, all in New Jersey).

Table 1: Total new housing units authorized by residential building permit in permit-issuing places, by type of structure and by county, 2000-2006: Delaware Valley region
County	New units authorized by permit, 2000	New units authorized by permit, 2001	New units authorized by permit, 2002	New units authorized by permit, 2003	New units authorized by permit, 2004	New units authorized by permit, 2005	New units authorized by permit, 2006	Total new units authorized by permit, 2000-2006	% of the region's total permits, 2000-2006
Burlington	2,775	2,184	2,359	1,805	1,516	1,475	2,784	14,898	12%
Camden	796	757	1,160	1,934	1,413	1,706	1,176	8,942	7%
Gloucester	1,337	1,635	1,802	1,859	2,050	2,075	1,141	11,899	10%
Mercer	1,283	1,355	1,428	1,188	1,641	1,296	847	9,038	7%
4-NJ Counties	6,191	5,931	6,749	6,786	6,620	6,552	5,948	44,777	36%
Bucks	2,768	2,171	2,815	3,215	2,560	2,104	1,552	17,185	14%
Chester	3,051	2,900	3,304	2,961	3,661	3,081	2,527	21,485	17%
Delaware	1,142	1,567	935	1,149	911	836	818	7,538	6%
Montgomery	3,058	2,874	2,653	2,598	2,687	3,668	2,612	20,150	16%
Philadelphia	1,333	772	554	1,754	2,864	2,506	2,164	11,947	9%
5-PA Counties	11,352	10,284	10,261	11,677	12,683	12,195	13,686	78,125	65%
9-County DVRPC region	17,543	16,215	17,010	18,463	19,303	18,747	19,634	122,902	100%
Source: United States Census Bureau, Construction Statistics Division.

 

Table 2: Municipalities in the Delaware Valley that issued the greatest absolute number of residential building permits: January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2006
Rank	Municipality	County	Permitted units, 2000-2006	Rank	Municipality	County	Permitted units, 2000-2006
1	Philadelphia	Philadelphia	11,947	11	Middletown Twp.	Bucks	1,648
2	Hamilton Twp.	Mercer	2,327	12	Lower Providence Twp.	Montgomery	1,615
3	Winslow Twp.	Camden	2,097	13	Upper Providence Twp.	Montgomery	1,576
4	Warrington Twp.	Bucks	2,055	14	Monroe Twp.	Gloucester	1,522
5	Woolwich Twp.	Gloucester	2,029	15	Bethel Twp.	Delaware	1,497
6	Willingboro Twp.	Burlington	1,811	16	Limerick Twp.	Montgomery	1,461
7	Evesham Twp.	Burlington	1,792	17	Washington Twp.	Gloucester	1,413
8	Concord Twp.	Delaware	1,724	18	Cherry Hill Twp.	Camden	1,323
9	West Windsor Twp.	Mercer	1,713	19	Gloucester Twp.	Camden	1,309
10	Deptford Twp.	Gloucester	1,691	20	Warminster Twp.	Bucks	1,261
Source: United States Census Bureau, Construction Statistics Division

 

Table 3: Municipalities in the Delaware Valley that issued the greatest number of residential building permits as a percent of the 2000 housing stock: January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2006
Rank	Municipality	County	Permitted units (2000- 2006) as a % of the 2000 housing stock	Rank	Municipality	County	Permitted units (2000- 2006) as a % of the 2000 housing stock
1	Woolwich Twp.	Gloucester	198%	11	Concord Twp.	Delaware	49%
2	Penn Twp.	Chester	103%	12	Skippack Twp.	Montgomery	47%
3	Bethel Twp.	Delaware	74%	13	East Nottingham Twp.	Chester	44%
4	Ivyland Borough	Bucks	73%	14	East Fallowfield Twp.	Chester	44%
5	Mansfield Twp.	Burlington	59%	15	East Coventry Twp.	Chester	43%
6	East Caln Twp.	Chester	55%	16	Chesterfield Twp.	Burlington	42%
7	Upper Uwchlan Twp.	Chester	55%	17	Delanco Twp.	Burlington	42%
8	Thornbury Twp.	Delaware	53%	18	South Coventry Twp.	Chester	42%
9	Charlestown Twp.	Chester	50%	19	Harrison Twp.	Gloucester	41%
10	Hainesport Twp.	Burlington	50%	20	East Greenwich Twp.	Gloucester	36%
Source: United States Census Bureau, Construction Statistics Division

 

Table 4: New housing units authorized by residential building permit in permit-issuing places, by type of structure, 2000 through 2006: regional and sub-regional totals, 28-county data service area
	Permitted units, 2000	Permitted units, 2001	Permitted units, 2002	Permitted units, 2003	Permitted units, 2004	Permitted units, 2005	Permitted units, 2006	Total permitted units, 2000-2006	Permitted units (2000- 2006) as a percent of the 2000 housing stock
28-County Service Area	49,774	45,799	49,732	53,693	54,026	52,665	43,726	349,055	8%
2-County Delaware Total	3,189	2,884	3,707	4,576	4,381	3,933	3,431	26,101	10%
2-County MD Total	2,470	2,784	2,851	3,065	2,647	3,402	1,749	18,968	16%
14-County NJ Total	24,273	20,252	21,585	23,175	23,442	22,894	19,877	155,498	8%
10 County PA Total	19,482	19,879	21,229	22,877	23,556	22,436	18,669	148,488	6%
DVRPC 9-County Region	17,543	16,215	17,010	18,463	19,303	18,747	15,621	122,902	6%
4-County NJ Total	6,191	5,931	6,749	6,786	6,620	6,552	5,948	44,777	8%
5-County PA Total	11,352	10,284	10,261	11,677	12,683	12,195	9,673	78,125	5%
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington MSA	19,520	17,846	18,975	21,080	21,010	20,242	17,205	135,878	6%
Philadelphia PA Metropolitan Division	11,352	10,284	10,261	11,677	12,683	12,195	9,673	78,125	5%
Camden NJ Metropolitan Division	4,908	4,576	5,321	5,598	4,979	5,256	5,101	35,739	8%
Wilmington DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division	3,260	2,986	3,393	3,805	3,348	2,791	2,431	22,014	8%
Trenton-Ewing MSA	1,283	1,355	1,428	1,188	1,641	1,296	847	9,038	7%
Source: United States Census Bureau, Construction Statistics Division.

 

Table 5: New housing units authorized by residential building permit in permit-issuing places, by type of structure, by county: 2000 through 2006, 28-county extended data service area
County	Permitted units, 2000	Permitted units, 2001	Permitted units, 2002	Permitted units, 2003	Permitted units, 2004	Permitted units, 2005	Permitted units, 2006	Total permitted units, 2000-2006	Permitted units (2000-2006) as a percent of the 2000 housing stock
DELAWARE (2 counties)	3,189	2,884	3,707	4,576	4,381	3,933	3,431	26,101	10%
Kent	858	1,018	1,452	2,167	2,178	2,182	1,703	11,558	23%
New Castle	2,331	1,866	2,255	2,409	2,203	1,751	1,728	14,543	7%
MARYLAND (2 counties)	2,470	2,784	2,851	3,065	2,647	3,402	1,749	18,968	16%
Cecil	768	940	968	1,089	811	743	405	5,724	17%
Harford	1,702	1,844	1,883	1,976	1,836	2,659	1,344	13,244	16%
NEW JERSEY (14 counties)	24,273	20,252	21,585	23,175	23,442	22,894	19,877	155,498	8%
Atlantic	1,625	1,685	2,020	2,285	2,075	2,002	1,893	13,585	12%
Burlington	2,775	2,184	2,359	1,805	1,516	1,475	2,784	14,898	9%
Camden	796	757	1,160	1,934	1,413	1,706	1,176	8,942	4%
Cape May	1,242	1,403	1,422	1,693	2,149	2,433	1,580	11,922	13%
Cumberland	255	256	310	374	566	630	737	3,128	6%
Gloucester	1,337	1,635	1,802	1,859	2,050	2,075	1,141	11,899	13%
Hunterdon	616	685	602	814	648	506	350	4,221	9%
Mercer	1,283	1,355	1,428	1,188	1,641	1,296	847	9,038	7%
Middlesex	2,460	1,884	1,999	2,306	2,622	3,206	2,567	17,044	6%
Monmouth	2,912	2,194	2,372	2,756	2,628	2,584	2,820	18,266	8%
Ocean	5,633	3,830	3,534	4,009	3,818	2,904	2,114	25,842	10%
Salem	161	180	170	307	334	297	298	1,747	7%
Somerset	2,282	1,439	1,530	1,260	1,362	1,220	1,058	10,151	9%
Warren	896	765	877	585	620	560	512	4,815	12%
PENNSYLVANIA (10 counties)	19,842	19,879	21,229	22,877	23,556	22,436	18,669	148,488	6%
Berks	1,809	2,031	2,121	1,991	1,640	1,368	1,173	12,133	8%
Bucks	2,768	2,171	2,815	3,215	2,560	2,104	1,552	17,185	8%
Chester	3,051	2,900	3,304	2,961	3,661	3,081	2,527	21,485	13%
Delaware	1,142	1,567	935	1,149	911	836	818	7,358	3%
Lancaster	2,016	2,267	2,548	2,690	2,675	2,040	1,887	16,123	9%
Lehigh	1,344	1,452	1,434	1,424	1,650	1,731	1,401	10,436	8%
Montgomery	3,058	2,874	2,653	2,598	2,687	3,668	2,612	20,150	7%
Northampton	1,312	1,660	1,909	1,947	1,821	1,986	1,632	12,267	11%
Philadelphia	1,333	772	554	1,754	2,864	2,506	2,164	11,947	2%
York	2,009	2,185	2,956	3,148	3,087	3,116	2,903	19,404	12%
Source: United States Census Bureau, Construction Statistics Division.

Table 6[ .xls | .pdf ]

Data bulletin #85 is one in a series of bulletins designed to disseminate information to member state, county and local governments and other interested parties. For more information on Data Bulletins and Analytical Data Reports, please visit the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's website (www.dvrpc.org) or contact DVRPC at the telephone number below.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission was established in 1965 by interstate compact between Pennsylvania and New Jersey to plan for the orderly growth and development of the region, and to provide a variety of planning and technical assistance services responding to regional issues. DVRPC maintains a significant database for twenty-eight counties encompassing New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Included in the database are data profiles at the regional, county and municipal level and for other census geography as requested. DVRPC produces a diverse range of services, including demographic and economic data and projections; mapping and aerial photography; computer-assisted mapping; geographic information systems; impact studies; and policy and program development.

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