METROPOLITAN AREA RANKINGS (in alphabetic order) [Areas ranked include 273 metropolitan areas (MAs): 245 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), 17 consolidated MSAs (CMSAs), and 11 New England county metropolitan areas (NECMAs) defined as of June 30, 1996. When MAs share the same rank, the next lower rank is omitted. MAs may share the same value but have different ranks due to rounding] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New private housing units authorized by building permits, Metropolitan area 1990-1996 period -------------------- Number Rank ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abilene, TX MSA 2,086 245 Albany, GA MSA 4,881 194 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA 19,340 82 Albuquerque, NM MSA 31,305 52 Alexandria, LA MSA 1,470 262 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA MSA 16,032 97 Altoona, PA MSA 2,274 240 Amarillo, TX MSA 2,823 231 Anchorage, AK MSA 6,097 175 Anniston, AL MSA 1,610 260 Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, WI MSA 16,890 91 Asheville, NC MSA 8,436 147 Athens, GA MSA 8,234 149 Atlanta, GA MSA 253,413 3 Augusta-Aiken, GA-SC MSA 17,198 89 Austin-San Marcos, TX MSA 60,974 33 Bakersfield, CA MSA 25,503 60 Bangor, ME NECMA 2,533 235 Barnstable-Yarmouth, MA NECMA 10,098 131 Baton Rouge, LA MSA 16,679 93 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX MSA 5,102 191 Bellingham, WA MSA 11,612 121 Benton Harbor, MI MSA 3,910 210 Billings, MT MSA 3,126 224 Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, MS MSA 11,893 120 Binghamton, NY MSA 2,286 239 Birmingham, AL MSA 33,761 49 Bismarck, ND MSA 4,245 205 Bloomington, IN MSA 6,516 168 Bloomington-Normal, IL MSA 8,053 151 Boise City, ID MSA 32,756 51 Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton, MA-NH NECMA 105,651 19 Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, TX MSA 10,440 129 Bryan-College Station, TX MSA 5,587 185 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY MSA 20,981 72 Burlington, VT NECMA 5,965 177 Canton-Massillon, OH MSA 9,005 142 Casper, WY MSA 507 273 Cedar Rapids, IA MSA 7,640 157 Champaign-Urbana, IL MSA 4,275 204 Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA 20,359 76 Charleston, WV MSA 3,294 216 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC MSA 85,796 21 Charlottesville, VA MSA 8,956 143 Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA 14,518 105 Cheyenne, WY MSA 2,027 249 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI CMSA 240,572 4 Chico-Paradise, CA MSA 7,364 161 Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH-KY-IN CMSA 78,325 22 Clarksville-Hopkinsville, TN-KY MSA 13,017 108 Cleveland-Akron, OH CMSA 71,766 27 Colorado Springs, CO MSA 22,669 67 Columbia, MO MSA 9,197 139 Columbia, SC MSA 22,869 65 Columbus, GA-AL MSA 9,183 140 Columbus, OH MSA 72,775 26 Corpus Christi, TX MSA 7,792 154 Cumberland, MD-WV MSA 2,209 243 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX CMSA 197,538 6 Danville, VA MSA 2,823 231 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA 6,274 171 Dayton-Springfield, OH MSA 22,790 66 Daytona Beach, FL MSA 25,859 58 Decatur, AL MSA 3,865 211 Decatur, IL MSA 1,999 250 Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO CMSA 108,761 18 Des Moines, IA MSA 21,672 68 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI CMSA 147,531 11 Dothan, AL MSA 3,128 223 Dover, DE MSA 5,912 178 Dubuque, IA MSA 2,787 233 Duluth-Superior, MN-WI MSA 5,331 188 Eau Claire, WI MSA 4,881 194 El Paso, TX MSA 18,961 83 Elkhart-Goshen, IN MSA 6,505 169 Elmira, NY MSA 876 265 Enid, OK MSA 551 272 Erie, PA MSA 5,834 181 Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA 12,548 114 Evansville-Henderson, IN-KY MSA 8,508 146 Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN MSA 10,242 130 Fayetteville, NC MSA 15,279 103 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA 20,609 74 Flagstaff, AZ-UT MSA 6,592 166 Florence, AL MSA 3,176 220 Florence, SC MSA 4,513 200 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA 16,815 92 Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL MSA 33,653 50 Fort Pierce-Port St. Lucie, FL MSA 21,550 69 Fort Smith, AR-OK MSA 5,447 186 Fort Walton Beach, FL MSA 11,981 119 Fort Wayne, IN MSA 17,562 88 Fresno, CA MSA 37,552 46 Gadsden, AL MSA 1,628 259 Gainesville, FL MSA 10,997 122 Glens Falls, NY MSA 3,970 208 Goldsboro, NC MSA 3,268 217 Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA 2,059 246 Grand Junction, CO MSA 4,873 196 Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI MSA 42,395 41 Great Falls, MT MSA 783 268 Green Bay, WI MSA 12,492 115 Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC MSA 51,409 39 Greenville, NC MSA 9,680 135 Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC MSA 38,734 45 Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle, PA MSA 19,392 81 Hartford, CT NECMA 18,839 84 Hattiesburg, MS MSA 655 270 Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir, NC MSA 10,863 124 Honolulu, HI MSA 26,250 56 Houma, LA MSA 4,517 199 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX CMSA 131,212 12 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH MSA 1,762 256 Huntsville, AL MSA 9,851 133 Indianapolis, IN MSA 75,913 25 Iowa City, IA MSA 6,149 173 Jackson, MI MSA 4,178 206 Jackson, MS MSA 16,124 95 Jackson, TN MSA 4,843 197 Jacksonville, FL MSA 58,754 34 Jacksonville, NC MSA 4,599 198 Jamestown, NY MSA 1,759 257 Janesville-Beloit, WI MSA 5,846 179 Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA 10,735 127 Johnstown, PA MSA 2,986 226 Jonesboro, AR MSA 3,802 213 Joplin, MO MSA 3,918 209 Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, MI MSA 12,008 118 Kansas City, MO-KS MSA 68,376 29 Killeen-Temple, TX MSA 9,820 134 Knoxville, TN MSA 27,814 54 Kokomo, IN MSA 3,135 222 La Crosse, WI-MN MSA 4,327 202 Lafayette, LA MSA 7,729 155 Lafayette, IN MSA 7,247 164 Lake Charles, LA MSA 5,680 183 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA 18,052 85 Lancaster, PA MSA 16,977 90 Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA 12,951 109 Laredo, TX MSA 9,923 132 Las Cruces, NM MSA 6,099 174 Las Vegas, NV-AZ MSA 170,139 9 Lawrence, KS MSA 7,271 163 Lawton, OK MSA 1,266 263 Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECMA 1,781 254 Lexington, KY MSA 23,992 62 Lima, OH MSA 3,238 218 Lincoln, NE MSA 12,929 110 Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR MSA 16,386 94 Longview-Marshall, TX MSA 1,953 251 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA CMSA 269,329 2 Louisville, KY-IN MSA 38,839 44 Lubbock, TX MSA 5,068 192 Lynchburg, VA MSA 7,233 165 Macon, GA MSA 13,091 107 Madison, WI MSA 23,103 64 Mansfield, OH MSA 2,863 229 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA 21,415 70 Medford-Ashland, OR MSA 9,537 137 Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, FL MSA 25,684 59 Memphis, TN-AR-MS MSA 51,526 38 Merced, CA MSA 7,463 159 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL CMSA 150,287 10 Milwaukee-Racine, WI CMSA 54,772 37 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI MSA 121,214 16 Mobile, AL MSA 19,984 79 Modesto, CA MSA 13,821 106 Monroe, LA MSA 2,970 227 Montgomery, AL MSA 12,023 117 Muncie, IN MSA 2,366 236 Myrtle Beach, SC MSA 15,447 101 Naples, FL MSA 31,130 53 Nashville, TN MSA 63,879 31 New London-Norwich, CT NECMA 5,843 180 New Orleans, LA MSA 24,576 61 New York-No. New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA CMSA/NECMA 235,545 5 Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, VA-NC MSA 61,115 32 Ocala, FL MSA 15,416 102 Odessa-Midland, TX MSA 2,256 242 Oklahoma City, OK MSA 26,106 57 Omaha, NE-IA MSA 26,972 55 Orlando, FL MSA 116,071 17 Owensboro, KY MSA 2,728 234 Panama City, FL MSA 7,294 162 Parkersburg-Marietta, WV-OH MSA 1,490 261 Pensacola, FL MSA 20,848 73 Peoria-Pekin, IL MSA 7,585 158 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD CMSA 128,087 13 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ MSA 187,206 7 Pine Bluff, AR MSA 871 266 Pittsburgh, PA MSA 41,815 42 Pittsfield, MA NECMA 2,318 237 Pocatello, ID MSA 2,044 247 Portland, ME NECMA 7,650 156 Portland-Salem, OR-WA CMSA 122,032 15 Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, RI NECMA 16,097 96 Provo-Orem, UT MSA 20,996 71 Pueblo, CO MSA 3,841 212 Punta Gorda, FL MSA 10,798 125 Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC MSA 77,922 23 Rapid City, SD MSA 2,969 228 Reading, PA MSA 10,740 126 Redding, CA MSA 8,381 148 Reno, NV MSA 20,074 78 Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, WA MSA 7,910 153 Richmond-Petersburg, VA MSA 42,798 40 Roanoke, VA MSA 6,383 170 Rochester, MN MSA 5,675 184 Rochester, NY MSA 23,382 63 Rockford, IL MSA 14,845 104 Rocky Mount, NC MSA 3,738 214 Sacramento-Yolo, CA CMSA 70,188 28 Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, MI MSA 8,900 145 St. Cloud, MN MSA 8,125 150 St. Joseph, MO MSA 1,895 253 St. Louis, MO-IL MSA 76,292 24 Salinas, CA MSA 8,025 152 Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT MSA 55,888 35 San Angelo, TX MSA 1,765 255 San Antonio, TX MSA 40,469 43 San Diego, CA MSA 55,868 36 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA CMSA 126,671 14 San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles, CA MSA 7,372 160 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, CA MSA 6,163 172 Santa Fe, NM MSA 3,169 221 Sarasota-Bradenton, FL MSA 34,714 48 Savannah, GA MSA 12,886 112 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA MSA 10,979 123 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA CMSA 170,688 8 Sharon, PA MSA 2,166 244 Sheboygan, WI MSA 4,056 207 Sherman-Denison, TX MSA 852 267 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA 6,010 176 Sioux City, IA-NE MSA 3,415 215 Sioux Falls, SD MSA 9,484 138 South Bend, IN MSA 9,018 141 Spokane, WA MSA 19,748 80 Springfield, IL MSA 8,947 144 Springfield, MO MSA 15,556 100 Springfield, MA NECMA 9,538 136 State College, PA MSA 4,405 201 Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV MSA 780 269 Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA 17,688 87 Sumter, SC MSA 3,221 219 Syracuse, NY MSA 12,775 113 Tallahassee, FL MSA 15,992 98 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA 90,759 20 Terre Haute, IN MSA 3,106 225 Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR MSA 1,925 252 Toledo, OH MSA 12,308 116 Topeka, KS MSA 5,121 190 Tucson, AZ MSA 37,206 47 Tulsa, OK MSA 20,088 77 Tuscaloosa, AL MSA 6,584 167 Tyler, TX MSA 2,311 238 Utica-Rome, NY MSA 4,278 203 Victoria, TX MSA 1,130 264 Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, CA MSA 12,895 111 Waco, TX MSA 2,857 230 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV CMSA 288,370 1 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA MSA 1,738 258 Wausau, WI MSA 4,886 193 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL MSA 66,473 30 Wheeling, WV-OH MSA 648 271 Wichita, KS MSA 17,893 86 Wichita Falls, TX MSA 2,036 248 Williamsport, PA MSA 2,261 241 Wilmington, NC MSA 20,408 75 Yakima, WA MSA 5,175 189 York, PA MSA 15,819 99 Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA 10,720 128 Yuba City, CA MSA 5,759 182 Yuma, AZ MSA 5,336 187 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, State and Metropolitan Area Data Book 1997-98, table B-6.