Highest Ranking County in U.S. and each State based on New
  Private Housing Units Authorized by Building Permits, 2000

U.S. or State           County                          Number
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States           Maricopa, AZ                    43,056
Alabama                 Jefferson                        3,057
Alaska                  Anchorage                        1,190
Arizona                 Maricopa                        43,056
Arkansas                Washington                       1,683
California              Los Angeles                     16,968
Colorado                Arapahoe                         8,140
Connecticut             Fairfield                        2,278
Delaware                New Castle                       2,331
Florida                 Dade                            12,475
Georgia                 Gwinnett                        12,372
Hawaii                  Honolulu                         1,969
Idaho                   Ada                              3,925
Illinois                Cook                            11,877
Indiana                 Marion                           5,216
Iowa                    Polk                             2,370
Kansas                  Johnson                          5,468
Kentucky                Jefferson                        3,809
Louisiana               St. Tammany                      2,019
Maine                   Cumberland                       1,678
Maryland                Montgomery                       4,950
Massachusetts           Middlesex                        3,617
Michigan                Macomb                           5,963
Minnesota               Hennepin                         4,924
Mississippi             DeSoto                           2,475
Missouri                Jackson                          4,347
Montana                 Gallatin                           723
Nebraska                Douglas                          2,888
Nevada                  Clark                           26,224
New Hampshire           Hillsborough                     1,843
New Jersey              Ocean                            5,633
New Mexico              Bernalillo                       3,847
New York                New York                         5,110
North Carolina          Mecklenburg                     13,960
North Dakota            Cass                             1,079
Ohio                    Franklin                         9,321
Oklahoma                Oklahoma                         4,092
Oregon                  Washington                       3,827
Pennsylvania            Montgomery                       3,058
Rhode Island            Providence                       1,002
South Carolina          Horry                            4,492
South Dakota            Minnehaha                        2,137
Tennessee               Shelby                           6,734
Texas                   Harris                          24,565
Utah                    Salt Lake                        4,435
Vermont                 Chittenden                         661
Virginia                Loudoun                          6,300
Washington              King                            11,564
West Virginia           Berkeley                           777
Wisconsin               Dane                             3,986
Wyoming                 Teton                              326

Source:  U.S. Census Bureau,
         County and City Data Book: 2000,
         Table B-6.