Where the Emerald Coast is building: new home permits by county, 2021 to 2025
The four Emerald Coast counties authorized 42,289 new housing units from 2021 through 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Building Permits Survey. Walton County, home to South Walton and 30A, accounted for 13,265 of them, or 31%, while holding about 17% of the four counties’ existing homes, a comparison by this newsroom of permit data and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey for 2020 to 2024.
Permits slowed in 2025. The four counties authorized 7,457 units, down 13.4% from 8,607 in 2024, with drops of about 16% to 17% in Okaloosa, Walton and Bay counties and 2.7% in Santa Rosa County.
How many new homes did each Emerald Coast county permit?
| County | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total, 2021-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okaloosa | 1,351 | 1,474 | 2,802 | 1,268 | 1,057 | 7,952 |
| Walton | 2,541 | 2,648 | 2,794 | 2,883 | 2,399 | 13,265 |
| Santa Rosa | 2,091 | 1,530 | 1,774 | 1,983 | 1,929 | 9,307 |
| Bay | 2,610 | 2,288 | 2,322 | 2,473 | 2,072 | 11,765 |
| Four counties | 8,593 | 7,940 | 9,692 | 8,607 | 7,457 | 42,289 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, annual county totals, all housing units authorized, retrieved Oct. 30, 2026. Totals by this newsroom.
The Building Permits Survey counts new housing units authorized by local building permits. It does not count units finished or sold, and it does not count renovations.
Which Emerald Coast county builds the most for its size?
Walton County, by a wide margin. The 13,265 units it permitted from 2021 through 2025 equal 21.6% of the 61,272 housing units the American Community Survey counted there for 2020 to 2024. The same ratio is 11.6% in Santa Rosa County, 10.9% in Bay County and 7.7% in Okaloosa County.
| County | Housing units (ACS 2020-2024) | Permitted 2021-2025 | Permits as share of existing homes | Seasonal or occasional-use homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walton | 61,272 | 13,265 | 21.6% | 32.2% |
| Santa Rosa | 80,002 | 9,307 | 11.6% | 4.0% |
| Bay | 108,362 | 11,765 | 10.9% | 19.4% |
| Okaloosa | 103,864 | 7,952 | 7.7% | 8.4% |
Sources: Census Bureau Building Permits Survey and American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024. Ratios by this newsroom. “Seasonal” is the Census category for homes held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use, which includes many second homes and vacation rentals.
Walton County also has the highest share of seasonal homes of the four, 32.2%, followed by Bay County at 19.4%.
Are Emerald Coast permits for houses or condos?
Mostly single-family houses, except in Walton and Okaloosa counties in some years. Across 2021 to 2025, buildings with two or more units made up:
- Walton County: 4,952 units, or 37.3% of permits, with more than 1,300 multifamily units in each of 2023 and 2024.
- Okaloosa County: 2,240 units, or 28.2%, including 1,464 in 2023 alone, the year Okaloosa’s total jumped to 2,802.
- Bay County: 2,756 units, or 23.4%, including 1,090 in 2021.
- Santa Rosa County: 158 units, or 1.7%. In 2021, 2022 and 2025, every unit Santa Rosa permitted was single-family.
Multifamily permits come in large batches when an apartment or condo project is approved, so a single project can swing a county’s yearly total.
Did Emerald Coast building slow down in 2025?
Yes, in three of the four counties. From 2024 to 2025:
| County | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okaloosa | 1,268 | 1,057 | -16.6% |
| Walton | 2,883 | 2,399 | -16.8% |
| Santa Rosa | 1,983 | 1,929 | -2.7% |
| Bay | 2,473 | 2,072 | -16.2% |
Source: Census Bureau Building Permits Survey. Changes by this newsroom.
Single-family permits fell less than the totals in Okaloosa and Walton counties. Okaloosa went from 1,053 single-family units in 2024 to 987 in 2025, and Walton from 1,549 to 1,427, so most of the 2025 drop in those counties came from fewer multifamily units.
What does new construction mean for a rental owner?
New supply adds competition for renters and guests, and it also brings new rules into play. A new home built for short-term rental must meet the local vacation rental rules from the first booking. In Walton County, for example, new construction needs one parking space for every six occupants, according to the Walton County short-term vacation rental FAQ.
Permit counts do not say how many new homes will be rented. Census data cannot separate a second home used by its owner from a vacation rental.
Where can I check a specific project?
Named developments go through public review by each county’s planning board, county commission or city council, and the agendas are posted on the county and city websites. In Okaloosa County, Growth Management answers questions about a parcel at 850-651-7180, according to the county’s short-term rental page.
The Census Bureau publishes updated annual county permit counts each year in its Building Permits Survey.
Own a rental here? Tell us what the rules mean in practice: email our newsroom through the Contact link at the bottom of this page.
This story is information, not financial or legal advice.
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Questions and answers
- How many new homes were permitted in Walton County, Florida?
- 13,265 housing units from 2021 through 2025, including 2,399 in 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey.
- Is home building slowing on the Emerald Coast?
- Permits in Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Bay counties fell 13.4% in 2025, to 7,457 units from 8,607 in 2024, based on Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data.
- Which Emerald Coast county has the most second homes?
- Walton County. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey for 2020-2024 counts 32.2% of its housing units as seasonal or occasional-use homes, compared with 19.4% in Bay County.
- Do building permits show how many vacation rentals are being built?
- No. The Census Building Permits Survey counts housing units authorized, not how they will be used. It cannot separate second homes from vacation rentals.