Where Utah is building
Two datasets, side by side. Growth ranks come from the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey — new privately-owned residential construction only, not total permit volume. The fee column is each city’s own published residential building-permit fee, shown verbatim for reference: it is never ranked, averaged, or presented as comparable across cities (why not →).
Census activity data covers 110 of the 111 Utah jurisdictions PermitBase tracks.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS) · data through 2026-08
Fastest-growing cities
Trailing-12-month units, ranked by year-over-year growth — each city’s residential permit fee sits alongside for reference, never part of the rank.
Trailing-12-month units, by growth
- Layton
- 697 units
- +285.1%
- West Valley City
- 285 units
- +196.9%
- Pleasant Grove
- 253 units
- +187.5%
- West Jordan
- 1,116 units
- +186.9%
- Midvale
- 112 units
- +115.4%
- Layton: residential permit fee $23.50
- West Valley City: residential permit fee $0†
- Pleasant Grove: residential permit fee $250.00
- West Jordan: residential permit fee $60.50†
- Midvale: residential permit fee $48†
Eligible for a growth rank: fully-reported trailing-12 and prior-12 month windows, a prior-year total of at least 50 units, and place-level (non-county) records only.
Utah cities by building-permit growth
Ranked by trailing-12-month Census units. The fee column is reference only — see how to read this table.
| # | Jurisdiction | Trailing-12 units | YoY growth | Residential permit fee * |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unincorporated Salt Lake Countycounty-wide totals | 7,152 | — county estimate | $70.00Verifieddetails → |
| 2 | Unincorporated Utah Countycounty-wide totals | 6,129 | — county estimate | $1.00Verifieddetails → |
| 3 | Unincorporated Washington Countycounty-wide totals | 2,830 | — county estimate | $23.50Verifieddetails → |
| 4 | Salt Lake City | 2,776 | — insufficient history | $54.55Verifieddetails → |
| 5 | Unincorporated Davis Countycounty-wide totals | 1,859 | — county estimate | $200.00Verifieddetails → |
| 6 | Unincorporated Cache Countycounty-wide totals | 1,411 | — county estimate | $150†Verifieddetails → |
| 7 | Saratoga Springs | 1,220 | −25.0% | Building permit fee is 'per fee schedule found in the International Residential Code,' with building valuation equal to 75% of the ICC 'Building Valuation Data' published in Building Safety magazine.†Verifieddetails → |
| 8 | West Jordan | 1,116 | +186.9% | $60.50†Verifieddetails → |
| 9 | Unincorporated Wasatch Countycounty-wide totals | 1,048 | — county estimate | $1.25Verifieddetails → |
| 10 | Washington City | 1,009 | — insufficient history | $30.00Verifieddetails → |
| 11 | St. George | 897 | — insufficient history | $23.50Verifieddetails → |
| 12 | South Jordan | 894 | +14.6% | $3,877Verifieddetails → |
| 13 | Eagle Mountain | 868 | — insufficient history | $24Verifieddetails → |
| 14 | Unincorporated Iron Countycounty-wide totals | 714 | — county estimate | $24Verifieddetails → |
| 15 | Layton | 697 | +285.1% | $23.50Verifieddetails → |
| 16 | Lehi | 650 | −43.1% | $23.50Verifieddetails → |
| 17 | Logan | 635 | +53.8% | $50.00Verifieddetails → |
| 18 | Heber City | 597 | +76.1% | Valuation-based per the ICC Building Safety Journal fee tables, updated biannually†Verifieddetails → |
| 19 | Herriman | 584 | −4.1% | $19†Verifieddetails → |
| 20 | Unincorporated Tooele Countycounty-wide totals | 496 | — county estimate | Valuation-based, per Uniform Building Code fee-calculation provisions†Verifieddetails → |
| 21 | Unincorporated Box Elder Countycounty-wide totals | 484 | — county estimate | State ICC Fee Structure (valuation-based; no flat dollar table published)†Verifieddetails → |
| 22 | Vineyard | 458 | +56.8% | $1†Verifieddetails → |
| 23 | Mapleton | 444 | −12.3% | Based on IBC valuation table, multiplied by a 0.005 factor†Verifieddetails → |
| 24 | Provo | 409 | — insufficient history | $23.50†Verifieddetails → |
| 25 | Cedar City | 399 | +2.8% | Based on water meter sizedetails → |
| 26 | Unincorporated Summit Countycounty-wide totals | 393 | — county estimate | $100†Verifieddetails → |
| 27 | Farmington | 345(10 mo) | — insufficient history | $75.00Verifieddetails → |
| 28 | Spanish Fork | 328 | +29.1% | As set by 2021 IRC Appendix AL valuation table — assessed on project valuation per Spanish Fork's published building permit fee schedule†Verifieddetails → |
| 29 | Unincorporated Grand Countycounty-wide totals | 304 | — county estimate | $65.00Verifieddetails → |
| 30 | West Valley City | 285 | +196.9% | $0†Verifieddetails → |
| 31 | South Salt Lake | 268 | — below floor | Building Fee (B) = local multiplier x Gross ICCBVD Valuation; Plan Check Fee (P) = B x 0.65; State Surcharge Fee (Y) = B x 0.01; Total = B + P + Y†Verifieddetails → |
| 32 | Pleasant Grove | 253 | +187.5% | $250.00Verifieddetails → |
| 33 | Moab | 248(9 mo) | — insufficient history | $1.00†Verifieddetails → |
| 34 | Unincorporated Sanpete Countycounty-wide totals | 211 | — county estimate | — |
| 35 | Syracuse | 203 | −24.3% | $100.00Verifieddetails → |
| 36 | Santaquin | 201 | −29.2% | Cost based on the valuation of the structure, per the current Building Valuation Data sheet from the IRC†Verifieddetails → |
| 37 | Tooele | 193(11 mo) | — insufficient history | Calculated from project valuation using IBC-established rate tables†Verifieddetails → |
| 38 | Roy | 189 | +9.9% | Derived from Table 1-A of the 1997 Uniform Building Code, applied to current ICC Building Valuation Data†Verifieddetails → |
| 39 | Grantsville | 184 | +58.6% | 0.0068 x total permit valueVerifieddetails → |
| 40 | Payson | 182 | −9.5% | See ICC valuation table with 0.75 regional multiplier†Verifieddetails → |
| 41 | American Fork | 179 | −2.7% | Based on ICC Valuation Table†Verifieddetails → |
| 42 | Nibley | 175(11 mo) | — insufficient history | $1†Verifieddetails → |
| 43 | North Ogden | 175(11 mo) | — insufficient history | Valuation-based: 1997 Uniform Building Code, Section 107.2, Table 1-A, plus 20%†Verifieddetails → |
| 44 | Unincorporated Sevier Countycounty-wide totals | 163 | — county estimate | — |
| 45 | Millcreek | 152 | — below floor | $76.50Verifieddetails → |
| 46 | Santa Clara | 150 | — insufficient history | Based on Valuation (current ICC rates)†Verifieddetails → |
| 47 | Hurricane | 142(4 mo) | — insufficient history | $1†Verifieddetails → |
| 48 | Draper | 141 | −56.3% | 100% of the ICC Schedule (International Code Council Building Valuation Data table, as published in Building Safety Journal)†Verifieddetails → |
| 49 | Enoch City | 141 | +25.9% | Set by the Uniform Building Code valuation table, plus a 1% State of Utah surcharge on the total building permit fee.†Verifieddetails → |
| 50 | Tremonton | 137 | — insufficient history | 1% of Building Valuation†Verifieddetails → |
| 51 | Brigham City | 132 | — insufficient history | $1,951.93†Verifieddetails → |
| 52 | Murray | 127 | −38.6% | $1.00†Verifieddetails → |
| 53 | Unincorporated Kane Countycounty-wide totals | 125 | — county estimate | $2,500†Verifieddetails → |
| 54 | Riverton | 124(8 mo) | — insufficient history | $43.00Verifieddetails → |
| 55 | Unincorporated Millard Countycounty-wide totals | 120 | — county estimate | $25.00†Verifieddetails → |
| 56 | West Haven | 120 | −51.8% | Established in WHCC § 151.15, as amendedVerifieddetails → |
| 57 | Morgan Countycounty-wide totals | 119 | — county estimate | $500.00Verifieddetails → |
| 58 | Unincorporated Duchesne Countycounty-wide totals | 116 | — county estimate | Calculated from the county-adopted cost-per-square-foot valuation table published in the August issue of the ICC Building Safety Journal, applied to the project's estimated construction cost valuation†Verifieddetails → |
| 59 | Midvale | 112 | +115.4% | $48†Verifieddetails → |
| 60 | West Point | 108 | — insufficient history | Based on building valuation and square footage†Verifieddetails → |
| 61 | Kaysville | 92 | +35.3% | $25Verifieddetails → |
| 62 | Unincorporated Uintah Countycounty-wide totals | 91 | — county estimate | $0.70Verifieddetails → |
| 63 | Ivins | 81 | −33.1% | Based on Valuation, using the City's 1997 Valuation Code†Verifieddetails → |
| 64 | Park City | 79 | −86.6% | $83.00†Verifieddetails → |
| 65 | Unincorporated Juab Countycounty-wide totals | 74 | — county estimate | Valuation-based; computed by the Planning and Zoning Department from the applicant's Total Valuation at time of review†Verifieddetails → |
| 66 | Orem | 70 | — below floor | $86.00Verifieddetails → |
| 67 | Farr West | 67 | — below floor | Based on square footage and valuation; amount cannot be determined until plan review is completed by the Building Inspector.†Verifieddetails → |
| 68 | Unincorporated Emery Countycounty-wide totals | 65 | — county estimate | Valuation-based, per square foot value assigned to each building component (basement, main floor, second floor, garage, carport, covered porch/patio/deck, on-site improvements, storage shed, remodel) using the ICBO 1997 Uniform Building Code (UBC) valuation/fee schedule†Verifieddetails → |
| 69 | Unincorporated Rich Countycounty-wide totals | 65 | — county estimate | Set by the fee table in the International Residential Code (IRC) edition adopted at the time of application — Rich County does not publish a separate dollar-figure fee schedule; per Rich County Ordinance for Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy (adopted 2025), Section 2.D: 'The County adopts the building permit fees set out in the International Residential Code applicable at the time of application.'Verifieddetails → |
| 70 | Springville | 55 | −15.4% | Due in FULL at time of permit submission — contact office staff for the exact amount; no fixed published dollar figure.Verifieddetails → |
| 71 | Nephi | 53 | −22.1% | Based off valuation (no flat citywide table published; fee computed by the contracted plans examiner/building inspector from project valuation)†Verifieddetails → |
| 72 | Taylorsville | 53(11 mo) | — insufficient history | $24.00†Verifieddetails → |
| 73 | Unincorporated San Juan Countycounty-wide totals | 50 | — county estimate | $3,500Verifieddetails → |
| 74 | North Salt Lake | 43(11 mo) | — insufficient history | Valuation-based per most recent ICC Building Valuation Data Schedule†Verifieddetails → |
| 75 | Highland | 42 | −50.6% | As Set Forth by the International Code Council (valuation-based; no fixed city table published)†Verifieddetails → |
| 76 | Plain City | 41 | −41.4% | $1†Verifieddetails → |
| 77 | South Weber | 41 | — below floor | Gross Area x Square Foot Construction Cost x Permit Fee Multiplier, per the 2025 ICC Building Code Valuation Data†Verifieddetails → |
| 78 | Bountiful | 40 | — below floor | $500Verifieddetails → |
| 79 | Clearfield | 40 | — below floor | $23.50Verifieddetails → |
| 80 | Cottonwood Heights | 39(11 mo) | — insufficient history | 100% of the building valuation data table from the most current IBC edition adopted in Utah†Verifieddetails → |
| 81 | Unincorporated Beaver Countycounty-wide totals | 38 | — county estimate | Determined by the current IBC/IRC valuation methodology†Verifieddetails → |
| 82 | Unincorporated Carbon Countycounty-wide totals | 38 | — county estimate | — |
| 83 | Coalville | 32(11 mo) | — insufficient history | $2,000†Verifieddetails → |
| 84 | Lindon | 31 | −67.7% | Determined using 1997 Uniform Building Code, Table 1-A, applied to project valuation†Verifieddetails → |
| 85 | Pleasant View | 30 | — below floor | $1†Verifieddetails → |
| 86 | Woods Cross | 26 | — below floor | $1.00†Verifieddetails → |
| 87 | Unincorporated Garfield Countycounty-wide totals | 24 | — county estimate | $60.00Verifieddetails → |
| 88 | Unincorporated Piute Countycounty-wide totals | 23 | — county estimate | — |
| 89 | Riverdale | 22 | — insufficient history | $1†Verifieddetails → |
| 90 | North Logan | 21 | — below floor | As established in the 1997 Uniform Building Code (Table No. 3-A), adjusted annually by the CPIVerifieddetails → |
| 91 | Centerville | 19 | — below floor | $1†Verifieddetails → |
| 92 | Unincorporated Wayne Countycounty-wide totals | 19 | — county estimate | — |
| 93 | Vernal | 13 | −87.9% | $1†Verifieddetails → |
| 94 | Unincorporated Daggett Countycounty-wide totals | 12 | — county estimate | $600Verifieddetails → |
| 95 | La Verkin | 11 | — below floor | Based upon 90% of the square foot construction costs chart (dated 06/18/08)†Verifieddetails → |
| 96 | Fruit Heights | 9(9 mo) | — insufficient history | Based on current building valuation (no published flat rate or per-square-foot table)†Verifieddetails → |
| 97 | Sandy | 6(4 mo) | — insufficient history | $2,967Verifieddetails → |
| 98 | West Bountiful | 5 | — below floor | $1,000Verifieddetails → |
| 99 | Cedar Hills | 3 | — below floor | Based on valuation (no flat table published; assessed per International Building Code valuation methodology)†Verifieddetails → |
| 100 | Washington Terrace | 3 | — insufficient history | Set by the 'Building Permit Fee Schedule' in the most current adopted code edition, applied to project valuation determined from the 'Building Valuation Data' table published in the current issue of ICC's 'Building Standards.'†Verifieddetails → |
| 101 | Alpine | 2(1 mo) | — insufficient history | $1,000.00Verifieddetails → |
| 102 | South Ogden | 0 | — insufficient history | $0†Verifieddetails → |
| — | Ephraim | no data reported | — insufficient history | ICC Building Valuation Data-based, city-limits rate (lowest of the county's three rate tiers); no static current dollar figure published -- quoted through the county's online permit portal†Verifieddetails → |
| — | Holladay | no data reported | — insufficient history | Determined per project valuation using the 1997 Uniform Administrative Code, Table 3-A†Verifieddetails → |
| — | Kanab | no data reported | — insufficient history | ICC Building Valuation Data × city permit multiplier (0.011 for FY2021-2022, most recent published multiplier)†Verifieddetails → |
| — | Monticello | no data reported | — insufficient history | $1†Verifieddetails → |
| — | Ogden | no data reported | — insufficient history | $70.50Verifieddetails → |
| — | Price | no data reported | — insufficient history | — |
| — | Richfield | no data reported | — insufficient history | — |
| — | Roosevelt | no data reported | — insufficient history | $23.50Verifieddetails → |
How to read this table
Rows are ranked only by Census building-activity units — the one figure that’s measured the same way in every city. The fee column is never ranked, averaged, or sorted, because permit fees aren’t measured the same way from city to city: some jurisdictions charge a flat fee, others price on a sliding scale tied to construction valuation, others per square foot, others as a percentage of the building permit fee. Averaging or sorting those numbers together would compare figures that don’t measure the same thing — a “cheapest city” ranking built on that mix would be a misleading metric, so we don’t build one.
A dagger (†) next to a fee means it’s the starting tier from a valuation-based or sliding-scale schedule per the jurisdiction’s own published fee table — not a final total for every project. Open the linked permit page for the complete schedule.
The growth percentage only appears when a jurisdiction’s trailing-12-month and prior-12-month windows were both fully reported to the Census Bureau, and the prior-year total was at least 50 units. Below that floor a percentage swings too wildly on a small base to be meaningful, so we withhold it rather than publish a misleading rate. County-level rows never get a growth rank, since county totals can include Census imputation for non-reporting offices.
Two provenance regimes are stacked on this page: Census activity figures are self-reported by jurisdictions to the Bureau on a monthly cadence, while permit fees are independently verified by PermitBase against each department’s own published schedule (see the confidence badge and source link on each fee). A jurisdiction shown as “no data reported” did not report to the Census Bureau for that period — that is never the same as zero activity.
Frequently asked questions
- Why don't you rank cities by permit cost?
- Permit fees aren't measured the same way from city to city — one jurisdiction charges a flat fee, another prices on a sliding scale tied to construction valuation, another per square foot, another as a percentage of the building permit fee. Sorting those numbers together and calling the smallest one "cheapest" would compare figures that don't measure the same thing, which is a misleading metric dressed up as a ranking. So this page ranks only what's genuinely comparable across cities — Census building-activity units — and shows each city's own published fee next to it, verbatim, for reference only.
- What does the growth percentage measure?
- Year-over-year change in trailing-12-month housing units authorized for new privately-owned residential construction, per the Census Bureau Building Permits Survey. It only appears when both the current and prior 12-month windows were fully reported and the prior-year total meets a minimum reporting floor — otherwise a percentage would be either impossible to compute or too volatile to be meaningful.
- What does the dagger (†) next to a fee mean?
- It marks a fee that's a starting tier from a valuation-based or sliding-scale schedule, not a flat final total. Open the city's permit page for the complete fee table.
- Why do some cities show “no data reported” instead of a number?
- That jurisdiction didn't report to the Census Bureau for that period. We show it as unreported, never as zero — assuming zero activity for a non-reporting jurisdiction would be inventing a data point that doesn't exist.
See full Utah building-activity detail →·Look up a specific Utah permit fee →
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