Jacksonville’s biggest homebuilders cranked out more than 5,000 finished houses in 2024 and broke ground on over 4,400 new units, according to a new industry ranking. The list puts 17 firms under the microscope, a mix of national production builders and regional outfits that together power the First Coast’s new-home pipeline.
The ranking, compiled by the Jacksonville Business Journal, shows the group reported more than 5,000 homes built and more than 4,400 housing starts during 2024 and was ordered by 2025 local starts, based on company-submitted surveys, according to Jacksonville Business Journal. The online version stretches beyond the print edition and covers builders working across Baker, Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Nassau, Putnam and Flagler counties.
Who's Building Most of the Houses?
National production giants are doing most of the heavy lifting on rooftops. D.R. Horton, Lennar and locally based Dream Finders sat atop the 2024 closings leaderboard, and Builder Magazine's Local Leaders data show the top 10 builders combined for roughly 9,061 closings. D.R. Horton led the pack with about 1,992 closings, followed by Lennar at 1,785 and Dream Finders at 1,247, per Builder.
Cooling Starts, Sticky Demand
Local market reports paint a picture of groundbreakings easing off while sellers work through existing inventory. A Jacksonville market report from LandAdvisors notes new-home starts were down roughly 24% year over year while closings slipped about 3.8%. Industry coverage points to higher materials and labor costs, permitting bottlenecks and incentive-driven pricing as reasons builders have pulled back on starts. HousingWire and trade reporting have documented those headwinds.
Local Builders And The First Coast Footprint
Several firms on the list are expanding or doubling down in the region. Jacksonville-based Dream Finders reported stronger homebuilding revenues and a larger backlog in its 2024 results, underscoring why national and regional brands keep investing in northeast Florida. In its investor release and SEC filings, Dream Finders said 2024 closings rose and the company expects elevated volumes as it converts backlog into homes, according to Dream Finders Homes.
What To Watch
Key variables to watch now are lot releases, permitting timelines and whether builders shift more product into townhomes or smaller-lot footprints to protect margins. Master-planned projects such as Wildlight in Yulee, which recently mapped about 200 more lots, are likely to influence which builders can ramp starts quickly, as reported in coverage of about 200 more home lots and local trade reporting.
For buyers, all of this translates into more new-home choices and, in many pockets, stronger incentives as builders work through inventory. We will be watching how starts, permits and lot supply evolve through 2026 and whether that reshapes pricing and product mix across the First Coast.
