PermitPulse

The grade is a ranking, not a judgment. We add up the estimated construction cost on every building permit in each ZIP, rank the ZIPs from most to least, and split the list into six equal groups. The top sixth gets an A+, the next sixth an A, then B+, B, C+ and C. So an A+ means "more building money is going here than almost anywhere else in the county right now." A C means less is being spent there lately. It says nothing about the people or the quality of a neighborhood.

Invested

The total estimated construction cost listed on the permits. Applicants give this number when they apply, so it's an estimate, not money actually spent.

Permits

How many building permits were issued or requested in that ZIP.

New builds

Permits for brand-new buildings, as opposed to renovations, additions, pools or fences.

Color bar

The mix of work: new builds, renovations, additions, pools, sheds and fences, demolitions.

Requested

Permits filed but not approved yet. This is what's coming next.

Zoning

Rezonings, variances and other land-use cases. These often come months before construction starts.

Code cases

Open code enforcement cases, such as overgrown lots, junk vehicles or unsafe buildings. They show where neighbors need help. They don't change the grade.

Biggest

The single largest project in that ZIP.

Good to know: Grades cover the time period you're viewing (the last 30 days), so they shift as new permits come in. ZIPs with fewer than 3 permits aren't graded. Some suburbs, like Germantown, Collierville and Bartlett, handle part of their own permitting, so their numbers may be lower than the real activity there.