Cities in Illinois by housing units authorized by building permits, 2025

Chicago, IL had the highest housing units authorized by building permits of 224 cities in 2025, at 3,916. Westchester, IL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 12 and the figure for Illinois was 18,551. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest3,916Chicago, IL

Lowest0Westchester, IL

Median12224 cities

Illinois18,551History

Top 40 cities, 2025

count. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2025 count	Change on 2024
1	Chicago, IL Estimated	3,916	-10.4%
2	Plainfield, IL Estimated	740	+60.9%
3	Champaign, IL Estimated	645	+70.6%
4	Joliet, IL Estimated	455	+28.9%
5	Deerfield, IL Estimated	449	+80.3%
6	Oswego, IL Estimated	429	+7.8%
7	Huntley, IL Estimated	394	+32.7%
8	Aurora, IL Estimated	385	-21.1%
9	Lombard, IL Estimated	308	+316.2%
10	Fox Lake, IL Estimated	305	+30,400%
11	Yorkville, IL Estimated	259	-0.4%
12	McHenry, IL Estimated	242	+5.7%
13	Elgin, IL Estimated	241	-39.4%
14	Naperville, IL Estimated	228	-38.2%
15	O'Fallon, IL Estimated	200	-40.5%
16	Troy, IL Estimated	173	+226.4%
17	Algonquin, IL Estimated	164	-7.9%
18	Lemont, IL Estimated	156	+14.7%
19	South Elgin, IL Estimated	153	-50%
20	Crystal Lake, IL Estimated	152	-62%
21	Normal, IL Estimated	150	+45.6%
22	Springfield, IL Estimated	146	+67.8%
23	Bolingbrook, IL Estimated	131	+6.5%
24	Rockford, IL Estimated	124	-8.1%
25	Frankfort, IL Estimated	115	+11.7%
26	St. Charles, IL Estimated	114	+26.7%
27	Pingree Grove, IL Estimated	109	-44.9%
28	Highland Park, IL Estimated	106	+16.5%
29	Woodridge, IL Estimated	105	+75%
30	New Lenox, IL Estimated	99	-46.5%
30	Sycamore, IL Estimated	99	+120%
32	Tinley Park, IL Estimated	98	-40.2%
33	Lockport, IL Estimated	97	-76.5%
34	Northbrook, IL Estimated	93	-4.1%
35	Bartlett, IL Estimated	88	-21.4%
35	Marion, IL Estimated	88	+3.5%
37	Oak Forest, IL Estimated	87	+8,600%
38	Moline, IL Estimated	83	+16.9%
39	Bloomington, IL Estimated	82	-6.8%
40	Elmhurst, IL Estimated	74	+7.2%
41	Glenview, IL Estimated	71	-21.1%
42	Mundelein, IL Estimated	67	-36.8%
43	Batavia, IL Estimated	64	+25.5%
44	Urbana, IL Estimated	62	+12.7%
45	North Aurora, IL Estimated	61	+35.6%
46	Channahon, IL Estimated	59	-15.7%
46	DeKalb, IL Estimated	59	-27.2%
46	East St. Louis, IL Estimated	59	n/a
46	Lincoln, IL Estimated	59	n/a
50	Manhattan, IL Estimated	57	-27.8%
51	Cary, IL Estimated	55	+450%
52	Mahomet, IL Estimated	53	-3.6%
53	Downers Grove, IL Estimated	52	-14.8%
53	Taylorville, IL Estimated	52	+8.3%
55	Woodstock, IL Estimated	51	+750%
56	Lisle, IL Estimated	48	+336.4%
57	Washington, IL Estimated	45	+104.5%
58	Evanston, IL Estimated	44	-32.3%
59	Arlington Heights, IL Estimated	43	-86.6%
59	Effingham, IL Estimated	43	+207.1%
61	Schaumburg, IL Estimated	42	-62.8%
62	Loves Park, IL Estimated	41	+10.8%
63	Belvidere, IL Estimated	37	+15.6%
64	Homer Glen, IL Estimated	36	-20%
64	Peoria, IL Estimated	36	0%
64	Waterloo, IL Estimated	36	+24.1%
67	Lindenhurst, IL Estimated	33	-75%
68	Wauconda, IL Estimated	31	+106.7%
69	Godfrey, IL Estimated	30	+15.4%
69	Hinsdale, IL Estimated	30	+11.1%
69	Shiloh, IL Estimated	30	-21.1%
72	Orland Park, IL Estimated	29	+26.1%
72	Villa Park, IL Estimated	29	+383.3%
74	Quincy, IL Estimated	28	-57.6%
75	Geneva, IL Estimated	27	+145.5%
75	Kankakee, IL Estimated	27	-32.5%
77	Herrin, IL Estimated	26	+18.2%
77	Rock Island, IL Estimated	26	n/a
77	Shorewood, IL Estimated	26	-16.1%
77	Western Springs, IL Estimated	26	-13.3%
81	Chatham, IL Estimated	25	n/a
81	Machesney Park, IL Estimated	25	+1,150%
81	Swansea, IL Estimated	25	+13.6%
84	Morton, IL Estimated	24	+100%
85	Bourbonnais, IL Estimated	23	+15%
85	Edwardsville, IL Estimated	23	-4.2%
85	Mokena, IL Estimated	23	-14.8%
85	Montgomery, IL Estimated	23	n/a
89	Carol Stream, IL Estimated	22	+175%
89	Glen Carbon, IL Estimated	22	+10%
89	Morris, IL Estimated	22	-55.1%
89	Wilmette, IL Estimated	22	-8.3%
93	East Moline, IL Estimated	21	+5%
93	Lake in the Hills, IL Estimated	21	+10.5%
95	Addison, IL Estimated	20	-78.7%
95	Evergreen Park, IL Estimated	20	n/a
97	Granite City, IL Estimated	19	n/a
98	Bradley, IL Estimated	18	+5.9%
98	Dixon, IL Estimated	18	-35.7%
98	Highland, IL Estimated	18	+5.9%
98	Minooka, IL Estimated	18	+200%
102	Wheeling, IL Estimated	17	-67.9%
103	Glen Ellyn, IL Estimated	16	-23.8%
103	Lake Forest, IL Estimated	16	+14.3%
105	Zion, IL Estimated	15	-50%
106	Burbank, IL Estimated	14	+100%
106	Park Ridge, IL Estimated	14	-12.5%
108	Waukegan, IL Estimated	13	+550%
109	Des Plaines, IL Estimated	12	+300%
109	Fairview Heights, IL Estimated	12	-87.2%
109	Jacksonville, IL Estimated	12	+140%
109	Mount Vernon, IL Estimated	12	+100%
109	North Chicago, IL Estimated	12	+20%
114	Oak Lawn, IL Estimated	11	+1,000%
114	Rantoul, IL Estimated	11	n/a
114	Westmont, IL Estimated	11	+120%
117	Burr Ridge, IL Estimated	10	-28.6%
117	Columbia, IL Estimated	10	-28.6%
117	Justice, IL Estimated	10	-16.7%
120	Barrington, IL Estimated	9	+125%
120	Campton Hills, IL Estimated	9	-30.8%
120	Ottawa, IL Estimated	9	-30.8%
120	Vernon Hills, IL Estimated	9	+12.5%
120	Wheaton, IL Estimated	9	-97.4%
120	Winnetka, IL Estimated	9	-52.6%
126	Charleston, IL Estimated	8	+100%
126	East Peoria, IL Estimated	8	-75.8%
126	Mattoon, IL Estimated	8	-75%
129	Alsip, IL Estimated	7	+40%
129	Palatine, IL Estimated	7	+40%
129	Pekin, IL Estimated	7	0%
132	Danville, IL Estimated	6	n/a
132	Hickory Hills, IL Estimated	6	+100%
132	La Grange, IL Estimated	6	-40%
132	Lake Zurich, IL Estimated	6	-66.7%
132	Maywood, IL Estimated	6	-57.1%
137	Berwyn, IL Estimated	5	-16.7%
137	Libertyville, IL Estimated	5	-94.3%
137	Melrose Park, IL Estimated	5	-28.6%
137	Prospect Heights, IL Estimated	5	+66.7%
137	Wood River, IL Estimated	5	+150%
137	Worth, IL Estimated	5	-73.7%
143	Antioch, IL Estimated	4	+100%
143	Chicago Ridge, IL Estimated	4	+300%
143	Glendale Heights, IL Estimated	4	n/a
143	Hoffman Estates, IL Estimated	4	-33.3%
143	Plano, IL Estimated	4	+100%
143	Wood Dale, IL Estimated	4	-20%
149	Belleville, IL Estimated	3	-93.8%
149	Decatur, IL Estimated	3	0%
149	Gurnee, IL Estimated	3	-94.3%
149	Lincolnwood, IL Estimated	3	n/a
149	Rolling Meadows, IL Estimated	3	+200%
149	Skokie, IL Estimated	3	-99%
149	Warrenville, IL Estimated	3	-57.1%
156	Bensenville, IL Estimated	2	-50%
156	Blue Island, IL Estimated	2	0%
156	Brookfield, IL Estimated	2	-80%
156	Centralia, IL Estimated	2	0%
156	Cicero, IL Estimated	2	n/a
156	Crestwood, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
156	Darien, IL Estimated	2	-97.1%
156	Grayslake, IL Estimated	2	-75%
156	La Grange Park, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
156	Morton Grove, IL Estimated	2	-96.2%
156	Palos Hills, IL Estimated	2	-81.8%
156	River Forest, IL Estimated	2	+100%
156	Round Lake, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
156	Winfield, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
170	Alton, IL Estimated	1	-97.5%
170	Bloomingdale, IL Estimated	1	-75%
170	Buffalo Grove, IL Estimated	1	n/a
170	Carbondale, IL Estimated	1	-50%
170	Collinsville, IL Estimated	1	-87.5%
170	Elmwood Park, IL Estimated	1	n/a
170	Forest Park, IL Estimated	1	-92.9%
170	Galesburg, IL Estimated	1	n/a
170	Lyons, IL Estimated	1	-75%
170	Macomb, IL Estimated	1	0%
170	Matteson, IL Estimated	1	n/a
170	Mount Prospect, IL Estimated	1	-66.7%
170	Niles, IL Estimated	1	-99.6%
170	Palos Heights, IL Estimated	1	-83.3%
170	Pontiac, IL Estimated	1	0%
170	Richton Park, IL Estimated	1	n/a
170	Roselle, IL Estimated	1	-66.7%
170	Round Lake Beach, IL Estimated	1	-66.7%
170	Sterling, IL Estimated	1	-50%
170	Streator, IL Estimated	1	n/a
170	West Chicago, IL Estimated	1	-50%
191	Beach Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
191	Bellwood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Bridgeview, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Cahokia Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Calumet City, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Canton, IL Estimated	0	-100%
191	Carpentersville, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Chicago Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Country Club Hills, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Crest Hill, IL Estimated	0	-100%
191	Dolton, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Elk Grove Village, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Franklin Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Freeport, IL Estimated	0	-100%
191	Hanover Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Harvey, IL Estimated	0	-100%
191	Hazel Crest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Homewood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Kewanee, IL Estimated	0	-100%
191	Lansing, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Markham, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Midlothian, IL Estimated	0	-100%
191	Norridge, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Northlake, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Oak Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Park Forest, IL Estimated	0	-100%
191	River Grove, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Riverdale, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Romeoville, IL Estimated	0	-100%
191	Schiller Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	South Holland, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Streamwood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Summit, IL Estimated	0	n/a
191	Westchester, IL Estimated	0	n/a

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of new privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in the year or month, from the US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey. Annual totals for the nation, states and counties; monthly counts for the nation and states.

Counts housing units, not buildings, starts, completions or sales. Monthly counts are not seasonally adjusted and do not add up exactly to the annual total, which includes later corrections; the national seasonally adjusted annual rate in the monthly New Residential Construction release is a different measure.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation (Cities in Illinois by housing units authorized by building permits, 2025) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt

MLA 9

Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, Cities in Illinois by housing units authorized by building permits, 2025. U.S. Census Bureau, 14 May 2026, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Cities in Illinois by housing units authorized by building permits, 2025. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation, Cities in Illinois by housing units authorized by building permits, 2025 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2025,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation: Cities in Illinois by housing units authorized by building permits, 2025}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest\%20Region/mw2025a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation: Cities in Illinois by housing units authorized by building permits, 2025
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/14
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2025a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Questions

Which city has the highest housing units authorized by building permits?

Chicago, IL, with 3,916 in 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest housing units authorized by building permits?

Westchester, IL, with 0 in 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: final annual estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized by permit-issuing place, including imputation. Retrieved 2026-10-12.