Cities in Illinois by housing units authorized by building permits

Chicago, IL had the highest housing units authorized by building permits of 223 cities in 2015, at 5,750. Zion, IL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 15 and the figure for Illinois was 19,571. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest5,750Chicago, IL

Lowest0Zion, IL

Median15223 cities

Illinois19,571History

Top 40 cities, 2015

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

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2015 count	Change on 2014
1	Chicago, IL Estimated	5,750	0%
2	Champaign, IL Estimated	831	-9.1%
3	Aurora, IL Estimated	422	+317.8%
4	Naperville, IL Estimated	337	-26.7%
5	Elmhurst, IL Estimated	330	+127.6%
6	Orland Park, IL Estimated	307	+279%
7	Pingree Grove, IL Estimated	285	+2.9%
8	Elgin, IL Estimated	272	-30.8%
9	Wheeling, IL Estimated	244	+154.2%
10	Algonquin, IL Estimated	210	+159.3%
10	Joliet, IL Estimated	210	+72.1%
12	Lombard, IL Estimated	200	+1,150%
12	Schaumburg, IL Estimated	200	+334.8%
14	East St. Louis, IL Estimated	197	-4.8%
15	Glenview, IL Estimated	192	-46.5%
16	Bloomington, IL Estimated	177	+63.9%
17	New Lenox, IL Estimated	162	0%
18	Woodridge, IL Estimated	160	+451.7%
19	Huntley, IL Estimated	158	-18.1%
20	Springfield, IL Estimated	152	-32.7%
21	Plainfield, IL Estimated	151	-7.4%
22	Arlington Heights, IL Estimated	148	+48%
23	Urbana, IL Estimated	145	-39.8%
24	Washington, IL Estimated	138	-71.1%
25	Normal, IL Estimated	137	+57.5%
26	O'Fallon, IL Estimated	134	+6.3%
27	Morris, IL Estimated	130	-9.7%
28	Bolingbrook, IL Estimated	124	0%
29	Lemont, IL Estimated	116	+48.7%
30	Shorewood, IL Estimated	97	+5.4%
31	Chatham, IL Estimated	90	+11.1%
31	Mahomet, IL Estimated	90	+60.7%
33	Frankfort, IL Estimated	84	-18.4%
33	Yorkville, IL Estimated	84	+13.5%
35	Downers Grove, IL Estimated	76	0%
35	Geneva, IL Estimated	76	+280%
35	Sycamore, IL Estimated	76	+153.3%
38	Mokena, IL Estimated	72	-61.5%
38	Northlake, IL Estimated	72	n/a
40	Oswego, IL Estimated	70	-61.5%
41	Western Springs, IL Estimated	67	+24.1%
42	McHenry, IL Estimated	64	+56.1%
42	Quincy, IL Estimated	64	-22.9%
44	South Elgin, IL Estimated	62	+55%
45	Manhattan, IL Estimated	58	+28.9%
46	Hinsdale, IL Estimated	56	-37.8%
47	Columbia, IL Estimated	54	+20%
48	Edwardsville, IL Estimated	52	-66.5%
49	Effingham, IL Estimated	51	+200%
49	Lisle, IL Estimated	51	-45.2%
51	Morton, IL Estimated	50	+35.1%
52	Park Ridge, IL Estimated	49	+32.4%
52	Peoria, IL Estimated	49	-3.9%
52	Vernon Hills, IL Estimated	49	-77.7%
55	Shiloh, IL Estimated	48	-22.6%
55	Waterloo, IL Estimated	48	+20%
55	Wilmette, IL Estimated	48	+9.1%
58	Evanston, IL Estimated	47	+95.8%
58	Palatine, IL Estimated	47	-47.2%
60	Wheaton, IL Estimated	45	-26.2%
61	Homer Glen, IL Estimated	44	+10%
61	Waukegan, IL Estimated	44	+7.3%
63	Moline, IL Estimated	43	-60.2%
63	Troy, IL Estimated	43	+10.3%
65	Lockport, IL Estimated	42	-23.6%
66	Glen Ellyn, IL Estimated	40	-23.1%
67	Swansea, IL Estimated	39	+34.5%
67	Woodstock, IL Estimated	39	-15.2%
69	Melrose Park, IL Estimated	38	+3,700%
69	Northbrook, IL Estimated	38	-17.4%
71	Herrin, IL Estimated	36	+2.9%
72	St. Charles, IL Estimated	35	+52.2%
73	Pekin, IL Estimated	34	+21.4%
74	Carbondale, IL Estimated	33	-74.6%
74	Minooka, IL Estimated	33	-2.9%
76	Bourbonnais, IL Estimated	32	-27.3%
76	Matteson, IL Estimated	32	-22%
76	Montgomery, IL Estimated	32	+3.2%
79	Hoffman Estates, IL Estimated	31	+3,000%
80	Bensenville, IL Estimated	30	+500%
80	Glen Carbon, IL Estimated	30	-21.1%
80	Rockford, IL Estimated	30	-18.9%
83	Loves Park, IL Estimated	29	+26.1%
83	Marion, IL Estimated	29	-31%
83	North Aurora, IL Estimated	29	-27.5%
83	Oak Park, IL Estimated	29	-89.6%
87	Burr Ridge, IL Estimated	27	-3.6%
87	Godfrey, IL Estimated	27	-15.6%
89	Tinley Park, IL Estimated	26	-23.5%
90	Lake Forest, IL Estimated	25	+66.7%
90	Winnetka, IL Estimated	25	+31.6%
92	Deerfield, IL Estimated	24	-91.6%
93	Buffalo Grove, IL Estimated	23	+187.5%
93	Lake Zurich, IL Estimated	23	+27.8%
93	Rolling Meadows, IL Estimated	23	+360%
96	East Peoria, IL Estimated	22	-53.2%
96	Rock Island, IL Estimated	22	-67.6%
98	Ottawa, IL Estimated	21	-22.2%
98	Romeoville, IL Estimated	21	+31.3%
100	Channahon, IL Estimated	20	+81.8%
100	Westmont, IL Estimated	20	-20%
102	La Grange, IL Estimated	19	0%
102	Mundelein, IL Estimated	19	-74%
104	Elmwood Park, IL Estimated	18	+200%
104	Highland Park, IL Estimated	18	-35.7%
104	Libertyville, IL Estimated	18	-10%
107	Beach Park, IL Estimated	17	-46.9%
107	Roselle, IL Estimated	17	+30.8%
109	Batavia, IL Estimated	16	-27.3%
109	Warrenville, IL Estimated	16	+128.6%
109	Winfield, IL Estimated	16	-65.2%
112	Carol Stream, IL Estimated	15	-58.3%
113	Burbank, IL Estimated	14	0%
113	Morton Grove, IL Estimated	14	-41.7%
113	Summit, IL Estimated	14	n/a
116	Bradley, IL Estimated	13	-45.8%
116	Dixon, IL Estimated	13	+1,200%
118	Barrington, IL Estimated	12	-25%
118	Collinsville, IL Estimated	12	-33.3%
118	Highland, IL Estimated	12	+140%
121	Belleville, IL Estimated	11	-60.7%
121	Fairview Heights, IL Estimated	11	-83.8%
121	Mount Vernon, IL Estimated	11	+57.1%
124	Campton Hills, IL Estimated	10	+66.7%
124	Oak Lawn, IL Estimated	10	+100%
124	Skokie, IL Estimated	10	+25%
127	Charleston, IL Estimated	9	0%
127	Norridge, IL Estimated	9	+50%
129	Des Plaines, IL Estimated	8	+100%
130	Bloomingdale, IL Estimated	7	+600%
130	Darien, IL Estimated	7	+600%
130	Granite City, IL Estimated	7	-73.1%
130	Niles, IL Estimated	7	+133.3%
130	Palos Hills, IL Estimated	7	+16.7%
130	Wood Dale, IL Estimated	7	+16.7%
130	Wood River, IL Estimated	7	+250%
137	Alton, IL Estimated	6	+500%
137	Decatur, IL Estimated	6	+200%
137	Kankakee, IL Estimated	6	0%
137	Lake in the Hills, IL Estimated	6	-90.3%
137	Mount Prospect, IL Estimated	6	-64.7%
137	Sterling, IL Estimated	6	+100%
137	Villa Park, IL Estimated	6	+200%
144	DeKalb, IL Estimated	5	n/a
145	Addison, IL Estimated	4	-33.3%
145	Bartlett, IL Estimated	4	-75%
145	Bellwood, IL Estimated	4	-95.5%
145	Brookfield, IL Estimated	4	-60%
145	Canton, IL Estimated	4	+300%
145	East Moline, IL Estimated	4	+100%
145	Jacksonville, IL Estimated	4	+100%
145	La Grange Park, IL Estimated	4	0%
145	Macomb, IL Estimated	4	-50%
145	Markham, IL Estimated	4	-60%
145	Mattoon, IL Estimated	4	-42.9%
145	Plano, IL Estimated	4	+300%
157	Cary, IL Estimated	3	-75%
157	Danville, IL Estimated	3	-40%
157	Fox Lake, IL Estimated	3	+200%
157	Homewood, IL Estimated	3	n/a
157	Oak Forest, IL Estimated	3	+50%
157	Streator, IL Estimated	3	+50%
157	West Chicago, IL Estimated	3	-50%
164	Antioch, IL Estimated	2	n/a
164	Crestwood, IL Estimated	2	n/a
164	Crystal Lake, IL Estimated	2	-88.9%
164	Forest Park, IL Estimated	2	+100%
164	Hickory Hills, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
164	Lincoln, IL Estimated	2	0%
164	Lincolnwood, IL Estimated	2	-71.4%
164	Lyons, IL Estimated	2	+100%
164	Pontiac, IL Estimated	2	-66.7%
164	Prospect Heights, IL Estimated	2	-87.5%
164	Rantoul, IL Estimated	2	n/a
164	Taylorville, IL Estimated	2	0%
176	Centralia, IL Estimated	1	n/a
176	Crest Hill, IL Estimated	1	-85.7%
176	Elk Grove Village, IL Estimated	1	n/a
176	Evergreen Park, IL Estimated	1	-66.7%
176	Franklin Park, IL Estimated	1	n/a
176	Grayslake, IL Estimated	1	0%
176	Gurnee, IL Estimated	1	-75%
176	Hanover Park, IL Estimated	1	n/a
176	Kewanee, IL Estimated	1	-66.7%
176	Palos Heights, IL Estimated	1	n/a
176	Schiller Park, IL Estimated	1	-50%
176	Wauconda, IL Estimated	1	n/a
188	Alsip, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	Belvidere, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	Berwyn, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	Blue Island, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Bridgeview, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Calumet City, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Carpentersville, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	Chicago Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Chicago Ridge, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Cicero, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Country Club Hills, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Dolton, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Freeport, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	Galesburg, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	Glendale Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Harvey, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Hazel Crest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Justice, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	Lansing, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Lindenhurst, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	Machesney Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	Maywood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Midlothian, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	North Chicago, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Park Forest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Richton Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	River Forest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	River Grove, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Riverdale, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Round Lake Beach, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Round Lake, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	South Holland, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Streamwood, IL Estimated	0	-100%
188	Westchester, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Worth, IL Estimated	0	n/a
188	Zion, 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. 1 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2015 and are left out rather than filled from another source. 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/mw2015a.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. (2016). 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, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2015a.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, 2015. U.S. Census Bureau, 30 Sept. 2016, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2015a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2016. 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, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2015a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2016) 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, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2015a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2015,
  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, 2015}},
  year = {2016},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2015a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2015. 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/mw2015a.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, 2015
PY  - 2016
DA  - 2016/09/30
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2015a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2015.
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/mw2015a.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 5,750 in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Zion, IL, with 0 in 2015.

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. 1 cities have no value for 2015 and are not ranked.