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 2018, at 6,449. Westchester, IL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 16 and the figure for Illinois was 21,510. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest6,449Chicago, IL

Lowest0Westchester, IL

Median16223 cities

Illinois21,510History

Top 40 cities, 2018

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

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2018 count	Change on 2017
1	Chicago, IL Estimated	6,449	-27.9%
2	Champaign, IL Estimated	1,107	+118.8%
3	Naperville, IL Estimated	572	+2.5%
4	South Elgin, IL Estimated	569	+45.2%
5	Oswego, IL Estimated	438	+742.3%
6	Pingree Grove, IL Estimated	379	+13.8%
7	Oak Park, IL Estimated	313	+6.5%
8	Springfield, IL Estimated	293	+94%
9	Joliet, IL Estimated	285	+29%
10	Shiloh, IL Estimated	276	+463.3%
11	Elmhurst, IL Estimated	259	+167%
12	Yorkville, IL Estimated	243	+13%
13	Edwardsville, IL Estimated	215	+481.1%
14	Des Plaines, IL Estimated	209	-64.7%
14	Glenview, IL Estimated	209	+497.1%
16	Urbana, IL Estimated	185	+193.7%
17	Plainfield, IL Estimated	180	+25%
18	O'Fallon, IL Estimated	166	-24.5%
19	Romeoville, IL Estimated	157	+201.9%
20	Batavia, IL Estimated	153	+1,076.9%
21	Elgin, IL Estimated	146	+3.5%
22	Lockport, IL Estimated	144	+46.9%
23	New Lenox, IL Estimated	142	+0.7%
24	Chatham, IL Estimated	135	+92.9%
25	Frankfort, IL Estimated	134	+42.6%
26	Morris, IL Estimated	130	-11.6%
27	St. Charles, IL Estimated	124	-55.2%
28	Aurora, IL Estimated	121	-4.7%
28	Shorewood, IL Estimated	121	+47.6%
30	Cary, IL Estimated	117	n/a
31	Manhattan, IL Estimated	116	+18.4%
32	Lemont, IL Estimated	110	+6.8%
33	Channahon, IL Estimated	104	-2.8%
34	Normal, IL Estimated	95	-57.4%
35	Arlington Heights, IL Estimated	89	-51.9%
36	Algonquin, IL Estimated	86	+160.6%
37	McHenry, IL Estimated	84	-22.9%
38	Woodridge, IL Estimated	78	+13%
39	Highland Park, IL Estimated	77	0%
40	Marion, IL Estimated	74	+34.5%
41	Troy, IL Estimated	73	+19.7%
42	Hoffman Estates, IL Estimated	71	+20.3%
43	Bloomington, IL Estimated	70	-30.7%
43	Loves Park, IL Estimated	70	+180%
45	Mahomet, IL Estimated	67	-13%
46	Downers Grove, IL Estimated	63	-14.9%
46	Sycamore, IL Estimated	63	+5%
48	Rockford, IL Estimated	62	+24%
49	North Aurora, IL Estimated	59	0%
50	Kankakee, IL Estimated	56	-20%
51	Vernon Hills, IL Estimated	54	-79.9%
52	Machesney Park, IL Estimated	51	+325%
52	Waterloo, IL Estimated	51	-35.4%
54	Geneva, IL Estimated	50	+56.3%
54	Mokena, IL Estimated	50	-31.5%
56	Hinsdale, IL Estimated	48	+77.8%
57	Highland, IL Estimated	46	+9.5%
57	Homer Glen, IL Estimated	46	-11.5%
57	Minooka, IL Estimated	46	+228.6%
57	Moline, IL Estimated	46	-2.1%
57	Woodstock, IL Estimated	46	-8%
62	Matteson, IL Estimated	45	-50.5%
62	Quincy, IL Estimated	45	-42.3%
64	Burr Ridge, IL Estimated	40	+60%
65	Bradley, IL Estimated	39	-15.2%
65	Columbia, IL Estimated	39	-56.2%
65	Wheeling, IL Estimated	39	-87%
68	Northbrook, IL Estimated	37	-19.6%
68	Ottawa, IL Estimated	37	+19.4%
70	East Peoria, IL Estimated	36	+38.5%
70	Fox Lake, IL Estimated	36	+33.3%
72	Belleville, IL Estimated	35	+2.9%
72	Mundelein, IL Estimated	35	-46.2%
72	Plano, IL Estimated	35	+775%
72	Wilmette, IL Estimated	35	-43.5%
76	Bloomingdale, IL Estimated	33	+3,200%
77	Glen Carbon, IL Estimated	32	+45.5%
77	Peoria, IL Estimated	32	0%
79	Collinsville, IL Estimated	31	+244.4%
79	Elmwood Park, IL Estimated	31	+3,000%
81	Addison, IL Estimated	30	+87.5%
81	Morton Grove, IL Estimated	30	+11.1%
81	Western Springs, IL Estimated	30	+7.1%
84	Glen Ellyn, IL Estimated	29	+26.1%
84	Orland Park, IL Estimated	29	-56.1%
86	Streator, IL Estimated	28	n/a
87	Jacksonville, IL Estimated	27	+575%
87	Lombard, IL Estimated	27	-94.5%
87	Park Ridge, IL Estimated	27	-59.1%
87	Tinley Park, IL Estimated	27	+8%
91	Lake Forest, IL Estimated	26	-45.8%
92	Montgomery, IL Estimated	25	+92.3%
93	Bourbonnais, IL Estimated	24	0%
93	Winfield, IL Estimated	24	0%
95	Campton Hills, IL Estimated	23	+130%
95	DeKalb, IL Estimated	23	+1,050%
95	Godfrey, IL Estimated	23	+9.5%
95	Swansea, IL Estimated	23	-23.3%
99	Bolingbrook, IL Estimated	22	-84.4%
99	Gurnee, IL Estimated	22	-53.2%
99	Washington, IL Estimated	22	-12%
99	Wheaton, IL Estimated	22	-52.2%
103	Antioch, IL Estimated	21	-61.8%
104	Crystal Lake, IL Estimated	20	+185.7%
105	Forest Park, IL Estimated	19	+280%
105	Lisle, IL Estimated	19	-45.7%
107	Deerfield, IL Estimated	18	+28.6%
107	Herrin, IL Estimated	18	-37.9%
107	Warrenville, IL Estimated	18	-35.7%
107	Winnetka, IL Estimated	18	-5.3%
111	Waukegan, IL Estimated	17	+466.7%
112	Morton, IL Estimated	16	-46.7%
112	Northlake, IL Estimated	16	+700%
114	Barrington, IL Estimated	15	-57.1%
114	Libertyville, IL Estimated	15	-57.1%
116	Skokie, IL Estimated	14	+250%
117	Bartlett, IL Estimated	13	-55.2%
118	Berwyn, IL Estimated	12	+200%
118	Centralia, IL Estimated	12	0%
118	Effingham, IL Estimated	12	-55.6%
118	Evanston, IL Estimated	12	-78.6%
118	La Grange, IL Estimated	12	0%
118	Summit, IL Estimated	12	0%
124	Crestwood, IL Estimated	11	-26.7%
124	Lake in the Hills, IL Estimated	11	-26.7%
124	Mattoon, IL Estimated	11	0%
124	Palatine, IL Estimated	11	-78.4%
124	Westmont, IL Estimated	11	-45%
129	Galesburg, IL Estimated	10	+42.9%
129	Lake Zurich, IL Estimated	10	-91.4%
131	Maywood, IL Estimated	9	n/a
131	Roselle, IL Estimated	9	+125%
133	Burbank, IL Estimated	8	-52.9%
133	Fairview Heights, IL Estimated	8	-20%
135	Belvidere, IL Estimated	7	-50%
135	Carbondale, IL Estimated	7	-36.4%
135	Evergreen Park, IL Estimated	7	+250%
138	Crest Hill, IL Estimated	6	+20%
138	Granite City, IL Estimated	6	-14.3%
138	Palos Hills, IL Estimated	6	-14.3%
138	Wauconda, IL Estimated	6	+20%
142	Bridgeview, IL Estimated	5	+25%
142	Danville, IL Estimated	5	+66.7%
142	Darien, IL Estimated	5	-61.5%
142	Justice, IL Estimated	5	+400%
142	Markham, IL Estimated	5	-16.7%
142	Prospect Heights, IL Estimated	5	+150%
148	Dixon, IL Estimated	4	-42.9%
148	La Grange Park, IL Estimated	4	0%
148	Lincolnwood, IL Estimated	4	+100%
148	Melrose Park, IL Estimated	4	+300%
148	Mount Prospect, IL Estimated	4	+33.3%
148	Oak Forest, IL Estimated	4	+100%
148	Pekin, IL Estimated	4	0%
148	Pontiac, IL Estimated	4	+100%
148	Schaumburg, IL Estimated	4	-88.9%
148	Villa Park, IL Estimated	4	-20%
158	East Moline, IL Estimated	3	+50%
158	Midlothian, IL Estimated	3	n/a
158	Oak Lawn, IL Estimated	3	-66.7%
158	River Forest, IL Estimated	3	-25%
158	Rock Island, IL Estimated	3	+200%
158	Sterling, IL Estimated	3	-40%
158	Taylorville, IL Estimated	3	-25%
165	Beach Park, IL Estimated	2	n/a
165	Bellwood, IL Estimated	2	-84.6%
165	Carol Stream, IL Estimated	2	n/a
165	Charleston, IL Estimated	2	-50%
165	Chicago Ridge, IL Estimated	2	-50%
165	Kewanee, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
165	Lyons, IL Estimated	2	+100%
165	Mount Vernon, IL Estimated	2	-95.6%
165	Niles, IL Estimated	2	+100%
165	West Chicago, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
165	Wood Dale, IL Estimated	2	0%
165	Wood River, IL Estimated	2	-75%
177	Alton, IL Estimated	1	n/a
177	Bensenville, IL Estimated	1	-85.7%
177	Canton, IL Estimated	1	0%
177	Decatur, IL Estimated	1	-87.5%
177	Freeport, IL Estimated	1	0%
177	Grayslake, IL Estimated	1	-98.3%
177	Hanover Park, IL Estimated	1	n/a
177	Hickory Hills, IL Estimated	1	-90.9%
177	Huntley, IL Estimated	1	-99.4%
177	Lincoln, IL Estimated	1	-50%
177	Macomb, IL Estimated	1	0%
177	Norridge, IL Estimated	1	0%
177	Rantoul, IL Estimated	1	-50%
177	Rolling Meadows, IL Estimated	1	-85.7%
177	Round Lake Beach, IL Estimated	1	-50%
177	Worth, IL Estimated	1	-83.3%
177	Zion, IL Estimated	1	0%
194	Alsip, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Blue Island, IL Estimated	0	-100%
194	Brookfield, IL Estimated	0	-100%
194	Buffalo Grove, IL Estimated	0	-100%
194	Calumet City, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Carpentersville, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Chicago Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Cicero, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Country Club Hills, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Dolton, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	East St. Louis, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Elk Grove Village, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Franklin Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Glendale Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Harvey, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Hazel Crest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Homewood, IL Estimated	0	-100%
194	Lansing, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Lindenhurst, IL Estimated	0	-100%
194	North Chicago, IL Estimated	0	-100%
194	Palos Heights, IL Estimated	0	-100%
194	Park Forest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Richton Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	River Grove, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Riverdale, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Round Lake, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Schiller Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
194	South Holland, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	Streamwood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
194	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. 1 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2018 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/mw2018a.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. (2019). 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, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2018a.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, 2018. U.S. Census Bureau, 20 June 2019, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2018a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2019. 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, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2018a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2019) 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, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2018a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2018,
  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, 2018}},
  year = {2019},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2018a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2018. 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/mw2018a.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, 2018
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/06/20
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2018a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2018.
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/mw2018a.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 6,449 in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Westchester, IL, with 0 in 2018.

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 2018 and are not ranked.