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 2019, at 7,914. Zion, IL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 15 and the figure for Illinois was 20,524. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest7,914Chicago, IL

Lowest0Zion, IL

Median15223 cities

Illinois20,524History

Top 40 cities, 2019

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

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2019 count	Change on 2018
1	Chicago, IL Estimated	7,914	+22.7%
2	Champaign, IL Estimated	846	-23.6%
3	Wheeling, IL Estimated	321	+723.1%
4	Naperville, IL Estimated	314	-45.1%
5	Joliet, IL Estimated	238	-16.5%
6	Manhattan, IL Estimated	230	+98.3%
7	Montgomery, IL Estimated	207	+728%
8	Skokie, IL Estimated	206	+1,371.4%
9	Plainfield, IL Estimated	202	+12.2%
10	Mahomet, IL Estimated	196	+192.5%
11	Lockport, IL Estimated	183	+27.1%
12	Springfield, IL Estimated	169	-42.3%
13	Yorkville, IL Estimated	167	-31.3%
14	Warrenville, IL Estimated	165	+816.7%
15	New Lenox, IL Estimated	144	+1.4%
16	McHenry, IL Estimated	143	+70.2%
17	Morris, IL Estimated	135	+3.8%
17	Romeoville, IL Estimated	135	-14%
19	Elgin, IL Estimated	133	-8.9%
20	O'Fallon, IL Estimated	126	-24.1%
21	Highland, IL Estimated	110	+139.1%
21	Huntley, IL Estimated	110	+10,900%
23	Channahon, IL Estimated	104	0%
23	Roselle, IL Estimated	104	+1,055.6%
25	Mount Prospect, IL Estimated	102	+2,450%
26	Chatham, IL Estimated	100	-25.9%
27	Batavia, IL Estimated	96	-37.3%
27	Lemont, IL Estimated	96	-12.7%
29	Crystal Lake, IL Estimated	95	+375%
30	Columbia, IL Estimated	93	+138.5%
31	Oswego, IL Estimated	92	-79%
32	Elmhurst, IL Estimated	90	-65.3%
33	North Aurora, IL Estimated	89	+50.8%
34	Rockford, IL Estimated	88	+41.9%
35	Frankfort, IL Estimated	85	-36.6%
36	Ottawa, IL Estimated	82	+121.6%
37	Loves Park, IL Estimated	77	+10%
38	Bloomington, IL Estimated	76	+8.6%
38	Normal, IL Estimated	76	-20%
40	Aurora, IL Estimated	74	-38.8%
41	Woodridge, IL Estimated	72	-7.7%
42	Bolingbrook, IL Estimated	66	+200%
42	Effingham, IL Estimated	66	+450%
44	Oak Park, IL Estimated	65	-79.2%
44	Pingree Grove, IL Estimated	65	-82.8%
46	Orland Park, IL Estimated	63	+117.2%
47	Machesney Park, IL Estimated	62	+21.6%
47	Palatine, IL Estimated	62	+463.6%
49	Hoffman Estates, IL Estimated	61	-14.1%
49	Shiloh, IL Estimated	61	-77.9%
51	Arlington Heights, IL Estimated	60	-32.6%
51	Shorewood, IL Estimated	60	-50.4%
53	Plano, IL Estimated	59	+68.6%
53	Quincy, IL Estimated	59	+31.1%
55	Highland Park, IL Estimated	57	-26%
56	Minooka, IL Estimated	55	+19.6%
57	Sycamore, IL Estimated	53	-15.9%
57	Woodstock, IL Estimated	53	+15.2%
59	Downers Grove, IL Estimated	50	-20.6%
60	Algonquin, IL Estimated	49	-43%
60	Belleville, IL Estimated	49	+40%
60	Bloomingdale, IL Estimated	49	+48.5%
63	Troy, IL Estimated	47	-35.6%
64	Des Plaines, IL Estimated	44	-78.9%
64	St. Charles, IL Estimated	44	-64.5%
66	Morton, IL Estimated	43	+168.8%
66	Mundelein, IL Estimated	43	+22.9%
68	Hinsdale, IL Estimated	40	-16.7%
69	Libertyville, IL Estimated	39	+160%
69	Waterloo, IL Estimated	39	-23.5%
71	Northbrook, IL Estimated	37	0%
72	Moline, IL Estimated	36	-21.7%
73	Antioch, IL Estimated	35	+66.7%
73	Mokena, IL Estimated	35	-30%
75	Edwardsville, IL Estimated	34	-84.2%
75	Marion, IL Estimated	34	-54.1%
77	Godfrey, IL Estimated	33	+43.5%
77	Peoria, IL Estimated	33	+3.1%
77	Tinley Park, IL Estimated	33	+22.2%
80	Burr Ridge, IL Estimated	32	-20%
81	Bourbonnais, IL Estimated	31	+29.2%
81	Vernon Hills, IL Estimated	31	-42.6%
81	Western Springs, IL Estimated	31	+3.3%
84	Matteson, IL Estimated	30	-33.3%
84	Mount Vernon, IL Estimated	30	+1,400%
86	Lombard, IL Estimated	29	+7.4%
86	Urbana, IL Estimated	29	-84.3%
86	Wilmette, IL Estimated	29	-17.1%
89	Addison, IL Estimated	28	-6.7%
89	Glen Carbon, IL Estimated	28	-12.5%
89	Lake Forest, IL Estimated	28	+7.7%
92	Pekin, IL Estimated	27	+575%
93	Evanston, IL Estimated	26	+116.7%
94	Barrington, IL Estimated	25	+66.7%
94	Fox Lake, IL Estimated	25	-30.6%
94	South Elgin, IL Estimated	25	-95.6%
94	Swansea, IL Estimated	25	+8.7%
98	Glen Ellyn, IL Estimated	24	-17.2%
99	Campton Hills, IL Estimated	22	-4.3%
100	Glenview, IL Estimated	21	-90%
101	Bartlett, IL Estimated	19	+46.2%
101	Cary, IL Estimated	19	-83.8%
101	Dixon, IL Estimated	19	+375%
101	Homer Glen, IL Estimated	19	-58.7%
101	La Grange, IL Estimated	19	+58.3%
101	Washington, IL Estimated	19	-13.6%
107	Geneva, IL Estimated	18	-64%
107	Park Ridge, IL Estimated	18	-33.3%
109	Herrin, IL Estimated	16	-11.1%
109	Jacksonville, IL Estimated	16	-40.7%
111	Lisle, IL Estimated	15	-21.1%
111	Westmont, IL Estimated	15	+36.4%
111	Wheaton, IL Estimated	15	-31.8%
114	Collinsville, IL Estimated	14	-54.8%
114	Morton Grove, IL Estimated	14	-53.3%
116	Oak Lawn, IL Estimated	13	+333.3%
117	Bradley, IL Estimated	12	-69.2%
117	Centralia, IL Estimated	12	0%
117	Winnetka, IL Estimated	12	-33.3%
120	East Peoria, IL Estimated	10	-72.2%
120	Villa Park, IL Estimated	10	+150%
122	Belvidere, IL Estimated	9	+28.6%
122	Deerfield, IL Estimated	9	-50%
124	Berwyn, IL Estimated	8	-33.3%
124	Bridgeview, IL Estimated	8	+60%
124	Winfield, IL Estimated	8	-66.7%
127	Crestwood, IL Estimated	7	-36.4%
127	Granite City, IL Estimated	7	+16.7%
127	Lake Zurich, IL Estimated	7	-30%
127	North Chicago, IL Estimated	7	n/a
127	River Grove, IL Estimated	7	n/a
127	Waukegan, IL Estimated	7	-58.8%
133	Brookfield, IL Estimated	6	n/a
133	Burbank, IL Estimated	6	-25%
133	Danville, IL Estimated	6	+20%
133	Palos Hills, IL Estimated	6	0%
137	Elmwood Park, IL Estimated	5	-83.9%
137	Fairview Heights, IL Estimated	5	-37.5%
139	Carbondale, IL Estimated	4	-42.9%
139	Chicago Ridge, IL Estimated	4	+100%
139	Darien, IL Estimated	4	-20%
139	DeKalb, IL Estimated	4	-82.6%
139	Midlothian, IL Estimated	4	+33.3%
139	Northlake, IL Estimated	4	-75%
139	Prospect Heights, IL Estimated	4	-20%
139	Wauconda, IL Estimated	4	-33.3%
147	Bensenville, IL Estimated	3	+200%
147	East Moline, IL Estimated	3	0%
147	Evergreen Park, IL Estimated	3	-57.1%
147	Hickory Hills, IL Estimated	3	+200%
147	La Grange Park, IL Estimated	3	-25%
147	Lincoln, IL Estimated	3	+200%
147	Mattoon, IL Estimated	3	-72.7%
147	Pontiac, IL Estimated	3	-25%
147	River Forest, IL Estimated	3	0%
147	Taylorville, IL Estimated	3	0%
147	Wood Dale, IL Estimated	3	+50%
147	Wood River, IL Estimated	3	+50%
159	Buffalo Grove, IL Estimated	2	n/a
159	Canton, IL Estimated	2	+100%
159	Freeport, IL Estimated	2	+100%
159	Justice, IL Estimated	2	-60%
159	Lyons, IL Estimated	2	0%
159	Maywood, IL Estimated	2	-77.8%
159	Niles, IL Estimated	2	0%
159	Norridge, IL Estimated	2	+100%
159	Schaumburg, IL Estimated	2	-50%
159	Schiller Park, IL Estimated	2	n/a
159	Sterling, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
170	Alton, IL Estimated	1	0%
170	Bellwood, IL Estimated	1	-50%
170	Carol Stream, IL Estimated	1	-50%
170	Charleston, IL Estimated	1	-50%
170	Cicero, IL Estimated	1	n/a
170	Elk Grove Village, IL Estimated	1	n/a
170	Grayslake, IL Estimated	1	0%
170	Gurnee, IL Estimated	1	-95.5%
170	Kewanee, IL Estimated	1	-50%
170	Lincolnwood, IL Estimated	1	-75%
170	Macomb, IL Estimated	1	0%
170	Markham, IL Estimated	1	-80%
170	Melrose Park, IL Estimated	1	-75%
170	Oak Forest, IL Estimated	1	-75%
170	Rantoul, IL Estimated	1	0%
170	Rock Island, IL Estimated	1	-66.7%
170	Round Lake Beach, IL Estimated	1	0%
170	South Holland, IL Estimated	1	n/a
170	West Chicago, IL Estimated	1	-50%
189	Alsip, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Beach Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Blue Island, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Calumet City, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Carpentersville, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Chicago Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Country Club Hills, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Crest Hill, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Decatur, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Dolton, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	East St. Louis, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Forest Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Franklin Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Galesburg, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Glendale Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Hanover Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Harvey, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Hazel Crest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Homewood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Kankakee, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Lake in the Hills, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Lansing, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Lindenhurst, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Palos Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Park Forest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Richton Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Riverdale, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Rolling Meadows, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Round Lake, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Streamwood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Streator, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Summit, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Westchester, IL Estimated	0	n/a
189	Worth, IL Estimated	0	-100%
189	Zion, IL Estimated	0	-100%

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 2019 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/mw2019a.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. (2020). 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, 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2019a.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, 2019. U.S. Census Bureau, 1 May 2020, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2019a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2019. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2020. 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, 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2019a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2019.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2020) 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, 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2019a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2019,
  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, 2019}},
  year = {2020},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2019a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2019. 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/mw2019a.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, 2019
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/05/01
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2019a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2019.
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/mw2019a.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 7,914 in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Zion, IL, with 0 in 2019.

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 2019 and are not ranked.