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 2021, at 5,341. Zion, IL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 14 and the figure for Illinois was 19,658. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest5,341Chicago, IL

Lowest0Zion, IL

Median14223 cities

Illinois19,658History

Top 40 cities, 2021

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

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2021 count	Change on 2020
1	Chicago, IL Estimated	5,341	+29.2%
2	Naperville, IL Estimated	735	+70.5%
3	Yorkville, IL Estimated	403	+27.5%
4	McHenry, IL Estimated	392	+300%
5	Bolingbrook, IL Estimated	383	+527.9%
6	Plainfield, IL Estimated	356	+39.1%
7	Joliet, IL Estimated	331	+4.1%
8	Champaign, IL Estimated	284	-68.3%
9	Crystal Lake, IL Estimated	225	+171.1%
10	Springfield, IL Estimated	224	+44.5%
11	Montgomery, IL Estimated	194	-38.4%
12	Mahomet, IL Estimated	185	+96.8%
13	Orland Park, IL Estimated	174	-5.4%
14	Elgin, IL Estimated	167	+9.2%
15	Oswego, IL Estimated	160	+16.8%
15	Shiloh, IL Estimated	160	-15.8%
17	Bloomington, IL Estimated	157	+6.1%
18	Morton, IL Estimated	150	+141.9%
19	Pingree Grove, IL Estimated	145	-4%
20	Huntley, IL Estimated	143	+64.4%
21	Manhattan, IL Estimated	142	-27.2%
22	New Lenox, IL Estimated	134	+2.3%
23	Frankfort, IL Estimated	132	+33.3%
24	Lombard, IL Estimated	128	+753.3%
24	O'Fallon, IL Estimated	128	-16.9%
24	Warrenville, IL Estimated	128	-72.6%
27	Mundelein, IL Estimated	112	+62.3%
28	South Elgin, IL Estimated	111	+23.3%
29	Schaumburg, IL Estimated	110	+129.2%
30	Algonquin, IL Estimated	105	-11.8%
30	Arlington Heights, IL Estimated	105	+150%
32	DeKalb, IL Estimated	103	+58.5%
32	Lemont, IL Estimated	103	+32.1%
34	North Aurora, IL Estimated	101	+46.4%
35	Elmhurst, IL Estimated	97	+36.6%
36	Channahon, IL Estimated	95	-20.2%
36	Highland Park, IL Estimated	95	+23.4%
38	Plano, IL Estimated	91	+24.7%
39	Lockport, IL Estimated	89	+111.9%
40	Normal, IL Estimated	84	+3.7%
41	Troy, IL Estimated	79	+17.9%
42	Vernon Hills, IL Estimated	73	+121.2%
43	Buffalo Grove, IL Estimated	72	+84.6%
44	Aurora, IL Estimated	71	-23.7%
45	Shorewood, IL Estimated	70	+7.7%
46	Geneva, IL Estimated	68	+183.3%
46	Quincy, IL Estimated	68	+9.7%
48	Glenview, IL Estimated	66	+29.4%
48	Loves Park, IL Estimated	66	+61%
50	Woodstock, IL Estimated	65	+14%
51	Batavia, IL Estimated	64	-16.9%
52	Sycamore, IL Estimated	62	+14.8%
53	Belvidere, IL Estimated	61	+916.7%
54	Homer Glen, IL Estimated	58	+11.5%
54	Maywood, IL Estimated	58	-20.5%
54	Urbana, IL Estimated	58	-86.3%
57	Waterloo, IL Estimated	56	-16.4%
58	Richton Park, IL Estimated	55	n/a
58	Rolling Meadows, IL Estimated	55	+5.8%
60	Bourbonnais, IL Estimated	54	+116%
61	Cary, IL Estimated	51	+218.8%
61	Peoria, IL Estimated	51	+45.7%
63	Hinsdale, IL Estimated	49	+44.1%
63	Marion, IL Estimated	49	+81.5%
63	Northbrook, IL Estimated	49	+11.4%
66	Chatham, IL Estimated	47	-26.6%
66	Rock Island, IL Estimated	47	+2,250%
68	Edwardsville, IL Estimated	46	+24.3%
69	Moline, IL Estimated	45	+12.5%
70	Downers Grove, IL Estimated	43	+22.9%
70	Oak Park, IL Estimated	43	+4,200%
72	Fairview Heights, IL Estimated	41	+925%
72	Tinley Park, IL Estimated	41	+192.9%
72	Western Springs, IL Estimated	41	+70.8%
75	Lindenhurst, IL Estimated	39	+1,850%
76	Glen Carbon, IL Estimated	38	-15.6%
76	Swansea, IL Estimated	38	+137.5%
78	Mokena, IL Estimated	37	+5.7%
79	Bloomingdale, IL Estimated	36	-72.1%
80	Addison, IL Estimated	35	+29.6%
81	Bradley, IL Estimated	34	+88.9%
81	Machesney Park, IL Estimated	34	+1,033.3%
83	Lake Forest, IL Estimated	33	+32%
83	Ottawa, IL Estimated	33	+26.9%
85	La Grange, IL Estimated	31	+106.7%
85	Lake Zurich, IL Estimated	31	+342.9%
87	Morris, IL Estimated	30	-51.6%
87	Rockford, IL Estimated	30	-38.8%
89	Belleville, IL Estimated	28	-34.9%
90	Highland, IL Estimated	27	-3.6%
91	Chicago Ridge, IL Estimated	26	n/a
92	Evanston, IL Estimated	25	-61.5%
92	St. Charles, IL Estimated	25	-71.3%
92	Woodridge, IL Estimated	25	+8.7%
95	Antioch, IL Estimated	24	-77.1%
95	Bartlett, IL Estimated	24	+84.6%
95	Park Ridge, IL Estimated	24	+20%
95	Wheaton, IL Estimated	24	-38.5%
99	Columbia, IL Estimated	23	+53.3%
99	Effingham, IL Estimated	23	-37.8%
99	Winnetka, IL Estimated	23	+21.1%
102	Wilmette, IL Estimated	21	-47.5%
103	Godfrey, IL Estimated	20	-45.9%
103	Roselle, IL Estimated	20	+150%
105	Taylorville, IL Estimated	19	n/a
106	Glen Ellyn, IL Estimated	18	-5.3%
107	Libertyville, IL Estimated	17	-22.7%
108	East Peoria, IL Estimated	16	+220%
109	Minooka, IL Estimated	15	+25%
110	Burr Ridge, IL Estimated	14	-62.2%
110	Dixon, IL Estimated	14	0%
110	Mount Prospect, IL Estimated	14	+366.7%
110	Pekin, IL Estimated	14	+40%
114	Oak Lawn, IL Estimated	13	-23.5%
115	Campton Hills, IL Estimated	12	-25%
115	Herrin, IL Estimated	12	-29.4%
115	Skokie, IL Estimated	12	-29.4%
118	Berwyn, IL Estimated	11	+120%
118	Burbank, IL Estimated	11	-8.3%
118	Charleston, IL Estimated	11	+1,000%
118	Crestwood, IL Estimated	11	+37.5%
118	Justice, IL Estimated	11	+37.5%
118	Washington, IL Estimated	11	-35.3%
118	Wood River, IL Estimated	11	-54.2%
125	Deerfield, IL Estimated	10	+11.1%
125	Des Plaines, IL Estimated	10	-75%
127	Midlothian, IL Estimated	9	+200%
127	Romeoville, IL Estimated	9	-96.8%
127	Villa Park, IL Estimated	9	+80%
127	Westmont, IL Estimated	9	-40%
131	Decatur, IL Estimated	8	n/a
131	Hickory Hills, IL Estimated	8	+60%
131	Mount Vernon, IL Estimated	8	+166.7%
134	Centralia, IL Estimated	7	-50%
134	Wauconda, IL Estimated	7	+75%
134	Wood Dale, IL Estimated	7	+133.3%
134	Worth, IL Estimated	7	+133.3%
138	Elk Grove Village, IL Estimated	6	-33.3%
138	Matteson, IL Estimated	6	n/a
138	Palatine, IL Estimated	6	-14.3%
138	Pontiac, IL Estimated	6	+50%
142	Evergreen Park, IL Estimated	5	-16.7%
142	La Grange Park, IL Estimated	5	+25%
142	Palos Hills, IL Estimated	5	-28.6%
142	River Forest, IL Estimated	5	-37.5%
146	Barrington, IL Estimated	4	-89.5%
146	Blue Island, IL Estimated	4	+100%
146	Carbondale, IL Estimated	4	0%
146	Collinsville, IL Estimated	4	-33.3%
146	Crest Hill, IL Estimated	4	+100%
146	Elmwood Park, IL Estimated	4	-20%
146	Freeport, IL Estimated	4	+100%
146	Granite City, IL Estimated	4	-33.3%
146	Lincolnwood, IL Estimated	4	+100%
146	Norridge, IL Estimated	4	-85.2%
146	North Chicago, IL Estimated	4	-33.3%
146	Prospect Heights, IL Estimated	4	-33.3%
158	Canton, IL Estimated	3	+50%
158	East Moline, IL Estimated	3	0%
158	Forest Park, IL Estimated	3	+200%
158	Lincoln, IL Estimated	3	-40%
158	Lisle, IL Estimated	3	-40%
158	Niles, IL Estimated	3	n/a
158	Waukegan, IL Estimated	3	+50%
158	Wheeling, IL Estimated	3	n/a
166	Homewood, IL Estimated	2	+100%
166	Macomb, IL Estimated	2	+100%
166	Melrose Park, IL Estimated	2	n/a
166	Northlake, IL Estimated	2	0%
166	Rantoul, IL Estimated	2	+100%
166	Schiller Park, IL Estimated	2	0%
166	West Chicago, IL Estimated	2	-92%
173	Beach Park, IL Estimated	1	n/a
173	Carpentersville, IL Estimated	1	-66.7%
173	Chicago Heights, IL Estimated	1	0%
173	Cicero, IL Estimated	1	-66.7%
173	Galesburg, IL Estimated	1	n/a
173	Glendale Heights, IL Estimated	1	n/a
173	Grayslake, IL Estimated	1	-50%
173	Gurnee, IL Estimated	1	-66.7%
173	Hoffman Estates, IL Estimated	1	-75%
173	Lake in the Hills, IL Estimated	1	-50%
173	Markham, IL Estimated	1	-66.7%
173	Morton Grove, IL Estimated	1	n/a
173	Oak Forest, IL Estimated	1	0%
173	Palos Heights, IL Estimated	1	n/a
173	Sterling, IL Estimated	1	n/a
173	Streator, IL Estimated	1	-50%
173	Winfield, IL Estimated	1	-99.4%
190	Alsip, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Alton, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Bellwood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Bensenville, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Bridgeview, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Brookfield, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Calumet City, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Carol Stream, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Country Club Hills, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Danville, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Darien, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Dolton, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	East St. Louis, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Fox Lake, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Franklin Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Hanover Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Harvey, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Hazel Crest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Jacksonville, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Kankakee, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Kewanee, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Lansing, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Lyons, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Mattoon, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Park Forest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	River Grove, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Riverdale, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Round Lake Beach, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Round Lake, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	South Holland, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Streamwood, IL Estimated	0	-100%
190	Summit, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	Westchester, IL Estimated	0	n/a
190	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 2021 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/mw2021a.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. (2022). 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, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2021a.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, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Apr. 2022, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2021a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2022. 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, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2021a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2022) 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, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2021a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  year = {2022},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2021a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2021. 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/mw2021a.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, 2021
PY  - 2022
DA  - 2022/04/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2021a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2021.
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/mw2021a.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 5,341 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Zion, IL, with 0 in 2021.

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 2021 and are not ranked.