Cities in Illinois by housing units authorized by building permits

Chicago, IL had the highest housing units authorized by building permits of 224 cities in 2024, at 4,371. Westchester, IL had the lowest, at 0. The median was 12 and the figure for Illinois was 20,326. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest4,371Chicago, IL

Lowest0Westchester, IL

Median12224 cities

Illinois20,326History

Top 40 cities, 2024

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

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2024 count	Change on 2023
1	Chicago, IL Estimated	4,371	+20.9%
2	Aurora, IL Estimated	488	+34.1%
3	Plainfield, IL Estimated	460	+17.9%
4	Lockport, IL Estimated	412	+333.7%
5	Crystal Lake, IL Estimated	400	+70.2%
6	Elgin, IL Estimated	398	+17.8%
6	Oswego, IL Estimated	398	-35.5%
8	Champaign, IL Estimated	378	+13.2%
9	Naperville, IL Estimated	369	-20.3%
10	Joliet, IL Estimated	353	+56.2%
11	Wheaton, IL Estimated	340	+2,990.9%
12	O'Fallon, IL Estimated	336	+220%
13	Arlington Heights, IL Estimated	321	+970%
14	South Elgin, IL Estimated	306	+33.6%
15	Skokie, IL Estimated	299	+7,375%
16	Huntley, IL Estimated	297	+356.9%
17	Yorkville, IL Estimated	260	-44%
18	Deerfield, IL Estimated	249	+758.6%
19	Niles, IL Estimated	232	+7,633.3%
20	McHenry, IL Estimated	229	-0.4%
21	Pingree Grove, IL Estimated	198	+48.9%
22	New Lenox, IL Estimated	185	+72.9%
23	Algonquin, IL Estimated	178	+29.9%
24	Tinley Park, IL Estimated	164	+57.7%
25	Lemont, IL Estimated	136	-6.2%
26	Rockford, IL Estimated	135	+175.5%
27	Lindenhurst, IL Estimated	132	+473.9%
28	Bolingbrook, IL Estimated	123	+33.7%
29	Schaumburg, IL Estimated	113	+5.6%
30	Bartlett, IL Estimated	112	+111.3%
31	Mundelein, IL Estimated	106	-45.1%
32	Frankfort, IL Estimated	103	+98.1%
32	Normal, IL Estimated	103	+45.1%
34	Northbrook, IL Estimated	97	+438.9%
35	Addison, IL Estimated	94	+224.1%
35	Fairview Heights, IL Estimated	94	+176.5%
37	Highland Park, IL Estimated	91	+4.6%
38	Glenview, IL Estimated	90	+291.3%
38	St. Charles, IL Estimated	90	-71.7%
40	Bloomington, IL Estimated	88	-17.8%
41	Libertyville, IL Estimated	87	+141.7%
41	Springfield, IL Estimated	87	-8.4%
43	Marion, IL Estimated	85	+7.6%
44	DeKalb, IL Estimated	81	+2.5%
45	Manhattan, IL Estimated	79	+29.5%
46	Lombard, IL Estimated	74	+68.2%
47	Moline, IL Estimated	71	+47.9%
48	Channahon, IL Estimated	70	+1.4%
49	Elmhurst, IL Estimated	69	-2.8%
50	Darien, IL Estimated	68	+1,600%
51	Quincy, IL Estimated	66	+15.8%
52	Evanston, IL Estimated	65	+1,200%
53	Downers Grove, IL Estimated	61	+24.5%
54	Woodridge, IL Estimated	60	+200%
55	Mahomet, IL Estimated	55	+27.9%
55	Urbana, IL Estimated	55	-33.7%
57	Gurnee, IL Estimated	53	+1,225%
57	Morton Grove, IL Estimated	53	+2,550%
57	Troy, IL Estimated	53	-7%
57	Wheeling, IL Estimated	53	+381.8%
61	Batavia, IL Estimated	51	+30.8%
62	Morris, IL Estimated	49	+133.3%
63	Belleville, IL Estimated	48	+152.6%
63	Taylorville, IL Estimated	48	+585.7%
65	Homer Glen, IL Estimated	45	-32.8%
65	North Aurora, IL Estimated	45	-61.5%
65	Sycamore, IL Estimated	45	-15.1%
68	Park Forest, IL Estimated	44	n/a
69	Alton, IL Estimated	40	n/a
69	Harvey, IL Estimated	40	-21.6%
69	Kankakee, IL Estimated	40	+900%
72	Shiloh, IL Estimated	38	+22.6%
73	Loves Park, IL Estimated	37	-21.3%
74	Peoria, IL Estimated	36	+2.9%
75	East Peoria, IL Estimated	33	+1,550%
76	Belvidere, IL Estimated	32	+300%
76	Mattoon, IL Estimated	32	+23.1%
78	Shorewood, IL Estimated	31	+40.9%
79	Western Springs, IL Estimated	30	+42.9%
79	Zion, IL Estimated	30	+2,900%
81	Waterloo, IL Estimated	29	-3.3%
82	Dixon, IL Estimated	28	+180%
83	Hinsdale, IL Estimated	27	+8%
83	Mokena, IL Estimated	27	+58.8%
85	Godfrey, IL Estimated	26	+62.5%
86	Edwardsville, IL Estimated	24	-14.3%
86	Wilmette, IL Estimated	24	+26.3%
88	Orland Park, IL Estimated	23	-52.1%
89	Herrin, IL Estimated	22	-15.4%
89	Swansea, IL Estimated	22	+37.5%
89	Washington, IL Estimated	22	+266.7%
92	Glen Ellyn, IL Estimated	21	-16%
93	Bourbonnais, IL Estimated	20	+66.7%
93	East Moline, IL Estimated	20	+400%
93	Glen Carbon, IL Estimated	20	-4.8%
96	Lake in the Hills, IL Estimated	19	+850%
96	Winnetka, IL Estimated	19	+26.7%
96	Worth, IL Estimated	19	+533.3%
99	Lake Zurich, IL Estimated	18	+38.5%
100	Bradley, IL Estimated	17	+112.5%
100	Highland, IL Estimated	17	-26.1%
102	Park Ridge, IL Estimated	16	+45.5%
103	Wauconda, IL Estimated	15	+400%
104	Burr Ridge, IL Estimated	14	+16.7%
104	Columbia, IL Estimated	14	+27.3%
104	Effingham, IL Estimated	14	-73.6%
104	Forest Park, IL Estimated	14	+1,300%
104	Lake Forest, IL Estimated	14	-64.1%
104	Maywood, IL Estimated	14	-78.5%
110	Campton Hills, IL Estimated	13	-56.7%
110	Ottawa, IL Estimated	13	-60.6%
112	Justice, IL Estimated	12	+200%
112	Morton, IL Estimated	12	+71.4%
114	Geneva, IL Estimated	11	-8.3%
114	Lisle, IL Estimated	11	+83.3%
114	Palos Hills, IL Estimated	11	+175%
117	Brookfield, IL Estimated	10	n/a
117	Cary, IL Estimated	10	-9.1%
117	La Grange, IL Estimated	10	-28.6%
117	North Chicago, IL Estimated	10	-23.1%
121	Carol Stream, IL Estimated	8	-55.6%
121	Collinsville, IL Estimated	8	+300%
121	Grayslake, IL Estimated	8	-72.4%
121	Vernon Hills, IL Estimated	8	+14.3%
125	Burbank, IL Estimated	7	-22.2%
125	Melrose Park, IL Estimated	7	+600%
125	Pekin, IL Estimated	7	+16.7%
125	Warrenville, IL Estimated	7	+16.7%
129	Berwyn, IL Estimated	6	+50%
129	Hoffman Estates, IL Estimated	6	+20%
129	Minooka, IL Estimated	6	+20%
129	Mount Vernon, IL Estimated	6	+50%
129	Palos Heights, IL Estimated	6	+500%
129	Villa Park, IL Estimated	6	+200%
129	Woodstock, IL Estimated	6	-88%
136	Alsip, IL Estimated	5	-44.4%
136	Jacksonville, IL Estimated	5	n/a
136	Palatine, IL Estimated	5	-92.2%
136	Westmont, IL Estimated	5	-37.5%
136	Wood Dale, IL Estimated	5	0%
141	Barrington, IL Estimated	4	+300%
141	Beach Park, IL Estimated	4	+300%
141	Bensenville, IL Estimated	4	+33.3%
141	Bloomingdale, IL Estimated	4	-33.3%
141	Charleston, IL Estimated	4	0%
141	Lyons, IL Estimated	4	n/a
147	Crestwood, IL Estimated	3	+50%
147	Decatur, IL Estimated	3	-40%
147	Des Plaines, IL Estimated	3	-40%
147	Hickory Hills, IL Estimated	3	-72.7%
147	Kewanee, IL Estimated	3	n/a
147	La Grange Park, IL Estimated	3	-57.1%
147	Mount Prospect, IL Estimated	3	-98.1%
147	Prospect Heights, IL Estimated	3	-25%
147	Roselle, IL Estimated	3	-83.3%
147	Round Lake Beach, IL Estimated	3	0%
147	Round Lake, IL Estimated	3	+50%
147	Winfield, IL Estimated	3	0%
159	Antioch, IL Estimated	2	-95%
159	Blue Island, IL Estimated	2	-50%
159	Canton, IL Estimated	2	0%
159	Carbondale, IL Estimated	2	0%
159	Centralia, IL Estimated	2	-60%
159	Freeport, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
159	Machesney Park, IL Estimated	2	-60%
159	Midlothian, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
159	Plano, IL Estimated	2	-85.7%
159	Sterling, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
159	Waukegan, IL Estimated	2	-33.3%
159	West Chicago, IL Estimated	2	+100%
159	Wood River, IL Estimated	2	-60%
172	Chicago Ridge, IL Estimated	1	-50%
172	Crest Hill, IL Estimated	1	0%
172	Fox Lake, IL Estimated	1	-90%
172	Macomb, IL Estimated	1	0%
172	Oak Forest, IL Estimated	1	-98.9%
172	Oak Lawn, IL Estimated	1	-80%
172	Pontiac, IL Estimated	1	-75%
172	River Forest, IL Estimated	1	-50%
172	Rolling Meadows, IL Estimated	1	n/a
172	Romeoville, IL Estimated	1	0%
182	Bellwood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Bridgeview, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Buffalo Grove, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Cahokia Heights, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Calumet City, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Carpentersville, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Chatham, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Chicago Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Cicero, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Country Club Hills, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Danville, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Dolton, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	East St. Louis, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Elk Grove Village, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Elmwood Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Evergreen Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Franklin Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Galesburg, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Glendale Heights, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Granite City, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Hanover Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Hazel Crest, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Homewood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Lansing, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Lincoln, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Lincolnwood, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Markham, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Matteson, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Montgomery, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Norridge, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Northlake, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Oak Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Rantoul, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Richton Park, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	River Grove, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Riverdale, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Rock Island, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Schiller Park, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	South Holland, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Streamwood, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	Streator, IL Estimated	0	-100%
182	Summit, IL Estimated	0	n/a
182	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/mw2024a.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. (2025). 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, 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.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, 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 1 May 2025, https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2024. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. 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, 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2024.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) 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, 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2024,
  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, 2024}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2024. 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/mw2024a.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, 2024
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/05/01
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/Place/Midwest%20Region/mw2024a.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/building-permit-housing-units/illinois-cities?period=2024.
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/mw2024a.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 4,371 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Westchester, IL, with 0 in 2024.

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.