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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.



Chicago, IL Real Estate Market

Source & Methodology

Analytics built by:   Location, Inc.

Raw data sources:   American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Date(s) & Update Frequency:
  • Home Values, Rents: Reflects Q4 2023. Updated quarterly.
  • Setting, Housing Stock, Homeownership: 2022 (latest available). Updated annually.

Methodology:   NeighborhoodScout uses over 600 characteristics to build a neighborhood profile… Read more about Scout's Real Estate Data

Chicago, IL Housing Market Trends

With a population of 2,665,039, 1,129,908 total housing units (homes and apartments), and a median house value of $360,498, Chicago real estate is some of the most expensive in Illinois, although Chicago home values aren't among America's most expensive.

Large apartment complexes or high rise apartments are the single most common housing type in Chicago, accounting for 41.96% of the city's housing units. Other types of housing that are prevalent in Chicago include duplexes, homes converted to apartments or other small apartment buildings ( 28.31%), single-family detached homes ( 25.89%), and a few row houses and other attached homes ( 3.54%). Cities that are predominantly high-density buildings are relatively uncommon in the US. Because of the density, these types of cities are often walkable and compact, and often have a lively downtown.

People in Chicago primarily live in small (one, two or no bedroom) units, chiefly found in large apartment complexes or high rise apartments. Chicago has a mixture of owner-occupied and renter-occupied housing.

The housing in Chicago was primarily built before 1939 ( 39.68%), making the housing stock in Chicago some of the oldest overall in America, although there is a range of ages of homes in Chicago. The next most important housing age is between 1940-1969 ( 29.82%), followed by between 1970-1999 ( 17.68%). There's also some housing in Chicago built between 2000 and later ( 12.82%).

Vacant housing appears to be an issue in Chicago. Fully 10.23% of the housing stock is classified as vacant. Left unchecked, vacant Chicago homes and apartments can be a drag on the real estate market, holding Chicago real estate prices below levels they could achieve if vacant housing was absorbed into the market and became occupied. Housing vacancy rates are a useful measure to consider, along with other things, if you are a home buyer or a real estate investor.

Chicago Home Appreciation Rates

Real estate appreciation rates in Chicago's have tracked to near the national average over the last then years, with the annual appreciation rate averaging 5.55% during the period.

Over the last year, Chicago appreciation rates have trailed the rest of the nation. In the last twelve months, Chicago's appreciation rate has been 4.77%, which is lower than appreciation rates in most communities in America. In the latest quarter, NeighborhoodScout's data show that house appreciation rates in Chicago were at 0.21%, which equates to an annual appreciation rate of 0.86%.

Relative to Illinois, our data show that Chicago's latest annual appreciation rate is lower than 50% of the other cities and towns in Illinois.

One very important thing to keep in mind is that these are average appreciation rates for the city. Individual neighborhoods within Chicago differ in their investment potential, sometimes by a great deal. Fortunately, you can use NeighborhoodScout to pinpoint the exact neighborhoods in Chicago - or in any city or town - that have the best track record of real estate appreciation, by the latest quarter, the last year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, or even since 2000, to assist you in making the best Chicago real estate investment or home purchase decisions.

Average Home Values

Median Home Value

$360,498

Chicago, IL Home Prices
> $1,215,000
$911,001 - $1,215,000
$608,001 - $911,000
$486,001 - $608,000
$365,001 - $486,000
$243,001 - $365,000
$122,001 - $243,000
$61,001 - $122,000
$0 - $61,000
4.9%
4.9%
4.4%
4.4%
11.5%
11.5%
10.5%
10.5%
16.5%
16.5%
25.3%
25.3%
18.9%
18.9%
4.5%
4.5%
3.5%
3.5%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes
Very High

for Illinois

High

for nation

Number of Homes And Apartments:

1,129,908

Chicago Appreciation Rates

Rent & Ownership

Average Market Rent:

$2,044 / per month

Homeownership Rate

Owners
Renters
44.7%
44.7%
55.3%
55.3%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Vacancy Rate

Vacant
Occupied
10.2%
10.2%
89.8%
89.8%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Housing Market Details

Age of Homes

2000 or Newer
1970 - 1999
1940 - 1969
1939 or Older
12.8%
12.8%
17.7%
17.7%
29.8%
29.8%
39.7%
39.7%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Types of Homes

Single-Family
Townhomes
Small Apt. Buildings
Apt. Complexes
Mobile Homes
Other
25.9%
25.9%
3.5%
3.5%
28.3%
28.3%
42.0%
42.0%
0.3%
0.3%
0.0%
0.0%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Home Size

No Bedroom
1 Bedroom
2 Bedrooms
3 Bedrooms
4 Bedrooms
5 or more bedrooms
6.9%
6.9%
20.1%
20.1%
33.4%
33.4%
26.8%
26.8%
9.0%
9.0%
3.9%
3.9%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes