City building permits · Jul 2026
Chicago Building Permits
Monthly residential building permits for Chicago, Illinois — 126 units in Jul 2026, 2,531 over the last 12 months — latest month -81.1% vs. a year earlier.
| Structure type | Units | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family (1-unit) | 30 | 23.8% |
| 2-unit structures | 2 | 1.6% |
| 3–4 unit structures | 48 | 38.1% |
| Multifamily (5+ units) | 46 | 36.5% |
| All units | 126 | 100% |
Compare this area with the rest of the country: ranked leaderboards for permit volume, permits per capita, year-over-year growth, and multifamily share.
Chicago building permits — FAQ
How many building permits were issued in Chicago, Illinois?+
126 new residential units were authorized in Chicago in Jul 2026, and 2,531 over the trailing 12 months, per the Census Building Permits Survey.
What types of housing is Chicago permitting?+
In Jul 2026, 30 single-family and 46 units in 5+ unit buildings were permitted — 76.2% of the total was multifamily.
Why might Chicago's numbers be zero some months?+
Permit activity is lumpy at the city level, and small jurisdictions may report to the Census with a lag. Zero in a month means no permits were reported, not necessarily no construction interest.