What kinds of homes are in Chicago, IL?

Name: Types of homes in Chicago, IL, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Chicago, IL has 1,277,054 (±3,651) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 5,607 homes per square mile of land.

25.6% are detached single-family houses.

27.5% are in buildings of two to four units.

43.1% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 1,277,054 (±3,651)
Detached houses: 25.6%
2–4 unit buildings: 27.5%
5+ unit buildings: 43.1%

Homes in Chicago by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	Chicago	Cook County	Illinois	United States
Single-family, detached	25.6% (±0.3 points)	39.6%	58.2%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	3.5% (±0.1 points)	5.5%	6.1%	6.2%
2 units	13.1% (±0.2 points)	8.9%	5.2%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	14.4% (±0.3 points)	10.4%	6.4%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	11.5% (±0.3 points)	9.7%	6.3%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	4.6% (±0.2 points)	5.0%	4.0%	4.3%
20 or more units	27.0% (±0.3 points)	20.1%	11.5%	10.3%
Mobile home	0.2% (±0.1 points)	0.8%	2.3%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%

In Chicago, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is higher than in Cook County (34.8%).

It is also higher than in Illinois (21.8%).

It is higher than the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near Chicago

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Chicago
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
Chicago	—	43.1% (±0.5 points)	—
Cicero	3.9 mi	12.4% (±2.0 points)	Lower
Cicero Township	3.9 mi	12.4% (±2.0 points)	Lower
Stickney	4.8 mi	14.4% (±8.2 points)	Lower
Forest View	4.9 mi	0.0% (±18.4 points)	Lower
Berwyn	5.5 mi	17.8% (±3.2 points)	Lower
Berwyn Township	5.5 mi	17.8% (±3.2 points)	Lower
Stickney Township	6.4 mi	11.7% (±2.3 points)	Lower
Oak Park	6.4 mi	46.8% (±2.9 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Cicero, IL (12.4%), Cicero Township, IL (12.4%), Stickney, IL (14.4%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Oak Park, IL (46.8%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units across Cook County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units
3	Crestwood	56.1% (±9.2 points)
4	Evanston	49.4% (±2.5 points)
5 (tie)	Oak Park	46.8% (±2.9 points)
5 (tie)	Oak Park Township	46.8% (±2.9 points)
7	Harwood Heights	45.2% (±9.8 points)
8	Prospect Heights	43.7% (±7.0 points)
9 (tie)	Chicago	43.1% (±0.5 points)
9 (tie)	Justice	43.1% (±6.3 points)
11	River Grove	42.5% (±7.9 points)
12	Elk Grove Township	42.4% (±2.9 points)
13	Forest Park	41.5% (±6.3 points)
14	Wheeling	40.2% (±4.0 points)
15	Worth	39.7% (±7.8 points)

Showing 13 of 148 places in Cook County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Chicago

How many homes are in Chicago?

Chicago, IL has an estimated 1,277,054 (±3,651) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in Chicago houses or apartments?

25.6% are detached houses and 3.5% attached houses, while 70.6% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in Chicago?

27.5% of homes in Chicago are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chicago city, Illinois

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Chicago city, Illinois (place:14000, in state:17).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.