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Chicago, Illinois

The development read on Chicago, from verified US Census data and the live Cividian layers. Every figure below is sourced; anything unverified is marked pending, never estimated.

D grade
Ranks above 30% of peers
Economic grade against US cities and towns with 250,000 or more residents. Losing ground to peers. Confidence high.
People: DIncome: BWork: DHousing: FBusiness: C
Why this grade: every measure and its source
MeasureHerePeer medianSource
Population change over 5 years-0.4%2.5%US Census ACS 5-year B01003 · 2014-2018 vs 2019-2023 · place
Median household income$75,134$75,134US Census ACS 5-year B19013 · 2019-2023 · place
Income per person$48,148$40,309US Census ACS 5-year B19301 · 2019-2023 · place
Median earnings of working residents$49,320$42,718US Census ACS 5-year B20002 · 2019-2023 · place
Poverty rate16.8%15.5%US Census ACS 5-year B17001 · 2019-2023 · place
Household income change over 5 years36.1%33.0%US Census ACS 5-year B19013 · 2014-2018 vs 2019-2023 · place
Adults 16 and over in the labor force67.3%66.7%US Census ACS 5-year B23025 · 2019-2023 · place
Unemployment rate7.9%5.5%US Census ACS 5-year B23025 · 2019-2023 · place
Vacant homes, not counting seasonal homes8.9%7.0%US Census ACS 5-year B25004 · 2019-2023 · place
Idle vacant homes (not for rent, sale or seasonal use)5.3%2.6%US Census ACS 5-year B25004 · 2019-2023 · place
Median rent as a share of household income29.0%31.0%US Census ACS 5-year B25071 · 2019-2023 · place
Home value change over 5 years27.9%51.3%US Census ACS 5-year B25077 · 2014-2018 vs 2019-2023 · place
Homes the Postal Service reports vacantThe HUD token is not registered for the USPS vacancy dataset.n/aHUD Aggregated USPS Administrative Data on Address Vacancies · Cook County, Illinois
Homes vacant long term (USPS)The HUD token is not registered for the USPS vacancy dataset.n/aHUD Aggregated USPS Administrative Data on Address Vacancies · Cook County, Illinois
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents in one year1.53.8US Census Building Permits Survey · 2025 annual · place
Business establishments per 1,000 residents25.925.6US Census County Business Patterns CB2300CBP · 2023 · Cook County, Illinois
Change in business establishments over 5 years0.6%5.8%US Census County Business Patterns CB2300CBP · 2018 vs 2023 · Cook County, Illinois
Change in jobs at local businesses over 5 years3.3%6.9%US Census County Business Patterns CB2300CBP · 2018 vs 2023 · Cook County, Illinois
Business addresses the Postal Service reports vacantThe HUD token is not registered for the USPS vacancy dataset.n/aHUD Aggregated USPS Administrative Data on Address Vacancies · Cook County, Illinois
Average annual pay per local job$83,113$67,804US Census County Business Patterns CB2300CBP · 2023 · Cook County, Illinois

Each measure is ranked against US cities and towns with 250,000 or more residents (91 in all), flipped where lower is better. Measures average into five categories, the categories average into one composite, and the composite is ranked against the same peers: A is the top 20%, then B, C, D, and F is the bottom 20%. "Thriving peers" is the level at the top-20% line. At least 3 of 5 categories are required. Business counts and Postal Service vacancy use Cook County, Illinois, because neither is published for cities.

Population
2,707,648
Median income
$75,134
Median home value
$315,200
Housing vacancy
9.6%

Source: US Census ACS 5-year 2023.

Building momentum

3916 residential units permitted in 2025 (vs 4371 in 2024).

Source: US Census Building Permits Survey, place-level.

Development signal: 54/100

people: 52money: 63land: 54access: pendingpower: pendingactivity: 39

A separate, unvalidated screen for building here, not part of the grade. Pending layers are excluded, never defaulted.

Go deeper

Parcels and ownership, incentive citations, leadership contacts, and a downloadable underwriting memo for Chicago live inside the terminal.

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Cividian never fabricates a number. If a figure cannot be verified it is marked pending. Cividian provides research support, not investment, legal, or real estate advice.