Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL Housing Market Brief
metro · IL · score computed October 2026
What is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL’s Alpha Score?
The Alpha Score is a composite 0–100 index of market strength, a weighted blend of five dimensions. See the methodology.
Population band 5 of 5 (population 278,335–19,798,537) · comparable within its band
Where is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL in its market cycle?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL is classified as Declining — cooling, with scores declining over recent months. This is a classification of recent (1–12 month) momentum, not a price forecast.
What’s the forecast for Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL?
Metro-level forecasts are paused (since Oct 18, 2026). The new public-data model we built to replace them didn't pass our accuracy test, and we won't publish forecasts again until a model does.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL housing market data
| Metric | Value | YoY | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Days on Market | 36 days | ▼ -5.3% | Realtor.com via FRED |
How has Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL’s Alpha Score moved?
Markets like Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL
- Chicago, IL metro area, ILmetro46
- Norwich, CT metro area, CTmetro36
- Hartford, CT metro area, CTmetro39
- New Haven, CT metro area, CTmetro35
- Niles, MI metro area, MImetro45
- Poughkeepsie, NY metro area, NYmetro
- Farmington, NM metro area, NMmetro37
- Kalamazoo, MI metro area, MImetro43
- Wilmington, DE metro area, DEmetro47
- Florence, AL metro area, ALmetro46
Frequently asked questions
Is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL a buyer's or seller's market?
In the scores computed October 2026, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL is classified as a Buyer's Market, based on its Alpha Score of 40 out of 100. The classification reflects current price, building, affordability, economic, and rental-yield conditions.
How affordable is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL scores 37 out of 100 on affordability — relatively unaffordable relative to local incomes and prevailing mortgage rates compared with other metros.
What's driving Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL's Alpha Score?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL's strongest dimension is Price Momentum (83/100) and its weakest is Inventory Health (13/100). The Alpha Score is a weighted blend of all five dimensions.
Want the live, interactive view of Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL? Open the full market dashboard — charts, ZIP-level drill-down, and watchlist tracking. Explore the map or read the methodology.