Chicago Home-Value History: August 2016 to August 2026
An original analysis of Zillow's Chicago city Home Value Index, with annual August observations and clearly bounded one-, three-, five-, and ten-year changes.
Primary finding
Zillow's smoothed, seasonally adjusted Chicago city ZHVI was $334,030 in August 2026, up 5.2% from August 2025 and 40.1% from August 2016.
Scope
- Geography
- Chicago city, Illinois; Zillow city geography, Cook County row
- Data period
- August 2016 through August 2026, using annual August observations
- Published
- September 29, 2026
| August | ZHVI |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $238,381 |
| 2017 | $248,649 |
| 2018 | $261,506 |
| 2019 | $263,249 |
| 2020 | $269,128 |
| 2021 | $297,234 |
| 2022 | $307,040 |
| 2023 | $303,267 |
| 2024 | $313,502 |
| 2025 | $317,535 |
| 2026 | $334,030 |
| Comparison | Change |
|---|---|
| 1 year: August 2025 to August 2026 | +5.2% |
| 3 years: August 2023 to August 2026 | +10.1% |
| 5 years: August 2021 to August 2026 | +12.4% |
| 10 years: August 2016 to August 2026 | +40.1% |
Method
- Downloaded Zillow's city-level ZHVI file on September 29, 2026.
- Selected the Chicago, Illinois city row identified with Cook County.
- Used the all-homes, middle-tier ZHVI series, which represents the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range.
- Used Zillow's smoothed and seasonally adjusted monthly values. Changes are calculated from the unrounded source values and displayed to one decimal place.
- Held the comparison month constant at August to avoid turning normal seasonal movement into a long-term change claim.
Limits
- ZHVI is a modeled home-value index. It is not a median closed-sale price, list price, appraisal, or estimate for a particular property.
- The citywide series does not establish results for a neighborhood, building, property type, luxury tier, or individual home.
- A change in the index does not measure seller proceeds, buyer affordability, renovation return, or future appreciation.
- Zillow may revise historical observations as its models and source data change.
Sources
- Zillow Research housing data (September 29, 2026). City ZHVI, all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted.
- Zillow Home Value Index methodology (September 29, 2026). Definition and interpretation of the modeled index.
Put the finding into a property decision
Read Jovanka's companion guide for buyers and sellers. Broad data becomes useful when it is narrowed to the correct location, property type, building, price band, condition, timing, and current competition.
Need the property-level view?
Bring Jovanka the address, property type, timing, and decision. She can refresh the current local evidence before you rely on a broad market signal.