Chicago home types

The buildings that make up Chicago and its suburbs, what they are made of, and what that means when you renovate one.

Know the building first

Each guide draws on preservation groups, the city and other published sources, linked so you can read more. Facts were checked on September 30, 2026.

Brick one-and-a-half story homes with full basements and original detail.

Stacked units, shared systems and an owner who often lives upstairs.

Limestone-fronted buildings with deep interiors and a lot of original character.

Small, narrow, often raised homes from the city's early working neighborhoods.

Vintage apartment buildings around a garden court, many now condos.

Ranches, split-levels and Cape Cods across the Chicago suburbs.

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