Best Buildings by Region
North Side
150,000+ buildings
Near North & Central
100,000+ buildings
Northwest
120,000+ buildings
South Side
180,000+ buildings
Southwest
100,000+ buildings
Popular Community Areas
Lincoln Park
North Side
Lake View
North Side
Logan Square
Near North
West Town
Near North
Hyde Park
South Side
Near North Side
Central
Lincoln Square
North Side
Uptown
North Side
Loop
Central
Bridgeport
Southwest
Edgewater
North Side
Albany Park
Northwest
Avondale
Northwest
Rogers Park
North Side
Kenwood
South Side
Near West Side
Central
Irving Park
Northwest
Pilsen
Southwest
How We Rank the Best Buildings in Chicago
StreetSmart analyzes every residential building in Chicago using 8 different data points to determine building quality. Our rankings are based on objective Chicago public data including code violations, building permits, safety records, and maintenance history.
Buildings with an A-rating (90+ score) have demonstrated excellent maintenance, responsive landlords, minimal violations, and safe living conditions. These are the buildings where tenants have the best experience based on verifiable data, not just marketing.
What Makes a Building "Top Rated"?
- Zero or minimal open violations - No outstanding code complaints
- Good maintenance history - Consistent upkeep over time
- No serious safety violations - No immediately hazardous issues
- Responsive management - Issues get fixed promptly
- Clean building record - Few or no complaints on file
Data Sources
Our rankings are built from over 700,000 Chicago building records including code violations, building permits, property data, and more. Data is updated regularly to ensure accuracy.