Cook County vacant list, IL
8,190 owners on this list today. Seats open. A list is not a reason: every owner here shows the reason.
Cook County, IL has 8,190 vacant properties today, read from City of Chicago records and refreshed weekly. The top ZIP codes are 60628, 60636, 60621. 4,241 of these owners are also on the absentee owner list, the best one to stack. A property is on the list when the city opened a vacant-structure case in the last 24 months.
| Street and city | Score (1 to 10) | Why it may sell |
|---|---|---|
| W Ferdinand StChicago | 10of 10 | On the city's vacant-building listWorth 4.2x its last sale price (estimated equity) |
| E 89th StChicago | 10of 10 | On the city's vacant-building listBought within 2 years (investors often resell) |
| N Central Park AveChicago | 10of 10 | On the city's vacant-building listCity code case (23 in 2 years) |
Street name and city only: house numbers, owner names and mailing addresses are in the app.
How the Cook County list is made
Cook County's vacant list comes from the City of Chicago code-enforcement records: we read vacant-structure cases opened by city inspectors for every parcel, every week. A property is on the list when: the city opened a vacant-structure case in the last 24 months.
Cook County data dictionaryThe city opened a vacant-structure case in the last 24 months.
Government, bank, builder and church owners are left out by default, so the count is owners you can actually write to.
Where the Cook County owners are
| City | Properties | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 8,184 | 100% |
| Park Ridge | 2 | 0% |
| Bedford Park | 1 | 0% |
| Chgo | 1 | 0% |
| La Grange | 1 | 0% |
Top ZIP codes: 60628 Chicago (886), 60636 Chicago (579), 60621 Chicago (491), 60619 Chicago (453), 60620 Chicago (449).
Vacant properties in Cook County by years owned and value
Vacant properties in Cook County: what stands out
8,190 vacant properties in Cook County right now, with a median county value of $137,020. 52% of these owners get their tax bill at another address, and the typical owner has held the property for 8 years. Those behind on tax owe $15,476 on average. 24% score 9 or 10 on the likely-to-sell model.
Chicago holds the most (8,184, 100%), followed by Park Ridge (2), Bedford Park (1), Chgo (1).
By ZIP code, 60628 (Chicago) has 886, 60636 (Chicago) has 579, 60621 (Chicago) has 491: the quickest places to start a mailing route.
Typical reasons on this list in Cook County: on the city's vacant-building list; worth 4.2x its last sale price (estimated equity); bought within 2 years (investors often resell); city code case (23 in 2 years).
The largest group by years owned is 10 to 20 years (1,465 properties); by county value it is Under $100k (3,195).
Where the official Cook County list lives
The records behind this list are kept by the City of Chicago. Many counties let anyone look up a property there for free, and some publish the whole list. Check the office's website for the format and any fee.
The free route is real: for one list in one county, the county office may be enough. What LeadCounty adds is the weekly collection from every office, matching each record to the right property, a likely-to-sell score with reasons, filters, and stacking with absentee owner. Illinois rules and the Illinois guide explain how the process works.
Why these owners may sell
An empty house costs its owner insurance, taxes and upkeep while earning nothing, and it attracts code violations.
How to work the Cook County list
- Drive by or check recent photos before reaching out: the model points you to properties worth a look, it is not a fact about the house.
- Stack with absentee owner and code violations.
Dear [first name],
I'm a local buyer and I noticed [property address] may be empty right now. An empty house still costs tax, insurance and upkeep every month.
If you would rather sell it as it is, I can make a cash offer, take care of any clean-out and close on the date you choose.
The app fills in each owner's name and address and prints envelopes or labels.
What you get in the app
- Every property on the list, with owner and mailing address
- Likely-to-sell score 1–10 and the reasons
- Stack with absentee owner
- Map, property history, export one row per property to Excel / CSV
- New owners on the list every Monday
The score and the reasons on every owner show who is under the most pressure, so you start with the best odds.
Room by room + contingencyOpen the calculator →Vacant in nearby counties
More Cook County lists
Questions
How many vacant properties are in Cook County, IL?
8,190 on the latest county file, from official Cook County records (City of Chicago). The count is refreshed every week.
How do you know a property is vacant?
From city vacant-structure lists where they exist, and from our likely-vacant model that scores every property in the county.
How often is it updated?
Every week.
Every Cook County vacant owner, with the reasons.
Explore free for 7 days, no card. Full access: cancel before day 7 and pay nothing. New owners on the list every Monday.
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