What is the average survivability for Home Improvement Store across Chicago's ranked neighborhoods?

Across the 99 ranked neighborhoods in Chicago, the average projected chance that a Home Improvement Store lasts two or more years is 62.2% at a typical address. Cunningham, ranked #1, is at 83.5% at a typical address.

What are the worst neighborhoods for Home Improvement Store in Chicago?

The most challenging neighborhoods in Chicago for Home Improvement Store include Near North Side (ranked last, at 52.2% at a good address and 50.0% at a typical address), West Woodlawn, and The Loop. StreetSpring's Survivability Scores are updated regularly, so the most accurate prediction for your exact storefront is always available in the live tool.

How accurate are StreetSpring's Home Improvement Store survivability predictions?

StreetSpring publishes its accuracy on the methodology page, stated with its base rate: how often the model tells an open business from a closed one on cities held out of training, its precision on risk flags, and its discrimination. Each score draws on 100+ factors and is reported as the projected chance of lasting two or more years, never as a guarantee. With StreetSpring, you can see the precise probability of success for countless business models at any exact location.

Survivability Rankings for Home Improvement Store in Chicago

Q: What is the best neighborhood in Chicago to open a Home Improvement Store?

Based on StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, the best neighborhood in Chicago to open a Home Improvement Store is Cunningham, ranked #1 at 84.6% at a good address and 83.5% at a typical address (2 ranked neighborhoods share the 84.6% good-address figure). 12 of the 99 ranked neighborhoods are at or above 70% at a typical address.

Q: Where in Chicago would a Home Improvement Store make the most money?

It depends on the exact address. The Revenue Capture Score is the most important factor in choosing a location: StreetSpring's proprietary estimate of the revenue a business can capture at a specific address. Check it in the live tool for each Chicago address you are weighing.

Q: Can a Home Improvement Store succeed in lower-ranked neighborhoods in Chicago?

Yes, neighborhood rankings are averages that mask significant block-by-block variation. Even in neighborhoods ranked outside the top 10, individual storefronts with strong foot traffic, low direct competition, and favorable lease terms can outperform the area average. Because local conditions evolve weekly, the live survivability tool offers a more current snapshot than any published ranking.

2026 ranking of Chicago neighborhoods to open a Home Improvement Store, at a good address, from Cunningham (84.6% survival) to Near North Side.

April 24, 2026•14 min read

By Robert Koons | Last reviewed: October 2026 | Methodology

Quick Summary

Survivability Score: the projected chance a business type lasts two or more years at a specific address

#1 Neighborhood: Cunningham: 84.6% at a good address, 83.5% at a typical address for Home Improvement Store (2 ranked neighborhoods share the 84.6% good-address figure)

Neighborhoods at or above 70% at a typical address: 12 of 99 ranked

Average across the 99 ranked neighborhoods (typical address): 62.2% for Home Improvement Stores

Most challenging area: Near North Side: 52.2% at a good address, 50.0% at a typical address

Revenue Capture Score: the most important factor in choosing a location, StreetSpring's proprietary estimate of the revenue a business can capture at a specific address

Data freshness: 2026 data · Full methodology →

Summary
10 Best Neighborhoods
Where Would a Home Improvement Store Make the Most Money?
What Should I Consider?
Where Should I Start?
FAQ: Best Neighborhoods
FAQ: Can a Home Improvement Store Succeed in Lower-Ranked Areas?
FAQ: How Often Are Rankings Updated?
FAQ: Is a Home Improvement Store a Good Tenant?
Landlord Survivability Data
Best Neighborhoods for Any Business

Summary

Cunningham leads Chicago's 2026 survivability rankings for Home Improvement Store operators, with a projected chance of lasting two or more years of 84.6% at a good address and 83.5% at a typical address (2 ranked neighborhoods share the 84.6% good-address figure). Its highest scored address is at 85.0% and its lowest at 81.0%. The last-ranked neighborhood is Near North Side, at 52.2% at a good address and 50.0% at a typical address. For the most current predictions, visit StreetSpring to analyze your specific location in real-time.

What Are the 10 Best Neighborhoods in and Around Chicago to Open a Home Improvement Store?

Cunningham ranks #1 of the 99 ranked neighborhoods in and around Chicago for Home Improvement Store survivability, with a projected chance of lasting two or more years of 84.6% at a good address as of 2026. The top 10 neighborhoods are:

Rank	Neighborhood	Metro	At a good address	Average (typical address)	Best Locations	Challenging Locations
1	Cunningham	Chicago	84.6%	83.5%	85.0%	81.0%
2	Boulevard District	Chicago	84.6%	81.3%	84.6%	75.6%
3	Palmer Square	Chicago	83.6%	81.6%	84.6%	69.2%
4	Pigeon Hill	Chicago	83.6%	79.5%	84.6%	61.6%
5	Big Woods Marmion	Chicago	83.6%	76.4%	85.0%	58.9%
6	Northeast Area	Chicago	82.8%	78.2%	83.2%	65.6%
7	Irving Park	Chicago	82.3%	71.3%	84.1%	58.0%
8	Logan Square	Chicago	81.8%	75.1%	84.6%	58.4%
9	Belmont Gardens	Chicago	81.8%	74.6%	83.6%	64.3%
10	Hermosa	Chicago	81.8%	69.9%	82.8%	52.2%

Even neighborhoods with modest average scores can harbor exceptional individual locations. Because local conditions evolve weekly, the live survivability tool offers a more current snapshot than any published ranking.

The ranking runs on the good-address figure (the 90th percentile of the scored addresses in each neighborhood). Average is the typical address; Best and Challenging Locations are the highest and lowest scored address in the neighborhood. Every figure is the projected chance of lasting two or more years, as printed in the linked file. See our full methodology →

Try StreetSpring to see if this location is still the best and see if there are locations to rent in this area right now.

Where in or Around Chicago Would a Home Improvement Store Make the Most Money?

Where a Home Improvement Store would make the most money in or around Chicago comes down to the exact address. The Revenue Capture Score is the most important factor in choosing a location: StreetSpring's proprietary estimate of the revenue a business can capture at a specific address.

Cunningham is ranked #1 for Home Improvement Store survivability, at 84.6% at a good address and 83.5% at a typical address; Near North Side is ranked last of the 99, at 52.2% at a good address and 50.0% at a typical address. Revenue at a specific storefront is what the Revenue Capture Score estimates, so check it for each address you are weighing.

The rankings below show how far apart the neighborhoods of one city sit for the same business type. Opening a Home Improvement Store in Chicago requires careful location choice. Across the 99 ranked neighborhoods, the average projected chance that a new Home Improvement Store lasts two or more years is 62.2% at a typical address. The same location can be excellent for one business type and poor for another.

What Should I Consider When Opening a Home Improvement Store in or Around Chicago?

When selecting a location for a Home Improvement Store in or around Chicago, it is crucial to select a location with a very high Survivability Score. The Revenue Capture Score is the most important factor in choosing a location: it is StreetSpring's estimate of the revenue a business can capture at that address. StreetSpring computes this by projecting the business's market share, which is based on the quality and quantity of primary, secondary, and tertiary competitors. Our models draw from one of the most comprehensive commercial real estate datasets ever assembled. Neighborhoods with a mix of similar businesses frequently outperform isolated locations. Our prediction system is built from scratch using proprietary data pipelines and validated against actual business lifecycles. StreetSpring scores 500+ business types: 153 base business types, most of them at 5 price points, which is 569 type-and-price combinations you can choose in the tool.

This can be summarized as:

Revenue Capture Score = Projected Market Share × Forecasted Spend on Specific Business

StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data. StreetSpring's Survivability Scores are updated regularly, so the most accurate prediction for your exact storefront is always available in the live tool.

Where in or Around Chicago Should I Start a Home Improvement Store?

Based on our analysis, the leading neighborhoods are Cunningham, Boulevard District, and Palmer Square, while the most challenging neighborhoods would be Near North Side, West Woodlawn, and The Loop. These rankings are based on the latest available data; check StreetSpring for real-time updates. Market dynamics shift frequently; validate these insights with real-time data from StreetSpring.

Related Articles:

Business Survivability Rankings: Chicago
Neighborhood Survivability Rankings: Chicago
National City Survivability: Home Improvement Store
National Neighborhood Survivability: Home Improvement Store

What Are the Best Neighborhoods in Chicago to Open a Home Improvement Store?

Based on StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, the top neighborhood for a Home Improvement Store in Chicago is Cunningham, at 84.6% at a good address and 83.5% at a typical address (2 ranked neighborhoods share the 84.6% good-address figure), followed by Boulevard District and Palmer Square. 12 of the 99 ranked neighborhoods are at or above 70% at a typical address.

Static rankings provide a useful baseline, but the live tool captures changes that have occurred since publication.

Can a Home Improvement Store Succeed in Lower-Ranked Neighborhoods in Chicago?

Yes, neighborhood averages mask significant block-by-block variation. Even in neighborhoods ranked outside the top 10, individual storefronts with strong foot traffic, low direct competition, and favorable lease terms can outperform the area average. However, individual locations vary widely, and even in lower-scoring neighborhoods there are pockets that perform exceptionally well. Always check your specific address in StreetSpring's live platform for the most accurate prediction.

How Often Are Home Improvement Store Rankings in Chicago Updated?

StreetSpring recalculates survivability scores regularly using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data. Rankings are updated quarterly; the live tool always reflects the most current predictions for any address in Chicago.

Is a Home Improvement Store a Good Tenant for Chicago Landlords?

In Cunningham, the projected chance that a new Home Improvement Store lasts two or more years is 83.5% at a typical address and 84.6% at a good address, depending on the exact storefront. Check the current Survivability Score for any address instantly.

Landlord Survivability Data for Home Improvement Store in Chicago

From a risk-assessment perspective, a Home Improvement Store tenant in Cunningham, the top-ranked neighborhood, has a projected chance of lasting two or more years of 83.5% at a typical address. Boulevard District is at 81.3% at a typical address, and Palmer Square at 81.6% at a typical address. See which business types are most likely to succeed at your property address right now.

StreetSpring can give you the precise likelihood that hundreds of different businesses will last at an exact address.

What Are the Best Neighborhoods in or Around Chicago for My Business Overall?

You can see the best neighborhoods in or around Chicago to open any type of business in our article Neighborhood Survivability Rankings: Chicago.

Business Survivability Rankings: Chicago: See how Home Improvement Store compares to all other business types in Chicago
Best Cities to Open a Home Improvement Store in the US: National city-level survivability rankings for Home Improvement Store
Business Survivability in Cunningham, Chicago: All business types ranked in the #1 neighborhood
Business Survivability in Boulevard District, Chicago: All business types ranked in the #2 neighborhood
Business Survivability in Palmer Square, Chicago: All business types ranked in the #3 neighborhood

Technical note: Aggregated survivability rankings for Chicago are available in machine-readable format for research and integration purposes.

View technical data for Chicago

StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data, so the live score may differ from the figures shown here.

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