North Cook County industrial shows steady demand
March 8, 2026 – A review of North Cook County industrial activity shows that demand remains steady, but development has slowed. In fact, industrial demolitions are outpacing completions. There is currently 350,000 square feet under construction in the North Cook County industrial market, equal to 0.6% of inventory. Approximately 220,000 square feet is expected to deliver in North Cook County during 2026, according to CoStar research.
The submarket is a draw for manufacturers and logistics companies who are seeking regional accessibility via Interstates 294 and 94, and proximity to some of the region’s most successful retail destinations, outlets centers and power centers. The submarket also supports numerous small and mid-sized businesses in wholesaling, printing, HVAC, plumbing, construction, and related services.
Trailing 12-month net absorption for North Cook County industrial totals 300,000 square feet. Logistics space, which represents 33.1 million square feet of the submarket’s 55.6 million-square-foot inventory, accounted for -130,000 square feet of demand over the past year.
North Cook County Market Fundamentals
Among the submarket fundamentals to watch are:
- Vacancy is 6.0%, compared to the five-year average of 4.8% and the 10-year average of 5.1%.
- Industrial rents in the submarket average $12.20 per square foot versus $9.90 for the metro Chicago area.
- Rents have grown 4.1% year-over-year, the same as the rate for the metro. Over the past decade, North Cook posted cumulative rent growth of 62.2%, versus 63.0% for the metro.
The outlook for the North Cook submarket remains balanced. While rent growth is expected to moderate slightly, the limited construction pipeline should help further compress vacancy rates as demand stabilizes. Contact a Brown Commercial agent for more.
