Can I keep the same density assumption when moving to Chicago?

Not without revalidation. Local density norms differ; loss factors differ; meeting-room intensity expectations differ. Re-run the Office Space Calculator with Chicago-specific defaults.

Moving into Chicago from another Tier 1 market means re-baselining occupancy economics in USD, re-running headcount density against local norms, and translating lease terminology to local conventions.

Re-baseline occupancy in USD (then USD for comparison).
Local lease conventions differ — translate terms via the Lease Term Translator.
Density assumptions vary materially by region; revalidate.
Build local counsel and broker relationships before the LOI, not after.

Chicago relocation guide

TL;DR

Re-baseline occupancy in USD (then USD for comparison).
Local lease conventions differ — translate terms via the Lease Term Translator.
Density assumptions vary materially by region; revalidate.
Build local counsel and broker relationships before the LOI, not after.

Re-baseline economics

Headline Chicago rent is 52 USD/sqft/yr ($52 USD). Translate your incumbent occupancy cost-per-seat to the same basis using the Occupancy Cost tool. Most cross-border moves underestimate fit-out">fit-out timeline and overestimate density transferability.

Translate the contract

Modified-gross with op-ex escalations over a base year. Rent-free 18-30 months and TI $120-$200/sqft on a 10-year term are current market. Use the Lease Term Translator to map terminology before reading the LOI.

Build the local stack

Engage a tenant-rep broker, local counsel, an MEP/AV designer with Chicago project history, and a project manager who has run a Class A fit-out in this market in the last 24 months.

Key facts

city	Chicago
country	United States
region	Americas
classARentLocal	52 USD/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$52/sqft/yr
vacancy	24.5%
typicalLeaseYears	10
typicalRentFreeMonths	22
submarkets	6
primeYieldPct	7%

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep the same density assumption when moving to Chicago?: Not without revalidation. Local density norms differ; loss factors differ; meeting-room intensity expectations differ. Re-run the Office Space Calculator with Chicago-specific defaults.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

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